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| From Discogs |
I'm no music expert or critic, but I do love music, so I'm going to go on and give this "album review" a whirl.
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I first discovered singer and actress, Sheila Guyse in a video celebrating unsung (and some well-known) black women in show business. Her face stuck with me--she actually reminded me of Taraji P. Henson (or vice-versa, rather) and I immediately went on a search for more photos and information. Over the past few years my search finds have been rollercoaster-like, but I think it's safe to say that her name is finally starting to rise above the surface a bit (especially after news of her passing in December of last year). You can read more on my thoughts and love for Sheila Guyse in this POC in Classic Film post, but let's get on with this album review.
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Overview
This is Sheila consists of familiar popular songs and jazz standards like "I Cover the Waterfront", "You Took Advantage of Me", and "You Do Something to Me". With such a title for an album, you would think that it would be filled with original songs, but nonetheless, it certainly was Sheila, and had its music been played on radios and hi-fis everywhere in '58, today, the name 'Sheila Guyse' would be mentioned alongside artists like Nat "King" Cole, Tony Bennett, Dionne Warwick, and Doris Day. You know, the big names in Lounge or Easy Listening music.
*This is Sheila was released on MGM Records in 1958*
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Select Tracks
This album consists of a total of 12 tracks (six on the A-side, six on the B-side). I will discuss two tracks from both sides.
"Let There Be Love" (Side A - Track One)
This is the album's opening song--it's very short (all of the songs are, actually), but it was a great choice to start things off right. It begins with (I'm not well-versed in drums/percussion instruments, so this may be wrong) a rolling tom-tom drum intro that prepares us for the swingin' jazz orchestra and Mrs. Guyse's clear, clean, and standout vocals. You're sure to be tapping your foot and bobbing your head throughout this entire song.
"I Cover the Waterfront" (Side A - Track Two)
I'm a fan of this popular jazz standard--particularly a big fan of Miki Howard's rendition as she performed it (as Billie Holiday) in Malcolm X. I'm a fan of Billie Holiday's rendition, as well. When I went to Amazon to preview this album, this was the first thing I listened to-- and I immediately fell in love with it--the music, the vocals, the way that Mrs. Guyse made it her own. It's just beauty and flawlessness across the board. Every time I listen to it, I want to pour myself a glass of gin and smoke a cigarette. Isn't that the standard way to listen to great jazz music?
This is also the second track on the album--a great "cool down" from the bouncy "Let There Be Love".
"Easy Does It" (Side B - Track One)
This song opens the B-side and is easily my favorite track on the album ("I Cover the Waterfront" coming in second). "Let There Be Love" prepares us for some delightful jazz tunes on Side A, while "Easy Does It" prepares us for sensuality and romance on Side B. There isn't much I have to say about this song, only that it's the one that I find myself humming the most. I guess I could go on to say that it is very catchy.
"I'm Glad There Is You" (Side B - Track Five)
There's always that one song on an album that makes you go "Huh?" That was "I'm Glad There Is You"--not the song itself (or the lyrics, rather) but the sound of the song. It attempted to branch out from the album's consistent sound (while still trying not to go completely off track). However, the Latin sound-influenced music (with Revolutionary War snare drumming in the background o_O) just didn't seem to mesh well with Mrs. Guyse's smooth and straight vocals. Both sounded good, just not together.
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Music/Production
As stated before, this album's sound was very consistent--and it was consistent without being repetitive. It was smooth, yet strongly present; breezy, but pulsating. Conductor Leroy Holmes did a good job at really keeping the orchestra tight and together for This is Sheila.
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Vocals
Of course, I must recognize the star's vocals. As I've repeated numerous times and in various ways throughout this post, Sheila Guyse maintained a smooth, crisp, and clear voice for her sole album. While it was like the most mellow sounds of nature, it wasn't overpowered by the band. I must also add that her voice was actually quite unique and distinctive--at least, I personally wouldn't confuse her singing with anyone else's.
I usually prefer just a wee bit of "soul" in my jazz singers--a little flutter here, a quirky sound there--and when I first previewed the album, I became a little hesitant about purchasing it, because Sheila Guyse didn't have that extra "umph" in her voice like a Dinah Washington or a Nancy Wilson. However, after listening to the album in its entirety, I realized that riffs and runs (be they minimal or maximal) would have actually taken away from what made Sheila's voice unique.
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Overall
Overall, I really enjoyed This is Sheila. My only wish is that it were a little bit longer. The longest song ("Easy Does It") is only 2:55--it left me wanting more, which is a good thing, but also a bad thing, since Mrs. Guyse didn't release anymore albums. I highly recommend that you swing on over to Amazon to purchase it!
