Ella Fitzgerald & Gershwin: They can't take that Away from Me
Another selection from that magnificent collaboration between Ella and arranger Nelson Riddle for the George Gershwin Songbook. The verse or introductory section sets the tone for the main segments which extoll all the loved one's virtues like the "Way You wear your hat and the way you sip your tea " and ending with " The memory of all that, no no they can't take that away from me !"  
Brother Ira's lyrics perfectly match the melody of brother George. 

https://youtu.be/FCUCV9oUnvY 

Barbra Steisand soars magnificently in Warm All Over . i had just posted the song as it was sung by Jo Sullivan in the original production of The Most Happy Fella, In this version Barbra Streisand m accompanied by a symphonic arrangement, is further evidence that the song is worthy of comparison with 20th Century operatic arias and she has a voice that can conevy the tender yet dramatic words of Frank Loesser. He wrote he music, lyrics and libretto for the show which also features popular songs like Standing on The Corner and Joey Joey.

https://youtu.be/4zXvA3KIFvE 

Warm All Over from The Most Happy Fella. Frank Loesser composer and lyricist is best known for Guys and Dolls and How To Succeed in Business. His near operatic creation was The Most Happy Fella which tells of the romance  between an older Italian American grower of wine grapes and a younger attractive mail order bride anxious to escape the life of a waitress in San Fransisco. Two songs became quite popular in the 1950's - Standing On The Corner and Joey Joey. In Warm All Over, Jo Sullivan sings of the tender feelings she has developed for Tony after some dramatic conflicts now happily resolved. It is more like an operatic aria than a pop song . one that Puccini himself might have written.


https://youtu.be/Otkd5uo2IN8

Someone to Watch over Me   A George and Ira Gershwin ballad given an All Canadian performance. The singer is Matt Dusk who has a growing international reputation. Guido Basso, on Fluegelhorn plays the verse or introduction and the arrangement is by Rick Wilkins, one of Canada's finest arrangers and jazz musicians.

https://youtu.be/yygJlWPvKRw 

If (he) Only Had a Brain-From the Wizard of Ford
Ontario's election rhetoric is heating up with the available choices a dismal lot at best.
The Wonderful Wizard of Ford's solution to to the complex problems of Ontario Hydro is to fire the Board of Directors and executives, slash their salaries  saving  millions in compensation but offering no realistic consideration of how to fix a broken system. The Hydro mess left by the Liberals. has resulted in higher energy costs for both consumers and energy dependent businesses. His lame policy offerings have brought to mind  by the song " If I Only Had a Brain" sung by the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz. It is a brave but unrealistic attempt to prove what he could do if he only had a brain.
It's time to pull back the screen and expose the emptiness of Wizard Ford's solutions for Ontario. 

https://youtu.be/nauLgZISozs 

Torme Swings Lulu's Back in Town. Fot a 1935 film, Composer Harry Warren and Lyricist Al Dubin wrote a poem of praise celebrating the return of Lulu coming home.
Mel Torme, with his favourite small group backing by the Marty Paich Dektette, really goes to town to make the song swing and soar. She's back and we're glad.

 https://youtu.be/amkZ2wMrkGA

Spring Will Be  A Little Late This Year   In 1943, Frank Loesser wrote both the words and music to this lovely song evoking gentle sadness of someone who has left a loved one. Sara Vaughan provides a sensitive performance of the Loesser tune and words.

https://youtu.be/CcyVMeDOT5w

 

Torme sings Oh You Crazy Moon  Jimmy Van Heusen was a favorite composer of both BIng Crosby and Frank Sinatra. The lyrics were written by Johnny Burke. If you want to hear pitch perfect phrasing and intonation, Listen to Torme's fine performance.

https://youtu.be/r2QzHVN5ypk