Johnny Mercer (1909-1976) was not only one of America's greatest lyricists - he helped define the American South from the outside in. His words paint rich and vivid portraits of life in his native Georgia. Mercer wrote a wide variety of songs, from lush, dreamy ballads to plays on colloquial American expressions. He joined forces with some of the most talented composers of his day, including Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael, and Henry Mancini, to fashion one of the most startlingly original catalogs in American popular music. This songbook commemorates the centennial of his birth with piano/vocal sheet music arrangements (including guitar chord frames) for 46 of his most famous and best-loved classics.

Songlist: DREAM, EMILY, LAURA, SKYLARK, BLUES IN THE NIGHT, CHARADE (FROM 'CHARADE'), COME RAIN OR COME SHINE, DAY IN DAY OUT, Days of Wine and Roses, I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU, I WANNA BE AROUND, SATIN DOLL (VOCAL VERSION), SUMMER WIND, TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS, YOU MUST HAVE BEEN A BEAUTIFUL BABY, I'M AN OLD COWHAND (FROM THE RIO GRANDE), FOOLS RUSH IN (WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD), GOODY-GOODY, AC-CENT-TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE, AND THE ANGELS SING, ANY PLACE I HANG MY HAT IS MY HOME, AUTUMN LEAVES A/K/A LES FEUILLES MORTES, DRINKING AGAIN, G.I. JIVE, GLOW WORM, THE, HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD, I'M OLD FASHIONED (Lyric Version), IN THE COOL COOL COOL OF THE EVENING, JEEPERS CREEPERS, LAZYBONES (a/k/a LAZY BONES), and more

Pro Vocal : Singable Standards - Women's Edition   

Whether you're a karaoke singer or preparing for an audition, the Pro Vocal series is for you. The book contains the lyrics, melody, and chord symbols for nine hit songs. The CD contains demos for listening and separate backing tracks so you can sing along. The CD is playable on any CD, but it is also enhanced for PC and Mac computer users so you can adjust the recording to any pitch without changing the tempo! Perfect for home rehearsal, parties, auditions, corporate events, and gigs without a backup band.

Songlist: But Beautiful, Glad To Be Unhappy, I Thought About You, I'll Walk Alone, In A Sentimental Mood, Little White Lies, (I'm Affraid) The Masquerade Is Over, Prelude To a Kiss

The Real Vocal Book has many of the selections from volumes 1 and 2 of the instrumental Real Books, but now with the lyrics added to the pre-existing melody line. Nearly 300 essential songs compiled especially for singers.

Songlist: Agua De Beber, Alfie, Alice In Wonderland, All Alone (Left Alone), (All Of A Sudden) My Heart Sings, All Of Me, All Of You, All The Things You Are, Alright, Okay, You Win, Always, Angel Eyes, April In Paris, Are You Havin' Any Fun?, Autumn In New York, Autumn Leaves, Avalon, Azure, Baby, It's Cold Outside, Baltimore Oriole, Basin Street Blues, Bewitched, Beyond The Sea, Billie's Blues, Billie's Bounce, Birdland, The Birth of the Blues, Blame It on My Youth, Blue Skies, Bluesette, Body And Soul, and more

The Bay Area's own mixed-voice jazz ensemble Clockwork, late of some tremendous performances as a quintet at the 2004 and 2006 Harmony Sweeps Finals, placing 2nd and 3rd, respectively, is now a quartet featuring Angie Doctor, John Paddock and Dave Duran, adding Juliet Green of another beloved Bay Area jazz group, +4db. "Every Voice Counts" is produced by Trist Ethan Curless and The Bobs' Richard Bob Greene, and it is lightly accompanied by various jazz artists on guitar, bass, drums, steel pans, flute, sax, cello, violin and electric violin. 12 songs, with some of our Clockwork favorites like "Rhode Island Is Famous For You" and Radiohead's "Creep;" "I Carry You Around/Chameleon," Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Mercers "I Thought About You," Yusef Islam's "Where Do the Children Play," the moody "Pontchartrain," the very funny, scattish "My Attorney Bernie," Charlie Parkers "Anthropology" and the traditional spiritual "The Water is Wide." Great stuff, and one thing is certain, we will always love listening to talented, soulful, jazzy Clockwork!

