Bob Powers

MARIETTA, OH, USA - When Rosemary Clooney lost her fight with lung cancer at the end of June, no one knew that another album existed. Now that album, "The Last Concert" (Concord Records) has been released. It provides a fitting goodbye to one of the most charming and talented singers in the history of show business.

Rosemary grew up Maysville, Ky., near the banks of the mighty Ohio River. She and her sister Betty were hired to perform on the powerful radio station, WLW, and those shows proved to be their gateway to show business. They toured with popular bandleader Tony Pastor, but Betty grew tired of the touring required of musicians and went back home.

Rosemary, possessing one of the most distinctive and warm voices of the twentieth century, became a best-selling solo act, which led to a career in motion pictures. Her role in "White Christmas" became one of the best musicals Hollywood ever produced. She shared screen time with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Vera Ellen. The nation packed theaters from one coast to the other and the film continues to enjoy popularity in its life as a video.

Executives of Rosemary's longtime record company, Concord, learned a short time after her death in June that her singing appearance on Nov. 16, 2001 with the Honolulu Symphony and Matt Catingub's spectacular jazz band had been recorded.. It didn't take long for Concord to make arrangements to release that tape as Rosemary's final album.

"The Last Concert" contains more than three minutes of Rosemary talking to the audience, which apparently adored her every word. That night her voice rang with utmost clarity and touching emotion. Her final comment: "This is one of the great nights of my life." If you're an admirer of Rosemary Clooney and can listen to that comment without tears, you're a much better person than yours truly.

This concert seems flawless. Longtime followers know that Rosemary's voice wavered with the advancing years, although she became good at disguising how she couldn't sustain notes as well but she added the experience of her years to demonstrate depth and understanding. No one will ever be more kind to a song's words.

My single complaint with this album is the knowledge that there will probably be no more. Concord was Rosemary's recording home for more than two decades and has received deserved credit for reviving her career. She produced a long list of recordings that will stand as a testament to a woman who was not only a great pop singer, but also one of the most charming and friendly persons I've ever met from the ranks of show business.

The concert contains a group of wonderful songs, delivered with the special Clooney touch. You can't get better than that. How's this for a lineup of musical gems: "Sentimental Journey," "I'm Confess'n That I Love You," "Just in Time," "Happiness is a Thing Called Joe," "You Go to My Head," "Rockin' Chair," Ol' Man River," "The Singer," "They Can't Take That Away From Me." And (in honor of the victims of Sept. 11, 2001) she closed the show with a magnificent "God Bless America."

God Bless Rosemary Clooney. We'll not see her like again.

Oldies From Rosemary

Concord Records, bless their collective hearts, has frequently released material from its vaults as a two-fer, in other words two CDs for about the price of one. As a way to convince those who haven't been acquainted with Rosemary Clooney in the past, the company has packaged together two albums under the collection title of "Rosemary Clooney Sings Arlen and Berlin."

These titles originally were released in 1983 ("Rosemary Clooney Sings the Music of Harold Arlen,") and 1984 ("Rosemary Clooney Sings the Music of Irving Berlin.") Both discs have memorable songs from Tin Pan Alley's best, delivered by Rosemary in a lively manner.

The accompanying musicians were some of Hollywood's finest, including pianist Dave McKenna and tenor sax sensation Scott Hamilton, whose distinctive horn can be heard on both CD's.

The second album apparently was the first to spotlight John Oddo on piano. He is a master of the light touch school of jazz, never extending himself while playing just the proper notes in a swinging, knowledgeable manner. He's simply wonderful and any album containing his work can be counted as a winner.

Song selection for the two CDs demonstrates Rosemary's wise way with great songs of the past. Arlen and Berlin rank at the top of the heap when it comes to writing songs of romance with equal dollops of charm and sentiment. Rosemary never sang a lyric she didn't understand and improve (not change) with her delivery.

This package should keep listeners smiling for years to come.

Rosemary, you were the absolute best of them all.

Coltrane's Jazz Gems

The jazz genius John Coltrane changed forever the way jazz was made. His work on tenor saxophone has never been equaled creating or interpreting music and creating a sound never duplicated.

The grand folks at Fantasy Jazz in Berkeley, Calif. have reissued "Lush Life," which contains music from 1957 and 1958. Coltrane's life came to a halt when he was far too young.

"Lush Life" contains five tunes, the title song (almost 14 minutes of shear magic), along with "Like Someone in Love," "I Love You," "Trane's Slow Blues," and the wonderful "I Hear a Rhapsody." Among the musicians for those dates were Louis Hayes and Albert "Tootie" Heath on drums (on different tracks), Donald Byrd with his delightful trumpet, and the efficient and thoughtful Paul Chambers on bass. Finally, the fabulous pianist Red Garland adds his valuable fingers to the mix.

I'll try to work in a new album spotlighting Garland for my next column.

I wish every reader a Happy New Year. Thanks for allowing me to take up your time over the years. I'll keep writing as long as you continue the read my words. As someone said, "Without you, I am nothing."

Bob Powers always is interested in hearing from record distributors who deal in jazz, rock, folk, and anything that's good. For instructions on getting your album reviewed, contact him at oldbob@localnet.com.

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