Studio albums (1954–1966)
Bethlehem Records
Chris Connor recorded around 38 sides for the Bethlehem Records label between December 1953 and April 1955. Connor was the first vocalist signed to the new label, and her dual 10" LPs Sings Lullabys of Birdland and Sings Lullabys For Lovers were the first albums ever released by Bethlehem. Only one full length 12" LP was released during Chris' tenure there: the album This Is Chris (in 1955). Her other two Bethlehem albums were issued in 1957 (after she left the label).
| Recorded | Album title | Format | Catalogue No. | Issued |
|---|
| 1954 | Chris Connor Sings Lullabys of Birdland | 10" LP | BCP-1001 | 1954 |
| Chris Connor Sings Lullabys For Lovers | 10" LP | BCP-1002 | |
| 1955 | This Is Chris (AKA Cocktails and Dusk) | LP | BCP-20 | 1955 |
| Chris (AKA The Rich Sound of Chris Connor) | LP | BCP-56 | 1957 |
| Chris Connor Sings Lullabys of Birdland | LP | BCP-6004 | |
Bethlehem EPs & Singles
| Recorded | Title | Format | Catalogue No. | Issued |
|---|
| 1953 | Lullaby Of Birdland/Try A Little Tenderness | 78 rpm | BET-B1302 | 1954 |
| | 45 rpm | BET-B1302 | |
| Miser's Serenade/Blue Silhouette | 78 rpm | BET-1291 | 1954 |
| Chiquita From Chi Wah-Wah/Ask Me | 78 rpm | BET-1293 | |
| 1954 | Try a Little Tenderness/What Is There to Say | 45 rpm | 11001 | 1954 |
| 1954 | Chris Connor Sings Lullabys Of Birdland (Part 1) | EP | BEP-101A | 1954 |
| Chris Connor Sings Lullabys Of Birdland (Part 2) | EP | BEP-101B | |
| Chris Connor Sings Lullabys For Lovers (Part 1) | EP | BEP-102A | |
| Chris Connor Sings Lullabys For Lovers (Part 2) | EP | BEP-102B | |
| 1953 | Chris (Part 1) | EP | BEP-114 | 1955 |
| 1954–1955 | Chris (Part 2) | EP | BEP-127 | |
| 1953–1955 | Chris (Part 3) | EP | BEP-130 | |
| 1955 | This Is Chris (Part 1) | EP | BEP-126 | |
| This Is Chris (Part 2) | EP | BEP-129 | |
|
Atlantic Albums
Chris Connor's longest (and most successful) association with a record label was at Atlantic Records. She began recording for Atlantic in 1956 and, over the course of seven years, released thirteen critically acclaimed and best-selling albums. Fans often consider this period the peak of Connor's career, as she had complete artistic control over both the songs and the musicians with whom she would work.
During the Atlantic period, Connor worked with many well-respected musicians in the industry, including Doc Severinsen, Jerry Wexler, Quincy Jones, Hank Jones, Rufus Jones, Nesuhi Ertegun, Osie Johnson, and Ronnie Ball. She also recorded many relatively unknown compositions during this time, including those of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Frank Loesser, Margo Guryan, Sy Coleman, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Bronislau Kaper, Peggy Lee, Ornette Coleman, Benny Goodman, Alex North, Ogden Nash and Bart Howard.
In April, 1960, Billboard Magazine announced that Connor would be awarded a gold record for the sale of 500,000 albums for the label.
