Blue Gardenia (album)
Blue Gardenia | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 21, 2001 | |||
Recorded | November 30, 2000 – February 27, 2001 | |||
Genre | Blues, jazz, rhythm and blues | |||
Length | 67:15 | |||
Label | Private Music | |||
Producer | John Snyder | |||
Etta James chronology | ||||
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Blue Gardenia is the twenty-fifth studio album by
James promoted the album by touring throughout the United States leading up to and following its release.[3] Critical reception of the album was positive overall. The album reached number one on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart.
Composition
Blue Gardenia contains thirteen jazz standards from the
The album opens with a rendition of
Reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1][8] |
Robert Christgau | (A–)[9] |
Newsweek | [10] |
Rolling Stone | [11] |
Critical reception of Blue Gardenia was positive overall. Jonathan Widran wrote a positive review for the album, complimenting Walton's arrangements and the featured soloists.
Billboard's Bill Holland called James and the material on Blue Gardenia a "near-perfect fit" after noting her "hit-or-miss relationship with standards" in the past. Holland felt that Walton's arrangements were designed for a singer with a "less robust style", but considered "Blue Gardenia" and "Cry Me a River" to be "riveting".[13] Lorraine Ali's review for Newsweek called Blue Gardenia a "smooth cocktail", suggesting that James' vocal performance reflected her difficult past.[10] Dave Nathan of All About Jazz concluded that "James may have slowed a bit when it comes to technical skills. But the fervency, the soul and the passion not only are still there, but have grown keener with age. This is an album of more than an hour of from the heart singing by one of the great ones and is recommended."[5]
Track listing
- "This Bitter Earth" (Clyde Otis) – 4:20
- "He's Funny That Way" (Neil Moret, Richard A. Whiting) – 6:00
- "In My Solitude" (Eddie DeLange, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills) – 5:16
- "There Is No Greater Love" (Isham Jones, Marty Symes) – 5:18
- "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" (Joe Greene) – 5:18
- "Love Letters" (Edward Heyman, Victor Young) – 3:59
- "These Foolish Things" (Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey) – 5:14
- "Come Rain or Come Shine" (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer) – 5:39
- "Don't Worry 'bout Me" (Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler) – 5:52
- "Cry Me a River" (Arthur Hamilton) – 5:02
- "Don't Blame Me" (Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh) – 5:01
- "My Man" (Channing Pollack, Yvain-Albert, Maurice Yvain) – 5:09
- "Blue Gardenia" (Lester Lee, Bob Russell) – 5:07
Track listing adapted from AllMusic.[1]
Personnel
Credits adapted from AllMusic.[1]
- Rick Baptist – flugelhorn
- George Bohanon – trombone
- Ronnie Buttacavoli – flugelhorn, trumpet
- Lupe DeLeon – executive producer
- Tony Dumas – bass
- Dorothy Hawkins – vocals
- Red Holloway – tenor saxophone
- Etta James – vocals
- Ralph Penland - drums
- Alan Mason – assistant
- Richard McKernan – assistant
- Sonny Mediana – art direction, photography
- John Nelson – engineer
- Jay Newland – engineer
- Ron Powell – percussion
- Josh Sklair – arranger, guitar
- John Snyder – producer
- Cedar Walton – arranger, piano
- Charlie Watts – engineer
Charts
Blue Gardenia reached number one on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart and held the position for at least four weeks.[14][15] This was James' first number one position on any Billboard chart; previously, Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday (1994) and Matriarch of the Blues (2000) had reached number two on the Top Jazz Albums and Top Blues Albums charts, respectively.[16] The June 8, 2002, issue of Billboard, which featured year-to-date rankings as part of the publication's "Jazz Spotlight", included Blue Gardenia at number six on the Top Jazz Albums chart.[17]
Chart (2001) | Peak position |
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US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard) | 1 |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Widran, Jonathan. "Blue Gardenia". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 26, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ Quan, Denise (September 25, 2002). "A life singing the blues". CNN. Archived from the original on August 4, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Hill, Dorothy (October 2001). "Etta James: Blue Gardenia". Jazz Now. 11 (6). Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ a b c Nathan, Dave (September 1, 2001). "Etta James: Blue Gardenia". All About Jazz. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ "These Foolish Things". AllMusic. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
- ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
- ISBN 9780879307363. Retrieved September 8, 2011. Note: Jonathan Widran's album review published August 21, 2011.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert. "Etta James". RobertChristgau.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
- ^ from the original on January 17, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
- ISBN 9780743201698. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
- from the original on June 14, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
- ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
- ^ "Blue Gardenia: Charts & Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
- ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
- ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 8, 2011. Note: Recaps compiled by Anthony Colombo with assistance from jazz charts manager Steve Graybow.
External links
- "A Voice That Shows Every Stage of the Singer's Life", Jon Pareles' review of James' 2001 concert at B. B. King Blues Club
- Gordon Baxter's album review for Blues on Stage
- "Etta James knows something about the blues", Las Vegas Review-Journal interview published March 15, 2002