George Gershwin's Porgy And Bess CD

The Bethlehem label didn't make it out of the '50s before folding, and one of the reasons why is the ambitious yet misguided George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, a three-LP box set that represents a complete recording of the Gershwin classic (with narration and sound effects). Bethlehem certainly had the talent to pull it off -- appearing on the label, and this production, are Mel Tormé, Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, Johnny Hartman, Bob Dorough, Betty Roche, Frances Faye, and minor period stars including vocalist Frank Rosolino, bandleader Stan Levey, and arranger Russ Garcia. And long-playing versions of theatrical productions were huge in the mid-'50s (a few sold millions of copies). The most popular of these, however, were simply easy-to-digest highlights LPs that never attempted to present the complete production. This version is a gargantuan two hours long, difficult to sit through even if every performance was stellar (and, unfortunately, that's far from the case). The recording makes a virtue of being hip, primarily through the narration of Al "Jazzbo" Collins, a radio DJ who may have been hip for the times but whose counterfeit excitement and perfect diction make the proceedings sound like a period newsreel. ("Watch out, Porgy, here comes that mean Sportin' Life!") Tormé, as the most popular vocalist on the label, was a shoe-in for the role of Porgy, despite Johnny Hartman's clear superiority, and Frances Faye received the role of Bess despite Betty Roche's ability to handle the role much better. Those mistakes are compounded by Russ Garcia's period arrangements (the Ellington group makes only one appearance) and some decidedly subpar performances from Frank Rosolino early in the program. Still, it has to be admitted that a highlights compilation of this record would sparkle very brightly, driven by Mel Tormé's swinging "I've Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" with a super-enthused backing chorus, George Kirby's "It Ain't Necessarily So," and Betty Roche's reprise of "Summertime" during the second half. ~ John Bush

Personnel: Mel Tormé; Duke Ellington, Ernest Newton, Frances Faye, Frank Rosolino, George Kirby , Joe Derise, John Whited, Johnny Hartman, Loulie Jean Norman, Ralph Carmichael, Russell Garcia, Sallie Blair, The Australian Jazz Quintet, The Bethlehem Orchestra, Betty Roché, Bev Kelly, James Joyce, Pat Moran, Bob Dorough, The Stan Levy Group.