Album Cover: The Summit

Taking full advantage of the Rat Pack's success in the early 1960s, this is the cover of a rare LP that was released by Reprise Records in 1965 featuring core members of the famous - if not infamous - group: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr, plus one of Sinatra's personal singing heroes, Bing Crosby.

This week...

Todd has taken a short vacation, so there is no edition of The Singers and The Songbook this week, but an earlier programme will be repeated in its place. Next week, however, will feature the 100th edition of the show. Watch this space!

Playlist: 17 Nov 2012

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

1. Mood Indigo - Nina Simone: My Baby Just Cares for Me

2. Ellington Medley: Cotton Tail/I Didn't Know About You/Don't Get Around Much Any More/I'm Beginning to See the Light - Mel Tormé & George Shearing: Mel & George "Do" World War II

3. All or Nothing At All - Ann Richards & Stan Kenton: Two Much!

4. Something - Peggy Lee: Is That All There Is?

5. My Sweet Lord - Peggy Lee: Where Did They Go

6. All the Things You Are - Ella Fitzgerald: The Jerome Kern Song Book

7. Why Was I Born? - Ella Fitzgerald: The Jerome Kern Song Book

8. A Fine Romance - Ella Fitzgerald: The Jerome Kern Song Book

9. Am I Blue? - Eddie Condon & Jimmy Rushing: Eddie Condon in Japan

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

11. Evergreen - Royal Air Force Squadronaires & Todd Gordon: Helping the Heroes

12. You Never Give Me Your Money - Sarah Vaughan: Songs of The Beatles

13. In My Life - Sir Sean Connery & Sir George Martin: In My Life

14. Runnin' Wild - Marilyn Monroe: Some Like It Hot! (Soundtrack)

Outro: Holding On - Todd Gordon: Made in Korea

Album Cover: Four Freshmen and Five Guitars

Ah, those were the days... when top artists released two, three or sometimes four studio albums a year! And the album spawned singles, as well as EPs - usually in three volumes so that the entire album could be purchased in stages. How things have changed!

This is the third EP volume of Four Freshmen and Five Guitars. Last week's show featured their version of Don't Worry 'Bout Me - one of the other tracks from the album. You can hear it again (over the next fortnight) by visiting RadioTodd.

Playlist: 10 Nov 2012

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

1. From This Moment On - Anita O'Day: An Evening with Anita O'Day

2. I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues - Sarah Vaughan & Count Basie Orchestra: Send In the Clowns

3. You're Breaking My Heart - Long John Baldry: Long John's Blues

4. Fredy - Ertha Kitt & Perez Prado: Single

5. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - Joe Williams: Joe Williams & That Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra

6. Autumn in New York - Royal Air Force Squadronaires & Todd Gordon with Carol Kidd: Helping the Heroes

7. I'm Having a Good Time - Alberta Hunter: Amtrak Blues

8. Georgia On My Mind - Ray Charles: The Living Legend

9. Ray Charles Tribute - Peggy Lee: Peggy at Basin Street East

10. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You - Ella Fitzgerald & Count Basie: A Classy Pair

11. Yesterday When I Was Young - Lena Horne & Gabor Szabo: Watch What Happens! 

Outro: Holding On - Todd Gordon: Made in Korea

Playlist: 3 Nov 2012

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

1. Forty-Second Street - Mel Tormé: Sings Sunday in New York (and Other Songs About New York)

2. Old Devil Moon - Anita O'Day: Incomparable!

3. I Haven't Got Anything Better to Do - Carol Sloane: We'll Meet Again

4. Margie - Ray Charles: Dedicated to You

5. I Understand - The Four Freshmen: Four Freshmen and Five Guitars

6. They Can't Take That Away from Me - Royal Air Force Squadronaires & Todd Gordon (with Janet Seidel): Helping the Heroes

7. Easy Living/Days of Wine and Roses/It's Impossible - Carmen McRae: The Great American Songbook

8. Fascinatin' Rhythm - Sarah Vaughan: Gershwin Live

9. Lush Life - Charlie Wood: Lush Life

10. Do I Love You? - Judy Garland: Judy In Love

11. You Go to My Head - Susanna Bartilla: I Love Lee

12. Sent for You Yesterday (And Here You Come Today) - The Mills Brothers & Count Basie: Annual Report

13. Dream a Little Dream of Me - Ella Fitzgerald & Count Basie: Ella and Basie! 

Outro: Holding On - Todd Gordon: Made in Korea