Amazon Link
(An MP3 Download)
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Additional Album Info
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The photos used in this post were used for informational purposes only. If the rightful owner(s) of any of the photos wishes to have them removed, please contact me, and I will do so immediately.
--Aige
************
Overview
This is Sheila consists of familiar popular songs and jazz standards like "I Cover the Waterfront", "You Took Advantage of Me", and "You Do Something to Me". With such a title for an album, you would think that it would be filled with original songs, but nonetheless, it certainly was Sheila, and had its music been played on radios and hi-fis everywhere in '58, today, the name 'Sheila Guyse' would be mentioned alongside artists like Nat "King" Cole, Tony Bennett, Dionne Warwick, and Doris Day. You know, the big names in Lounge or Easy Listening music.
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| 52nd Street (New York) by William Gottlieb (from Wikipedia) |
*This is Sheila was released on MGM Records in 1958*
************
Select Tracks
This album consists of a total of 12 tracks (six on the A-side, six on the B-side). I will discuss two tracks from both sides.
"Let There Be Love" (Side A - Track One)
This is the album's opening song--it's very short (all of the songs are, actually), but it was a great choice to start things off right. It begins with (I'm not well-versed in drums/percussion instruments, so this may be wrong) a rolling tom-tom drum intro that prepares us for the swingin' jazz orchestra and Mrs. Guyse's clear, clean, and standout vocals. You're sure to be tapping your foot and bobbing your head throughout this entire song.
"I Cover the Waterfront" (Side A - Track Two)
I'm a fan of this popular jazz standard--particularly a big fan of Miki Howard's rendition as she performed it (as Billie Holiday) in Malcolm X. I'm a fan of Billie Holiday's rendition, as well. When I went to Amazon to preview this album, this was the first thing I listened to-- and I immediately fell in love with it--the music, the vocals, the way that Mrs. Guyse made it her own. It's just beauty and flawlessness across the board. Every time I listen to it, I want to pour myself a glass of gin and smoke a cigarette. Isn't that the standard way to listen to great jazz music?
This is also the second track on the album--a great "cool down" from the bouncy "Let There Be Love".
"Easy Does It" (Side B - Track One)
This song opens the B-side and is easily my favorite track on the album ("I Cover the Waterfront" coming in second). "Let There Be Love" prepares us for some delightful jazz tunes on Side A, while "Easy Does It" prepares us for sensuality and romance on Side B. There isn't much I have to say about this song, only that it's the one that I find myself humming the most. I guess I could go on to say that it is very catchy.
"I'm Glad There Is You" (Side B - Track Five)
There's always that one song on an album that makes you go "Huh?" That was "I'm Glad There Is You"--not the song itself (or the lyrics, rather) but the sound of the song. It attempted to branch out from the album's consistent sound (while still trying not to go completely off track). However, the Latin sound-influenced music (with Revolutionary War snare drumming in the background o_O) just didn't seem to mesh well with Mrs. Guyse's smooth and straight vocals. Both sounded good, just not together.
************
Music/Production
 |
| Songwriter, composer, arranger, and conductor, Leroy Holmes (from Beautiful Instrumentals) |
As stated before, this album's sound was very consistent--and it was consistent without being repetitive. It was smooth, yet strongly present; breezy, but pulsating. Conductor Leroy Holmes did a good job at really keeping the orchestra tight and together for This is Sheila.
************
Vocals
Of course, I must recognize the star's vocals. As I've repeated numerous times and in various ways throughout this post, Sheila Guyse maintained a smooth, crisp, and clear voice for her sole album. While it was like the most mellow sounds of nature, it wasn't overpowered by the band. I must also add that her voice was actually quite unique and distinctive--at least, I personally wouldn't confuse her singing with anyone else's.
 |
| Sheila Guyse (from The New York Times) |
I usually prefer just a wee bit of "soul" in my jazz singers--a little flutter here, a quirky sound there--and when I first previewed the album, I became a little hesitant about purchasing it, because Sheila Guyse didn't have that extra "umph" in her voice like a Dinah Washington or a Nancy Wilson. However, after listening to the album in its entirety, I realized that riffs and runs (be they minimal or maximal) would have actually taken away from what made Sheila's voice unique.
************
Overall
Overall, I really enjoyed This is Sheila. My only wish is that it were a little bit longer. The longest song ("Easy Does It") is only 2:55--it left me wanting more, which is a good thing, but also a bad thing, since Mrs. Guyse didn't release anymore albums. I highly recommend that you swing on over to Amazon to purchase it!
Amazon Link
(An MP3 Download)
************
Additional Album Info
************
The photos used in this post were used for informational purposes only. If the rightful owner(s) of any of the photos wishes to have them removed, please contact me, and I will do so immediately.
--Aige
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