June Christy: Bossa Nova, 1963

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com

If you search June Christy's discography for Bossa Nova andOne Note Samba, you'll find that the 1963 single was never released on an album in the vinyl era and only the latter was added to a CD release as a bonus track. Bossa Nova remains available only as a Capitol 45. As a result, both tracks have escaped most Christy fans. The music for Bossa Nova was written and arranged by Christy's husband, tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper, while the words were by Rogers Turrentine, a noted television writer. Last summer, Turrentine uploaded the single and wrote the following at YouTube:

"In 1962, Bill Miller of Capitol Records contacted Bob Cooper and me to write a single for June to record immediately due to some new trend from Brazil called the 'bossa nova.' It was described as a variation on the samba, but wasn’t a dance. The flip side was to be a cover of One Note Samba. Along with Coop [tenor sax], the orchestra included Laurindo Almeida [guitar], Bud Shank [flute] and Shelly Manne [drums]. This turned out to be the last 45 that Christy (as Coop always called her) did for Capitol and has never been released in any other format to my knowledge. Since there’s a tribute to June and Bob scheduled on Sept. 17, 2015 in Hermosa Beach, I decided to upload Bossa Nova along with some vintage photos. – Rogers Turrentine"

After a little digging, I found that One Note Samba was a bonus track tossed onto the CD release of Christy's Something Broadway, Something Latin (1965). Here's the listed personnel on One Note Samba (I'm not sure whether Turrentine was mistaken as to who played flute—Bud Shank or Ronnie Lang—or whether Bud played on Bossa Nova and Ronnie Lang played on One Note Samba):

June Christy (v), Bob Cooper (ts, arr/con), Ronnie Lang (fl), Emil Richards (vib), Laurindo Almeida (g), Joe Mondragon (b), Shelly Manne (d), Milt Holland (perc), Dan Lube, Erno Neufeld, Lou Raderman, Sam Freed, Felix Slatkin, George Kast, Bob Barene and Nathan Kaproff (strings).

What a shame Christy didn't record a bossa nova album. Here's June Christy singing Bossa Nova...

And here's One Note Samba, on the flip side of the single...

One Note Samba

A special thanks to Bret Primacy.

Used with permission by Marc Myers

June Christy: Stars of Jazz, '58

Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com

In 1958, June Christy was one of the West Coast's best-known jazz-pop recording artists. At Capitol Records, where Pete Rugolo arranged many of her albums, Christy delivered songs with a sunny melancholy and breathy coolness that perfectly reflected the sighing resignation of bluesy middle-age suburbanites in Southern California.

In March '58, Christy appeared on Stars of Jazz, the Los Angeles jazz TV show hosted by pianist and singer-songwriter Bobby Troup. Christy sang I Want to Be Happyand That's All backed by the Lighthouse All-Stars: Frank Rosolino (tb), Bob Cooper (ts), Victor Feldman (p/vib), Howard Rumsey (b) and Stan Levey (d), with Troup as host.

Here's June Christy in March 1958...

Used with permission by Marc Myers

'Something Cool' in Carmel

Lovers of popular song in the era just before rock ‘n’ roll dominated might be pleased to come upon a musical murder mystery called “Something Cool,” after a song made popular by jazz singer June Christy. It’s a production of playwright Willie Wood at the Carmel Community Playhouse running June 24-27.

Hamilton County actors Kelly Krauter, Ellie McCracken and Lauren Elaine Bowers play major roles in the story of two teenage sisters looking for love in Anaheim, Calif., in 1953. They meet two mysterious strangers in a bar, each of which may have something to teach them — or something they should run from.

For ticket information — the June 24 show is sold out, by the way — call (317) 815-9387 or visit http://www.carmelplayers.org/.
http://blogs.indystar.com/upstage/2010/06/something_cool.html

June Christy

Although she originally sounded heavily influenced by Anita O'Day, June Christy's cool-toned yet cheerful style grew to be quite individual and popular, being both sensual and nonthreatening. She sang locally in Chicago and then received her big break, replacing O'Day with Stan Kenton's Orchestra in 1945. She had hits with "Tampico," "Shoo-Fly Pie" and "How High the Moon" and her renditions of ballads and novelties helped to keep the Kenton Orchestra going, contrasting with their more experimental and "progressive" works.

Christy married tenor-saxophonist Bob Cooper, cut her first solo recordings in 1947 and, after Kenton broke up his band in 1948, she had a very successful career. Her series of Capitol records in the 1950s (particularly "Something Cool" and "The Misty Miss Christy") defined the "cool jazz" singing style and sold quite well. Christy had occasional reunions with Kenton and, even after she drifted into retirement after 1965, she appeared with the bandleader at the 1972 Newport Jazz Festival. Though she came back for one final record in 1977, June Christy will always be associated with the 1950s. ~ Scott Yanow
Scott Yanow, All-Music Guide

Nat King Cole, June Christy, Mel Torme - How High The Moon