As a hardcore crate digger this is exactly the kind of album one hopes to find in the wilds. While your average thrift shop buyer is ready to elbow you out of the way for that beat copy of Dark Side of the Moon, he/she would totally ignore a pristine LP original of Helen Merrill. A $500+ mistake that would prove to be (though I'm keeping the first one I find). I have yet to find one myself, but imagine my surprise when I did see the CD. And Japanese no less - this probably is worth a fortune too. Nada. Merrill is the bomb in Japan and there are many CD pressings, with only a couple from Europe.
Heard of Diana Krall have you? This is exactly who she aspires to be - along with Julie London. And while Ms. Krall has proven to be far more popular, Merrill's debut is the personification of that sound. And authentic of its era, not a reproduction. Known to her parents as Jelena Ana Milcetic, she was born in New York City to Croatian immigrants. At age 92, she is still alive. Most of her career was spent in Japan thus explaining her popularity there.
What is this music? Jazz vocals. Of the most sultry kind. Breathy, dark, romantic, and atmospheric. The latter as thick as the cigarette smoke enveloping the nightclub she performs at. The very first seconds of this album will make you melt ('Don't Explain'), and if that doesn't grab you, nothing else here will. I'm more fond of the slow burners, which makes up most of the album. There are a couple more "snappy" pieces, but they're also well done. Trumpet, piano, and flute provide accompaniment. You alone tonight, sailor? Buy the 2 drink minimum, grab a seat, and proceed to cry and sweat.
Ownership: CD: 1989 EmArcy (Japan). Thrift shop find as noted above (2022). Incidentally the label is a phonetic spelling of MRC - Mercury Record Corporation. EmArcy was their jazz imprint. Looks like my copy isn't in Discogs, as it's made in West Germany (for the Japan market). The photos here are close enough. Mrs. UMR, a longtime fan of Diana Krall, has already taken it for herself...
10/23/22 (new entry)
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