Chris Connor: Sings Lullabys Of Birdland / Chris / This Is Chris / Chris Connor on 2 CDs

AVID Jazz here presents four classic Chris Connor albums plus including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD.

“Lullaby Of Birdland”; “Chris”; “This Is Chris”; “Chris Connor” and side one of “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not”.

A series of firsts greet our first selection of our tribute to legendary jazz vocalist Chris Connor, “Sings Lullaby of Birdland”. Her first job singing with a trio, her first recording contract and her first LP record! The trio in question comprises Ellis Larkins on piano, Everett Barksdale (from Art Tatum’s band) on guitar and Beverly Peer on bass. Her second album “Chris” features tracks from her first date for Bethlehem which were arranged and conducted by Sy Oliver. For her third album “This Is Chris” her reputation was beginning to grow as can be seen in her fine company of musicians. Chris is joined by Ralph Sharon on piano, Milt Hinton on bass, Osie Johnson on drums, Joe Puma on guitar, Herbie Mann on flute and Kai Wiinding and JJ Johnson on trombones. Her performance is one of an artist who has arrived, an artist who has established herself amongst her contemporaries. As these three albums we made up of selections from Bethlehem sessions from December 1953 - April 1955 we have presented the tracks in chronological order instead of album order.

On “Chris Connor” from February 1956 Chris once again shows off her ability to choose interesting and unconventional songs, often long forgotten or overlooked. Moving away from her jazz roots for another 1956 recording date Chris “turns frankly sentimental” for “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not”. Chris is here accompanied by a large orchestra made up of strings, woodwind, reeds and rhythm, conducted by Ralph Burns who also wrote the arrangements.

All four albums have been digitally re-mastered.