Lee Wiley was a mysterious, enigmatic figure; a subtle singer, she was both introverted and sensual. Although
Wiley mostly stuck reasonably close to the melodies she sang (and never scatted), her phrasing uplifted each of the standards that she interpreted, and she improvised just enough to be considered a jazz singer. This particular CD contains mostly live and rare material dating from 1951-1952. At the time, after a few years off records,
Wiley was having a slight comeback with her Columbia LP Night in Manhattan. There are 23 titles on this CD, taken from nine different occasions; some of the songs are repeated ("Manhattan" and "I've Got a Crush on You" pop up three times apiece) but one's interest is held throughout. Highlights include "Oh, Look at Me Now," "Ghost of a Chance," and two versions apiece of "Sugar" and "Street of Dreams." Among the key sidemen in the small group sessions (one song has the Ray Bloch Orchestra) are pianist Joe Buskin, trumpeter
Billy Butterfield, cornetist
Muggsy Spanier (in top form), trumpeter
Buck Clayton, and a Dixieland band that includes trumpeter
Henry "Red" Allen. Although not as essential as her earlier songbooks, which are available on the Audiophile label, this collection of former rarities (some of the titles were previously out on the Memories Lightest, Yadeon, or Jass labels, but seven had never been issued before) is highly recommended to
Lee Wiley fans, particularly since the singer did not record that much later in her career. The liner notes by Will Friedwald are an additional plus, containing interesting anecdotes by some of
Wiley's famous friends. ~ Scott Yanow