Love Is Everything Plus The Unreleased "Broadway" Album [Original recording remastered]

This is a beautifully clear re-mixing of a 47 year old album. While listening I was again reminded of what a terrific voice Mathis had at this time in his life when he was 30 years old. Although people for years have spoken about his high register, one listen to "A Thousand Blue Bubbles" or "Dancing in the Dark" will illustrate how rich his voice was at the lower register as well. He sings with deep feeling, even on songs such as "This Is All I Ask" which he was far too young to sing at that time in his life. After 47 years of hearing these songs on a scratched up mono record it is a great pleasure to hear them rendered with such clarity and precision. This is Mathis at his best.

Now we all know that all the main Johnny Mathis output from Mercury Records will be issued in CD format and oh wow the big wonderful surprise runs now for the re-issue of album 'Love Is Everything', the fourth Mathis Lp for Mercury label.

Mathis chose to bring back his long time collaborator, Mr. Glenn Osser, the famous staff arranger in the NYC 51st Street Columbia studios in the 60s. Mr. Osser's arrangements backed several smash hit albums for Mathis Columbia earlier times.

There is also a different repertoire collection here which comprises pop music and some new material, a rare choice in Mathis albums. Great GAS songs complete the program and includes a recreation of Nat King Cole's hit 'Never Let Me Go'. Here and there, Mathis admits his love of Nat Cole in his interviews. 'Young and Foolish', 'Dancing in The Dark', 'An Affair To Remember' and Barbra Streisand's hit 'People' from 'Funny Girl' are all there with the Mathis usual reshape and touch.

Mathis recreates Carole King's smash hit 'Go Away Little Girl' splendidly around the genius string-crafted orchestration by Osser.

New material includes the title song and even an Italian song 'A Thousand Blue Bubbles'. Also a strong song with a strong rendition 'Come Ride The Wind With Me'.

..............

Ok ... this is a double CD and I understand that the unreleased Mathis Lp with Broadway songs is issued here as a bonus which does not add much to Mathis' outstanding style book. Repertoire here shows Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, the Gershwins, a real good bet.

To any mathis fans, this is a must....
This is Johnny singing like you don't often hear him... wild, exciting and totaly uninhibited...
It's the kind of big band live sound that you just don't hear anymore.... very special.