In 1960
Sammy Davis, Jr. signed on to
Frank Sinatra's Reprise label at the zenith of his success and association with Ol' Blue Eyes and
Dean Martin as a member of the one and only Rat Pack.
All-Star Spectacular (1962) presents
Davis like never before, both as a dynamic vocalist and as an actor of equally impressive proficiency. As
Davis explains during the brief spoken introduction, the idea behind this title is to capture some of the good-natured frivolity of his one-man show onto the grooves of a studio LP. Backed by conductor and arranger Morton Stevens,
Davis demonstrates his uncanny abilities on the first half of the affair as an impressionist, singing pop standards under the guise of a wide spectrum of well-known personalities. Among the highlights are his send-up of
Raymond Chandler and
Frankie Laine on the opener, "That Lucky Old Sun." He moves swiftly between the unlikely pairing of
Mel Tormé and comedic genius
Jerry Lewis during a rousing rendition of "Lulu's Back in Town." The cheerful mid-tempo
Bob Russell ballad "Ballerina" is given a playful workout as Huckleberry Hound, Kingfish from Amos 'n' Andy, and even
Nat King Cole -- the voice who made the tune famous to begin with -- all "drop by" to put their proverbial two cents in. Undeniably, the best of them all is
Davis' parody of
Mario Lanza and
Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong on the
Sammy Kahn classic "Be My Love." The second half of
All-Star Spectacular consists of straightforward interpretations of a half-dozen swinging sides, representing the best of what the artist has to offer as a vibrant singer and consummate performer. The heartfelt "If You Are but a Dream" is given an upbeat delivery set against a scintillating mambo backdrop.
Rodgers and
Hart's "I Married an Angel" bursts with the brassy verbosity that became
Davis' calling card, while "You Can't Love 'Em All" is nothing short of the definitive swingin' space-age-bachelor-pad anthem, not to mention the second of two
Sammy Kahn lyrical contributions. Although there are many facets to
Sammy Davis, Jr.'s immeasurable talents,
All-Star Spectacular is a unique album, cashing in on his sizable talents as a seminal master of melody and allowing for a peek into his infectious sense of humor.