Album Cover: Undecided (78rpm)

One of Ella Fitzgerald's hits with drummer Chick Webb and his Orchestra. Released in 1939, and the opening track in this week's show.

Playlist: 28 Jul 2012

Intro: If You Could Read My Mind - Todd Gordon & Jacqui Dankworth: Ballads from the Midnight Hotel

1. Undecided - Ella Fitzgerald: 75th Birthday Celebration (Disc 1)

2. You Showed Me the Way - Dakota Staton: The Late, Late Show

3. Charade - Harry Connick Jr: Come By Me

4. Mary C Brown and the Hollywood Sign - Kate Dimbleby & Naadia Sheriff: Beware of Young Girls (The Songs of Dory Previn)

5. Indiana - Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer: Two of a Kind

6. Warm Hearted Woman - Dinah Shore: Bouquet of Blues

7. What Now My Love? - Frank Sinatra & Aretha Franklin: Duets

8. Good Times - Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

9. Ain't No Way - Aretha Franklin: Lady Soul

10. I Say A Little Prayer - Aretha Franklin: Aretha Now

11. The Thrill Is Gone - Aretha Franklin: Spirit in the Dark

12. You Are My Love - Nat King Cole: Tell Me All About Yourself

13. No Fool Like an Old Fool - Peggy Lee: Somethin' Groovy!

14. I Get Along Without You Very Well - Kurt Elling: Flirting with Twilight

Outro: Holding On - Todd Gordon: Made in Korea

Album Cover: Shakin' Up Vegas and Ella's 5-album Gershwin Songbook

From this week's playlist, here's a couple of examples of accompanying artwork. Firstly, the very-much-of-its-time cover for Shakin' Up Vegas! And an example of the original box cover artwork for the 5LP set, Ella Fitzgerald Sings The George & Ira Gershwin Songbook.

Playlist: 21 Jul 2012

Intro: If You Could Read My Mind - Todd Gordon & Jacqui Dankworth: Ballads from the Midnight Hotel

1. (I Would Do) Anything for You - Nat King Cole: Tell Me All About Yourself

2. Make Believe - Peggy Lee: Two Shows Nightly

3. Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye - Eydie Gormé: Eydie Gormé Vamps the Roaring '20s

4. Empty Tables - Frank Sinatra: Single

5. I Hadn't Anyone Till You - Lena Horne: Lena on the Blue Side

6. Without You - Janis Ian: Stars

7. Fool That I Am - Etta James: The Second Time Around

8. Skylark - Dick Haymes: Moonbeams

9. I Can Dream, Can't I? - Cass Elliot: Bubble Gum, Lemonade... and Something for Mama

10. What Now My Love? - Sammy Davis Jr & Buddy Rich: The Sounds of '66

11. A Foggy Day (in London Town) - Ella Fitzgerald: The George & Ira Gershwin Songbook

12. He Loves and She Loves - Ella Fitzgerald: The George & Ira Gershwin Songbook

13. 'S Wonderful - Ella Fitzgerald: The George & Ira Gershwin Songbook

14. The Man I Love - Ella Fitzgerald: The George & Ira Gershwin Songbook

15. The Things That I Used to Do: Big Joe Turner: Things That I Used to Do"

16. Who's Sorry Now? - Guy Pastor, Tony Pastor & Tony Pastor Jr: Shakin' Up Vegas!

17. As Long As I Live - June Christy: The Song Is June!

Outro: Holding On - Todd Gordon: Made in Korea

In relation to a couple of songs in this week's playlist...

Many thanks to Richard Niles who gave me a recording of Gotta Be Gettin' by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra and Anita O'Day - here is the original label on the 78rpm version.

And here is one of my all-time favourite Aretha Franklin albums which she recorded shortly after the death of one of her mentors, Dinah Washington.

Playlist: 14 Jul 2012

Intro: If You Could Read My Mind - Todd Gordon & Jacqui Dankworth: Ballads from the Midnight Hotel

1. Temptation - Diana Krall: The Girl in the Other Room

2. Gotta Be Gettin' - Stan Kenton Orchestra with Anita O'Day: Richard Niles' private collection

3. When Day Is Done - Helen Humes: Swingin' with Humes

4. I'm Confessin' - Helen Humes: Sneakin' Around

5. Million Dollar Secret - Helen Humes: 'Deed I Do

6. They Raided the Joint - Helen Humes: Let the Good Times Roll

7. Scarborough Fair - Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66: Fool on the Hill

8. Give a Little Whistle - Julie London: Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast

9. The Surrey with the Fringe On Top - Nat King Cole: At The Sands

10. Cold, Cold Heart - Aretha Franklin: Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington

11. Isn't It Romantic - Johnny Hartman: Unforgettable

12. My Love and I - Charlie Haden Quartet West with Cassandra Wilson: Sophisticated Ladies

13. Laura - Vic Damone: The Lively Ones

14. Let a Smile be Your Umbrella - Perry Como: Como Swings

Outro: Holding On - Todd Gordon: Made in Korea

Album Cover: Five Feet of Soul

One of the best Jimmy Rushing albums is Five Feet of Soul. For anyone unfamiliar with the blues singer's somewhat diminutive and rather rotund appearance, here is the cover. The title seems more than fitting!

And if I may be so bold as to plug my new single... it's a ballad version of the Aztec Camera hit released 25 years ago in 1987 called Somewhere in My Heart. It's available exclusively from iTunes and all profits will go the the extremely hard-working epilepsy charity, Muir Maxwell Trust.

Playlist: 7 Jul 2012

Intro: If You Could Read My Mind - Todd Gordon & Jacqui Dankworth: Ballads from the Midnight Hotel

1. I'm Walkin' Through Heaven with You - Jimmy Rushing: Five Feet of Soul

2. I Concentrate On You - Ella Fitzgerald: Ella Loves Cole

3. Somewhere in My Heart - Todd Gordon: charity single (available on iTunes)

4. As Time Goes By - Rosemary Clooney: Dedicated to Nelson

5. The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else - Frank Sinatra: Vegas Live (Disc 1)

6. In the Still of the Night - Frank Sinatra: Vegas Live (Disc 1)

7. Here's That Rainy Day - Frank Sinatra: Vegas Live (Disc 1)

8. You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You - Frank Sinatra: Vegas Live (Disc 1)

9. When Did You Leave Heaven? - Diane Schuur: Blues for Schuur

10. I Can't Stop Loving You - Keely Smith: Keely Swings Basie-Style with Strings

11. Gonna Build a Mountain - Bing Crosby & Count Basie: Bing 'n' Basie

12. I'm Glad There Is You - Matt Monro: This Is the Life

13. That Day (theme from Cinema Paradiso) - Karrin Allyson: From Paris to Rio

14. Beyond the Sea - Bobby Darin: That's All

Outro: Holding On - Todd Gordon: Made in Korea