Nancy Harrow - Winter Dreams: The Life and Passions of F. Scott Fitzgerald

Styles: Jazz Pop
Year: 2003
Time: 39:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 92,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:59) 1. This Side of Paradise
(2:33) 2. You'll Never Get to East Egg
(4:13) 3. Winter Dreams
(1:59) 4. The Extra Mile
(2:38) 5. Oh God, I'm Sophisticated
(3:06) 6. Dear Max
(2:42) 7. My Swan
(3:42) 8. Beloved Infidel
(3:53) 9. Until It Comes Up Love
(3:43) 10. My Lost City
(4:25) 11. The Old Pro
(3:52) 12. Winter Dreams

WINTER DREAMS 'Harrow's writing has wit and sophistication... The songs on Winter Dreams deal with love and loss, ambition and status, lost dreams and the span of time. Poetic and moving, it's an unexpected gem.' ?Alan Lankin, Jazzmatazz ?'Harrow investigates the hopes, dreams, excitement, excesses and sadness of the great writer and the era in which he lived. The resulting work is wonderful. This completely original musical adventure is a hip and adventurous journey investigating the nooks and crannies of Fitzgerald's tumultuous life... Winter Dreams is enjoyable from start to finish with some particularly outstanding songs. 'This Side of Paradise' is a terrific, upbeat song in which Tate swings out hip lyrics...

The starry-eyed optimism of the opener is contrasted with the epic sadness of the title song and the ennui of 'My Lost City'... Harrow creates an engaging song cycle that reaches beyond the vistas of the life and times of F. Scott Fitzgerald by tapping into the emotions behind the story. Winter Dreams is a tremendous recording.' ?Michael Dominici, Whereyat ? ?'Like Nina Simone, Nancy Harrow has never known the meaning of the word compromise. She has spent four decades fighting the dragons of pop puerility. Her reward? Perhaps one percent of the recognition she truly deserves.

Harrow's latest, Winter Dreams: The Life and Passions of F. Scott Fitzgerald (Artists House), has about as much chance for widespread appeal as caviar blintzes at McDonald's. The wise minority with the wisdom to recognize the clarity of Harrow's vision will, however, be richly rewarded. The album's 12 tracks, all written by Harrow, are less a musical biography than a gallery of hand-tinted X-rays that lay bare the hopes, dreams, fears and self-loathing of Fitzgerald's checkered life. Grady Tate, surely the finest jazz baritone since Billy Eckstine, is cast as F. Scott, with Harrow playing an assortment of supporting roles, including Zelda, Sheila Graham and Daisy Buchanan.

These dozen snapshots capture a bracingly broad spectrum of emotions, extending from the youthful idealism of 'This Side of Paradise' (I'm young /I'm smart/I'm making cash from art') and naked ambition of 'You'll Never Get to East Egg' to the money-hungry tap dance of 'Dear Max' and the haunting desolation of the title track. A stunning achievement, Harrow's jazz-tinged salute to the most iconic of all Jazz Age figures is made all the more admirable by her commitment to donate all proceeds to the not-for-profit Artists House, supporting her unflagging commitment to 'rescue the recording business from egregious commercialism.'?Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes? News item: This album has now become the nucleus of an off-Broadway musical called This Side of Paradise, about the lives of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald. By Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/LIFE-PASSIONS-F-SCOTT-FITZGERALD/dp/B000086ET0

Personnel and Credits
Vocals: Nancy Harrow, Grady Tate (cast as F. Scott Fitzgerald), and Daryl Sherman (voice of the housekeeper).
Piano/Arranger: [Roland Hanna].
Bass: [Paul West] or [Rufus Reid] (sources differ).
Drums: [Akira Tana].
Guitar: [Jack Wilkins].
Saxophone/Flute: [Frank Wess] and [Bill Easley].
Trumpet: [Michael Mossman].
Trombone: [John Mosca].

Winter Dreams: The Life and Passions of F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Nancy Harrow - Jazz Greats

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:29
Size: 107,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:13)  1. 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do
(5:28)  2. Wild Women Don't Have the Blues
(3:56)  3. I Don't Know What Kind of Blues I've Got
(7:29)  4. Blues for Yesterday
(5:26)  5. All Too Soon
(5:16)  6. Can't We Be Friends
(5:14)  7. Take Me Back Baby
(4:29)  8. I've Got the World on a String
(4:57)  9. On the Sunny Side of the Street

