Les Beatles Odeon EP “I Want To Hold Your Hand” “It Won’t Be Long” “I Wanna Be Your Man” and “Till There Was You”

“Memories of You”   The Elmer Duke Orchestra”   Union Records (Japan)

Osvaldo Oliveira “Paixao Descontrolada”   CBS

The Hipster Singers “Hip! Hip! Hipsters”

Debussy’s “Children’s Corner Suite   Paolo Spagnolo, piano   Decca

“Dance Suavemente”   RCA Victor

Celia Vilela “…e Viva a Juventude!!!”   RGE Records

“Encontro Musical”   Telefunken

“The Peaceful Side”   Billy Strayhorn   United Artists Records   1961.   A beautiful, typically smokey Herman Leonard photograph.

This is a little-known and rather melancholy set, virtually Billy Strayhorn‘s only recording away from the world of Duke Ellington. The focus is totally on Strayhorn’s piano throughout his interpretations of ten of his compositions (including “Lush Life,” “Take the ‘A’ Train,” and “Something to Live For”). Three selections have the Paris Blue Notes adding sparse wordless vocals, two other numbers add some quiet playing by the Paris String Quartet, and bassist Michel Goudret is on five of the ten selections (including one apiece with the strings and the voices). “Strange Feeling” and “Chelsea Bridge” are taken as unaccompanied piano solos. Of the ten songs, only “Just A-Sittin’ and A-Rockin'” hints at happiness; otherwise, Strayhorn’s melodic and concise playing is quite somber, peaceful in volume but filled with inner tension. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

“I Love Music”   Preview of January Albums from Capitol Records.     A DJ sampler compilation from 1958.