| Recorded | Album title | Format | Catalogue No. | Issued | Titles |
|---|
| 1956 | Chris Connor (mono) | LP | ATL-1228 | 1956 | - I Get a Kick Out of You
- Something to Live For
- Get Out of Town
- Where Are You
- Anything Goes
- When the Wind Was Green
- He Was Too Good to Me
- You Make Me Feel So Young
- Ev'rytime
- Way Out There
- My April Heart
- Almost Like Being in Love
|
| He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not | LP | ATL-1240/SD-1240 | | |
| I Miss You So | LP | ATL-8014/SD-8014 | 1957 | |
| 1957 | Chris Connor Sings The George Gershwin Almanac of Song | LP | ATL-2-601 | | |
| 1956 | A Jazz Date With Chris Connor | LP | ATL-1286/SD-1286 | 1958 | |
| 1958 | Chris Connor (stereo) | LP | ATL-SD-1228 | | |
| Chris Craft | LP | ATL-1290/SD-1290 | | |
| 1959 | Chris Connor Sings Ballads of the Sad Café | LP | ATL-1307/SD-1307 | 1959 | |
| Witchcraft | LP | ATL-8032/SD-8032 | | |
| Chris In Person | LP | ATL-8040/SD-8040 | | |
| 1960 | A Portrait of Chris | LP | ATL-8046/SD-8046 | 1960 | |
| Double Exposure (with Maynard Ferguson) | LP | ATL-8049/SD-8049 | 1961 | |
| 1961 | Free Spirits | LP | ATL-8061/SD-8061 | 1962 | |
| 1956–1959 | The Best of Chris Connor (Japan) | LP | MJ-7020 | 1963 | - The Man I Love
- Chinatown, My Chinatown
- These Foolish Things
- Senor Blues
- Flying Home
- Anything Goes
- Moonlight In Vermont
- Come Rain Or Come Shine
- You Make Me Feel So Young
- The Lady Sings The Blues
- Where Flamingos Fly
- They Can't Take That Away From Me
|
| 1958–1960 | Misty (Japan) | LP | P-6135A | 1975 | - Senor Blues
- Misty
- Moon Ride
- I Sold My Heart To The Junkman
- Invitation
- Under Paris Skies
- I Heard A Bluebird
- Flying Home
- I Won't Cry Anymore
- Circus
- To Each His Own
- Fortune Cookies
- Long Hot Summer
- (I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over
|
| 1956–1961 | The Best Of Chris Connor (Japan) | CD | AMCY-1078 | 1991 | - All About Ronnie (1959 Recording)
- I Hear The Music Now
- Oh! You Crazy Moon
- I'm Gonna Go Fishin'
- These Foolish Things
- Jump for Joy
- Go 'Way From My Window
- Hallelujah I Love Him So (1958 Recording)
- I Won't Cry Anymore
- I Miss You So
- Bargain Day
- Summertime
- Witchcraft
- He Was Too Good To Me
- I Get A Kick Out Of You
|
|
Roulette Records
Both Chris Connor and trumpeter Maynard Ferguson previously performed with the Stan Kenton band. In 1960, Atlantic Records made a special arrangement with Roulette Records, allowing Connor to record an album with Ferguson for their label (Ferguson was under contract with Roulette at the time). As part of the deal, he also recorded Double Exposure on Atlantic Records with Connor.
FM Records
Between 1962 and 1963, Chris Connor's manager, Monte Kay convinced her to leave Atlantic Records to join his new record company, FM Records. This turned out to be a poor choice for Connor, since she no longer had the support of a big label to promote her music. Her first release with the label, Chris Connor at the Village Gate, failed to mirror the sales success of her previous Atlantic efforts (although it was critically acclaimed). Before her second release on FM, A Weekend in Paris, was even released, the FM label declared bankruptcy in 1964.
| Recorded | Album title | Label | Format | Catalogue No. | Issued |
|---|
| 1963 | Chris Connor at the Village Gate, Early Show and Late Show | FM Records | LP | FM-300/SFM-300 | 1963 |
| A Weekend in Paris | FM Records | LP | FM-312/SFM-312 | 1964 |
|
ABC-Paramount EPS & Singles
| Recorded | Title | Label | Format | Catalogue No. | Issued |
|---|
| 1965 | Chris Connor Sings Gentle Bossa Nova | ABC-Paramount Records | EP | ABCS-529 | 1965 |
| 1966 | Never On Sunday/The Boys from Madrid | ABC-Paramount Records | 45 rpm | ABC-10906 | 1966 |
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