Nancy Harrow made a strong impression with her Candid recording Wild Women Don't Have the Blues in 1960, but it was a long time before she was a full-time singer. She had studied classical piano extensively from the age of seven before decided to become a dancer and later a jazz singer. After her Candid recording and an album for Atlantic (1962), Harrow raised a family and spent time outside of music. In 1975, Nancy Harrow came back and recorded frequently for Audiophile, Finesse, Inner City, Tono, Gazell, and Soul Note. She is a talented and swinging bop-based singer who wrote all of the material for her 1993 Lost Lady release. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nancy-harrow-mn0000309127/biography

Jazz Greats

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Nancy Harrow - Lost Lady

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:26
Size: 112,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. House On The Low Round Hill
(3:33)  2. Railroad Man
(4:45)  3. If I Want To
(5:46)  4. Lost Lady
(3:38)  5. Happy Days/lost Lady
(3:04)  6. Self-esteem
(2:20)  7. Putting On Airs
(3:54)  8. Angry Blues
(5:44)  9. He's Gone
(3:37) 10. For The Last Time
(2:57) 11. Starting Over
(2:50) 12. This Life Is Mine
(2:44) 13. Happy Days

Singer Nancy Harrow certainly put a lot of work into this project, writing both words and music for all 13 originals. The recording is inspired by Willa Cather's brief novel Lost Lady, although the plot is given a more modern twist. 

Harrow utilizes a second singer (Vernel Bagneris, who serves as the narrator and male counterpoint), a top-notch rhythm section (pianist Dick Katz, bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Ben Riley) and occasionally Phil Woods on alto and clarinet. While this is an interesting recording and everyone plays and sings well, none of the music is really all that memorable, and the songs do not stand alone if heard apart from the story. So it is a mixed success; well-conceived, ambitious and intriguing, if not essential. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/lost-lady-mw0000626767

Personnel:  Nancy Harrow ( Vocal ); Ben Riley ( Drums); Dick Katz ( Piano ); Phil Woods 

( Sax Alto) ); Vernel Bagneris ( Vocal ); Ray Drummond ( Bass )

Lost Lady

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Nancy Harrow - Wild Women Don't Have The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:54
Size: 95.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1962/1989
Art: Front

[5:10] 1. Take Me Back Baby
[5:26] 2. All Too Soon
[5:16] 3. Can't We Be Friends
[4:51] 4. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[5:24] 5. Wild Women Don't Have The Blues
[4:24] 6. I've Got The World On A String
[3:51] 7. I Don't Know What Kind Of Blues I've Got
[7:28] 8. Blues For Yesterday

Baritone Saxophone – Danny Bank; Bass – Milt Hinton; Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Tom Gwaltney; Drums – Oliver Jackson; Guitar – Kenny Burrell; Piano – Dick Wellstood; Tenor Saxophone – Buddy Tate; Trombone – Dickie Wells; Trumpet, Leader, Arranged By – Buck Clayton; Vocals – Nancy Harrow. Recorded at Nola Penthouse Studios, New York, November 2 and 3, 1960.

Although singer Nancy Harrow made a strong impression with this debut recording (which has been reissued on CD), she did not lead another record date until 1978 other than a lesser-known effort for Atlantic in 1966. Obviously the years of obscurity were not deserved, for this set is a near-classic. Harrow is heard in her early prime singing such veteran songs as "All Too Soon," "On the Sunny Side of the Street," the seven-minute "Blues for Yesterday," and the title cut (originally done by Ida Cox in the 1920s). A more modern stylist (although influenced by Billie Holiday a little) than the material she performed at the time, Harrow is joined by such top mainstream players as trumpeter Buck Clayton (who provided the arrangements), tenorman Buddy Tate, trombonist Dickie Wells, and pianist Dick Wellstood. Highly recommended, Harrow's debut date has plenty of spirit and enthusiasm. ~Scott Yanow

Wild Women Don't Have The Blues

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Nancy Harrow - Anything Goes

Size: 106,1 MB
Time: 44:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1979/1991
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Anything Goes (2:25)
02. Prelude To A Kiss (2:47)
03. See See Rider (4:19)
04. A Woman's Intuition (2:32)
05. I Wished On The Moon (2:18)
06. Come Rain Or Come Shine (2:51)
07. He's Funny That Way (2:22)
08. Them There Eyes (2:22)
09. My Old Flame (2:07)
10. A Fine Romance (2:22)
11. Foolin' Myself (3:14)
12. I've Got A Crush On You (3:10)
13. A Little Blue (3:44)
14. Memories Of You (3:00)
15. I'll Get By (2:42)
16. Puttin' On The Ritz (2:30)

Nancy Harrow's first record in 16 years features the fine jazz singer accompanied by a sympathetic trio consisting of guitarist Jack Wilkins, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Billy Hart. For this CD reissue, Harrow recorded four additional songs in 1990 with the same group. The renditions (mostly arranged by Bob Brookmeyer) are generally quite concise -- many are under three minutes long -- but full of honest emotion and subtle creativity. Highlights include "A Woman's Intuition," "I Wished On the Moon," "Them There Eyes" and "Foolin' Myself."

