The Artistry of Helen Merrill | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1965 | |||
Recorded | August 1964 | |||
Genre | Jazz | |||
Length | 28:41 | |||
Label | Mainstream 56014/S6014 | |||
Producer | Harry Ringler | |||
Roy Haynes chronology | ||||
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The Artistry of Helen Merrill is an album released by American vocalist Helen Merrill in 1965 on the Mainstream label. [1] [2] The album features Merrill's interpretation of songs from around the world.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
Record Mirror | [4] |
AllMusic awarded the album 4 stars and its review by Richard Mortifoglio states "very few jazz singers sound as natural singing non-jazz material as Merrill does. She sounds just like herself (which she always does anyway), with no particular adjustment to a straighter idiom, as if she had to shed herself of jazz sophistication in order to become more "innocent".". [3]
Helen Merrill is an American jazz vocalist. Her first album, the eponymous 1954 recording Helen Merrill, was an immediate success and associated her with the first generation of bebop jazz musicians. After an active 1950s and 1960s, Merrill spent time recording and touring in Europe and Japan, falling into obscurity in the United States. In the 1980s and '90s, she was under contract with Verve and her performances in America revived her profile. Known for her emotional, sensual vocal performances, her career continues in its sixth decade with concerts and recordings.
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