Songlist: I Carry You Around/Chamelion, Rhode Island is Famous for You, The Goodbye Look, Creep, I Thought About You, Who's Blues (Whose Blues), Where Do The Children Play?, Pontchartrain, My Attorney Bernie, None of Us Are Free, Antropology, The Water Is Wide

Hi-Lo's : Clap Yo' Hands   

Comprising two of their records from the 1950's-1954's "I Presume" and 1958's "In Stereo"-"Clap Yo' Hands" captures the close harmony sound of the Hi-Lo's, who defined the vocal jazz of their era. The playground for the talents of the brilliant arranger Gene Puerling, who went on to form the Singers Unlimited, the Hi-Lo's toured with theJudy Garland show and sang with legends such as Frank Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney. These tracks are orchestrated (by Frank Comstock, who backed the group on many early recordings) and include wonderful standards such as "Summertime," "Long Ago and Far Away," "Surrey With The Fringe On Top" and "Nice Work If You Can Get It." This is a jubilant recording that is alive with the joy of music. We have it on good authority that "Clap Yo' Hands" includes some of the group's favorite songs.

Songlist: Clap Yo' Hands, Long Ave and Far Away, You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby, Shadow Waltz, Chinatown, My Chinatown, Too Young for the Blues, Summertime, You Took Advantage of Me, Birth of the Blues, Surrey With the Fringe on Top, Put Your Dreams Away, Button Up Your Overcoat, Speak Low, Jeepers Creepers, I Thought About You, Nice Work if You Can Get It, Stars Fell on Alabama, Rockin' Chair

Hi-Lo's : Under Glass / I Presume   

A spate of Hi-Lo's albums have been recently released on CD, but this may be the most auspicious re-emergence yet: the Hi-lo's first two records, paired up for over an hour's worth of great listening. Though some of the cuts can be found on other recordings, the a cappella "Molly Malone" and "Through The Years" aren't available anywhere else, and the remarkable harmonizations that were Gene Puerling's unique artistry are gloriously displayed in a riot of tonal color. Also, "Georgia On My Mind," and "They Don't Believe Me," from their first 1953 recording session for Trend, are included; the latter was on the previously available "Nice Work If You Can Get It" CD, which has since been discontinued. Anyway, suffice it to say, that among the vocal harmony groups of the 1950's, the Hi-lo's were much imitated, but never duplicated, and their appeal is timeless. Mostly accompanied, with orchestrations by frequent music director Frank Comstock.

Songlist: Summertime, The Birth Of The Blues, Skylark, Through The Years, Shadow Waltz, I'm Beginning to See the Light, Chinatown, My Chinatown, The Surrey With The Fringe On Top, In The Blue Of The Evening, Molly Malone, You're the Top, Long Ago And Far Away, Rockin' Chair, Stars Fell On Alabama, Nice Work If You Can Get It, I Thought About You, This Is The Night, Too Young For The Blues, Jeepers Creepers, Put Your Dreams Away, Button Up Your Overcoat, Speak Low, Shoeless Joe From Hannibal Mo, They Didn't Believe Me, Georgia On My Mind

A musical thrill indeed! Vocal jazz at its best with the arrangements of the genius himself Gene Puerling.

Songlist: June In July, Little White Lies, I Don't Want To Cry Anymore, She's Funny That Way, Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets), Island Of Desire, You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me, Fools Rush In, Have You Met Miss Jones, Where Are You, You Can't Hardly Get There Any More, Rockin' Chair, Stars Fell On Alabama, Nice Work If You Can Get It, I Thought About You, This Is The Night, Too Young For The Blues, Jeepers Creepers, Speak Low, Button Up Your Overcoat, Put Your Dreams Away, Shoeless Joe, They Didn't Believe Me, Peg O' My Heart, My Baby Just Cares For Me, Georgia On My Mind, Clap Yo' Hands, Mam'Selle, Lulu's Back In Town, Indian Summer, and more

Arising from an artist-in-residency program under Grammy-nominee Phil Mattson, who recorded their debut CD with them, "Is God a Three-Letter Word for Love?," and now self-directed, "Distilled" is Vocalogy's 3rd excellent CD. "Distilled" is an all jazz-band accompanied collection of 13 jazz standards and originals, some favorites: Charles Mingus/Joni Mitchell's tongue-in-cheek "Dry Cleaner from Des Moines," smoky-jazz arrangements of Lennon/McCartney's "Oh Darlin'," and Leonard Bernstein's "Some Other Time," a latin treatment of "Just Friends," two Jimmy Van Heusen classics, "It Could Happen to You" and "I Thought About You," Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto #2" turned into a bluenote lament, a sassy, upbeat "Groove Merchant," a stark arrangement of Paul Simon's "Old Friends," and, despite our interest in the local Giants, David Frishberg's "Dodger Blue." As we've noticed in a number of cases, Phil Mattson's musical progeny are unfailingly outstanding, and vocally, all accompaniment aside, Vocalogy is right up there with the best in jazz!

Songlist: Dry Cleaner From Des Moines, Black Orpheus, Oh Darlin', Nutville, Some Other Time, Just Friends, It Could Happen To You, I Thought About You, Theme From Piano Concerto #2, Groove Merchant, Old Friends, Time Is A Healer, Dodger Blue