Joni James is a singer's singer, cited by Barbra Streisand as an influence and widely esteemed by lovers of classic vocal pop music. This 1996 CD contains two full-length MGM albums, Among My Souvenirs from 1958 and Joni Sings Irish Favorites from 1959. Among My Souvenirs is a collection of pop oldies and standards James sings to sparse and delicate instrumentation: a harp, an organ, soft strings. The effect isn't as gauzy as that may seem because James' voice is so clear and prominent in the mix. The album appealed to the ...
Read More
Joni James is a singer's singer, cited by Barbra Streisand as an influence and widely esteemed by lovers of classic vocal pop music. This 1996 CD contains two full-length MGM albums, Among My Souvenirs from 1958 and Joni Sings Irish Favorites from 1959. Among My Souvenirs is a collection of pop oldies and standards James sings to sparse and delicate instrumentation: a harp, an organ, soft strings. The effect isn't as gauzy as that may seem because James' voice is so clear and prominent in the mix. The album appealed to the nostalgia of older listeners in the rock & roll era who remembered the songs of the 1930s ("Something to Remember You By"), the 1910s ("Let Me Call You Sweetheart"), and even earlier ("When You Were Sweet Sixteen"), as well as to younger fans who appreciated fine vocal music, melody, and subtle arrangements. Joni Sings Irish Favorites also dips into the songbook of yesteryear for a dozen traditional and popular Irish songs performed in a style similar to Among My Souvenirs. Irish albums were in vogue in the late '50s, with artists from practically every genre weighing in (country crooner George Morgan recorded a particularly lovely one). James affects a faint Irish brogue on a few cuts, offers a mildly rhythmic rendition of "Peg o' My Heart" with a male vocal group, and lingers sweetly over the ever-popular "Danny Boy." Both albums were remastered from the original MGM tapes for this CD reissue, so the sound quality is excellent. ~ Greg Adams, Rovi
Read Less
Add this copy of Among My Souvenirs/Joni Sings Irish Favorites to cart. $8.80, like new condition, Sold by Streetlight_Records rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Cruz, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Taragon.
