Julie London – Calendar Girl / Your Number Please ...

Julie London – Calendar Girl / Your Number Please...

Calendar Girl / Your Number Please... brings together two classic Julie London albums from the singer's celebrated Liberty Records period, spanning recordings made in 1956 and 1959. The collection showcases two complementary sides of London's intimate vocal style: the lush, carefully arranged orchestral setting of Calendar Girl and the sophisticated late-night traditional pop of Your Number Please....

Originally released in 1956, Calendar Girl was recorded in Hollywood in May of that year and produced by Bobby Troup, with arrangements by Pete King. The album is built around a clever calendar theme, with songs for each month of the year followed by "The Thirteenth Month". Highlights include "June In January", "I'll Remember April", "Memphis In June", "September In The Rain" and "Warm In December", combining London's hushed, sensual delivery with richer orchestral backing than the sparse guitar-and-bass arrangements of her celebrated debut Julie Is Her Name.

The second half moves forward to 1959 and Your Number Please..., an album arranged and conducted by the legendary pianist and composer André Previn. Here London interprets a superb selection of American popular standards, including "Makin' Whoopee", "It Could Happen To You", "When I Fall In Love", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "One For My Baby", "Angel Eyes" and "Learnin' The Blues". The sophisticated arrangements and London's restrained, smoky vocals create the intimate, after-hours atmosphere that became one of her defining musical trademarks.

Taken together, these recordings illustrate Julie London's development during one of the most productive periods of her career. Calendar Girl reached No. 18 on the US Billboard album chart, while Your Number Please... further established her as a distinctive interpreter of jazz standards, torch songs and traditional pop. London's understated phrasing and close-miked vocal style give both albums an enduring intimacy, making them particularly appealing to listeners drawn to classic vocal jazz and sophisticated 1950s pop.

For collectors of Julie London, vocal jazz, traditional pop, cool jazz, torch songs and classic Liberty Records recordings, this two-albums-on-one-CD edition offers an excellent overview of London's 1950s sound. It brings together the seasonal concept of Calendar Girl and the sophisticated standards of Your Number Please..., with recordings spanning 1956–1959.

Calendar Girl — 1956

1. June In January — 2:10
2. February Brings The Rain — 2:22
3. Melancholy March — 2:20
4. I'll Remember April — 2:00
5. People Who Are Born In May — 1:41
6. Memphis In June — 2:00
7. Sleigh Ride In July — 2:22
8. Time For August — 2:01
9. September In The Rain — 1:41
10. This October — 1:47
11. November Twilight — 3:22
12. Warm December — 1:58
13. The Thirteenth Month — 2:29

Your Number Please... — 1959

14. Makin' Whoopee — 2:45
15. It Could Happen To You — 3:12
16. When I Fall In Love — 3:22
17. It's A Blue World — 2:24
18. They Can't Take That Away From Me — 3:10
19. One For My Baby — 4:10
20. Angel Eyes — 3:56
21. Love Is Here To Stay — 3:17
22. The More I See You — 3:03
23. A Stranger In Town — 3:00
24. Two Sleepy People — 3:16
25. Learnin' The Blues — 3:26