The Piano Artistry of Jonathan Edwards | |
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Studio album by Jo Stafford and Paul Weston (Gene Krupa, drums) | |
Released | 1957 |
Genre | Traditional pop Comedy |
Label | Columbia |
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
The Piano Artistry of Jonathan Edwards is a 1957 album of songs by Paul Weston and Jo Stafford in the guise of Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, a New Jersey lounge act who deliberately play the piano and sing off-key, putting their own interpretation on popular songs. Most of the tracks feature Weston's piano playing, although on four he is accompanied by Darlene. The album was released by Columbia Records (Catalog No: CL 1024) in 1957. It was re-released in 1985 by Corinthian Records.
Jonathan Edwards may refer to:
Jonathan Edwards is an American country and folk singer-songwriter best known for his 1971 hit single "Sunshine".
The 3rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on April 12, 1961, at Los Angeles and New York. They recognized musical accomplishments by the performers for the year 1960. Ray Charles won four awards and Bob Newhart and Henry Mancini each won three awards.
Jo Elizabeth Stafford was an American traditional pop music singer, whose career spanned five decades from the late 1930s to the early 1980s. Admired for the purity of her voice, she originally underwent classical training to become an opera singer before following a career in popular music, and by 1955 had achieved more worldwide record sales than any other female artist. Her 1952 song "You Belong to Me" topped the charts in the United States and United Kingdom, becoming the second single to top the UK Singles Chart, and the first by a female artist to do so.
Paul Weston was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor who worked in music and television from the 1930s to the 1970s, pioneering mood music and becoming known as "the Father of Mood Music". His compositions include popular music songs such as "I Should Care", "Day by Day", and "Shrimp Boats". He also wrote classical pieces, including "Crescent City Suite" and religious music, authoring several hymns and masses.
"Cocktails for Two" is a song from the Big Band era, written by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow. The song debuted in the movie Murder at the Vanities (1934), where it was introduced by the Danish singer and actor Carl Brisson. Duke Ellington's version of the song was recorded in 1934 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.
Jonathan Leonard Friga, known professionally as Jonathan Cain, is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the keyboardist and rhythm guitarist for Journey. He has also worked with The Babys and Bad English. Cain was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Journey in 2017. He also maintains a solo career as a contemporary Christian artist.
"Fascinating Rhythm" is a popular song written by George Gershwin in 1924 with lyrics by Ira Gershwin.
Jack Sperling was an American jazz drummer who performed as a sideman in big bands and as a studio musician for pop and jazz acts, movies, and television.
"You're Blasé" is a jazz standard composed in 1931 by Ord Hamilton (1900–1955) with lyrics by Bruce Sievier (1894–1953) and introduced by Binnie Hale in John Murray Anderson's production of the London musical revue Bow Bells (1932).
Jef Labes is an American keyboardist and musician. He is best known from his work with Van Morrison and Bonnie Raitt. Jef Labes has also arranged for string and woodwind instruments on numerous albums.
Jonathan and Darlene Edwards were a musical comedy double act developed by American conductor and arranger Paul Weston, and his wife, singer Jo Stafford. The routine was conceived in the 1950s, and involved Weston playing songs on the piano in unconventional rhythms, while Stafford sang off-key in a high pitched voice. The couple released five albums and one single as the Edwardses, and their 1960 album, Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris won that year's Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.
Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris is a 1960 comedy album recorded by American singer Jo Stafford and her husband, pianist and bandleader Paul Weston. In character as Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, the pair put their own interpretation on popular songs including "I Love Paris" and "Paris in the Spring." The album followed a successful comedy act the couple would perform at parties during the 1950s, in which Weston would play an out of tune piano while Stafford would accompany him by singing in an off-key and high pitched voice. A joint winner of the 1961 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album, the album garnered Stafford her only major award for her singing.
Darlene Remembers Duke, Jonathan Plays Fats is a 1982 album by Jo Stafford and Paul Weston in which they perform in character as Jonathan and Darlene Edwards. The duo present their own unique interpretation of the music of Duke Ellington and Fats Waller, with Stafford singing deliberately off-key, and Weston deliberately fumbling his way through piano arrangements. It was issued by Corinthian Records (COR-117). When it was released, Billboard said of it: "The sounds they achieve may well lead to another Grammy for the duo next year." Stafford and Weston, in their Jonathan and Darlene Edwards personas, were interviewed by Los Angeles Magazine following the album's release.
"Paris in the Spring" is a popular song composed in 1935, with lyrics by Mack Gordon and music by Harry Revel. It was first introduced by Mary Ellis in the film Paris in Spring. A version was also recorded by Ray Noble and His Orchestra. In 1960, Jo Stafford and her husband Paul Weston recorded a version for their comedy album Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris in which they put their own unique interpretation on the song.
Jonathan and Darlene's Greatest Hits is a 1993 compilation album of songs by Paul Weston and Jo Stafford recorded in the guise of Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, a New Jersey lounge act who performed deliberately off-key, putting their own interpretation on popular songs. The album was released by Corinthian Records on September 11, 1993.
Jonathan and Darlene's Greatest Hits: Volume 2 is a 1994 compilation album of songs by Paul Weston and Jo Stafford recorded in the guise of Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, a New Jersey lounge act who performed deliberately off-key, putting their own interpretation on popular songs. The album was released by Corinthian Records on February 22, 1994.
The original use of the term "parody" in music referred to re-use for wholly serious purposes of existing music. In popular music that sense of "parody" is still applicable to the use of folk music in the serious songs of such writers as Bob Dylan, but in general, "parody" in popular music refers to the humorous distortion of musical ideas or lyrics or general style of music.