Anything Goes

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Nancy Harrow - The Beatles & Other Standards

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:26
Size: 121,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:04)  1. My foolish heart
(4:04)  2. Drive my car
(3:18)  3. Yesterday
(3:58)  4. Got to get you into my life
(4:07)  5. When the world was young
(5:23)  6. Here comes the sun
(2:55)  7. Blackbird
(4:01)  8. Nature boy
(4:00)  9. Because
(3:54) 10. Yesterdays
(6:16) 11. Something
(6:21) 12. More than you know

"The Emarcy disc comes from Japan and finds Ms. Harrow singing so well that we are beguiled into believing that Ringo, Paul, John and George are legitimate pretenders to the ranks of Jerome, Johnny, Vincent, Victor, and Otto. In the end, we are only incredulous that she has been able to make tortes out of muffins like 'Drive,' 'Got to Get,' 'Here Comes,' 'Because,' and 'Blackbird.' 'Drive' comes off sounding like something Dave Frishberg might have written in an off moment, while 'Here Comes,' enhanced by Bill Easley's pirouetting soprano, is as cheering as a Summer sunrise. 'Got to Get' is slowed down, denied its usual air of hyperventilation and made marginally meaningful. Ms. Harrow manages to make something out of next to nothing with 'Something,' and clears up considerable confusion about 'Yesterdays and 'Yesterday'. The former is a masterwork by Harbach & Kern, whose perfection of lyric ('...gay youth was mine/truth was mine/joyous free and flaming life, forsooth, was mine') wed to melody is examined in great detail in a performance abetted only by George Mraz's resolute bass. 

The latter is Lennon & McCartney's adolescent whine ('Love was such an easy game to play/now I need a place to hide away'), but this singer elevates it to a reasonable level of maturity by dint of her interpretive resourcefulness. Together with 'Yesterday', her reading of three of the other non-Beatle tunes, 'Foolish', 'World,' and 'Know' constitute the warm, pulsating marrow of this recital, the moments during which she eschews any pretension whatever, draws on the pain and pleasure of her own experience and makes confession. With only Roland Hanna's unbelievably empathic piano lighting the way on these three tracks, we emerge from the inner passages of her psyche, abashed but slightly wiser than we were."~ Alan Bargebuhr, Cadence  http://www.nancyharrow.com/rev.php

The Beatles & Other Standards

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Nancy Harrow - An Intimate Evening With Nancy Harrow

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:10
Size: 128.6 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Cabaret
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:19] 1. Guess Who's In Town
[4:28] 2. Maybe It's Because I Love You Too Much
[3:01] 3. So Why Am I Surprised
[0:18] 4. Musician Credits
[2:44] 5. Why Was I Born
[3:57] 6. If I Could Be With You
[3:51] 7. You Go To My Head
[3:28] 8. You're Not The Only Oyster In The Stew
[4:29] 9. Don't Go To Strangers
[4:26] 10. I Don't Know You Any More
[4:35] 11. Fixing A Hole
[3:47] 12. Pretty Prey
[0:39] 13. Spoken Introduction
[4:14] 14. You're Not What You Said You Are/Effie
[3:36] 15. He's Gone
[5:11] 16. Life Is Short/Havin' Myself A Time

Nancy Harrow - Voice; Roland Hanna - Piano; Paul West - Bass.

This album is especially personal for Nancy because, for the first time, listeners get to hear her performance in front of an audience. She is a jazz singer within each song she sings, but she also comes from the generation when jazz artists were supposed to be entertainers. She understands that she has to have "an act." In her cabaret act, she shows her honest self. Nothing is put-on. Her personal warmth and sense of humor are more evident in these spontaneous moments.

Technically speaking, certain things Nancy does are unorthodox, just as Ruth Olay, Morgana King, Sheila Jordan, and Betty Carter (to pick notable jazz voices of her generation) were each unique and idiosyncratic. Unlike many jazz singers, Nancy never improvises in an "in your face" manner. Nancy is not a show-off. Everything she does is subtle and tasteful. Like her accompanist Roland Hanna, she is always in the moment. Take If I Could Be With You, which I consider one of the highlights of this CD; Nancy hardly sings the original melody but she does it in such an easy manner that she makes it sound as though she is singing the melody. In some songs, especially her own compositions, she hardly departs from the original melodies. Nonetheless, she always manages to retain her jazz identity. ~Ted Takashi Ono

An Intimate Evening With Nancy Harrow

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