Beverly Kenney - Complete Decca Recordings (2012)

Over fifty years after her death, singer Beverly Kenney (1932-1960) remains a cult figure for her fans around the world. Her career was tragically brief she took her own life when she was 28. She possessed a sweet, child-like vocal quality and a nuanced, pleasant jazz-styled phrasing that won her favour with both pop and jazz audiences. On these outstanding Decca sides, recorded few years before her death, she displays the smooth, smart and bittersweet touch that defined her personal style. In addition to the fine small group performances with front-rank jazzmen and orchestral settings with Ralph Burns and Hal Mooney, this set also includes all the sides she recorded with the Eddie Safranski orchestra for the Sesac publishing and record label. All the critical hosannahs they earned her, however, never quite translated into widespread public acceptance, due, at least in part, to the burgeoning rock & roll movement, which she loathed, even composing a song called "I Hate Rock and Roll", which she performed on the Steve Allen TV show on May 18, 1958 making the perfect addition to this collection. The closer of the set is a highly valuable document, taped from a Playboy Penthouse TV show, where she is interviewed by Hugh Hefner and sings with her distinctive sophisticated phrasing and cool jazz sensibility.