Marlene VerPlanck - A New York Singer (1996)

This CD mostly brings back a middle-of-the-road pop date featuring the beautiful voice of Marlene Ver Planck backed by a string orchestra arranged by Billy Ver Planck. The charts are sometimes overblown and more suited to Barbra Streisand than to Ella Fitzgerald although Marlene generally carries it off. But the program (which includes "Go Away, Little Boy," "The Music That Makes Me Dance" and "Hopscotch") is not significant from a jazz standpoint. Much better are five selections recorded especially for this reissue in 1995 for they swing a bit and match Ver Planck with a combo that often includes either trumpeter Joe Wilder or tenor saxophonist Phil Thompson. Marlene had continued growing as a singer during the intervening 15 years and the latter date finds her in fine form; pity that it oculd not have been paired with a jazz-oriented session.

Tracklist:

01. Go Away, Little Boy
02. Stairway To The Stars
03. That Ole Devil Called Love
04. Songbird (Thank You For Your Lovely Song)
05. The Music That Makes Me Dance
06. Why Shouldn't I
07. By Myself Vocalize No.5
08. Isn't It A Pity
09. Music Man
10. I Looked At You
11. Hey, Star
12. Red And Yellow Flowers
13. You Keep Coming Back Like A Song
14. Hopscotch
15. A Sure Thing
16. Good Old Friends