BOBBY TROUP: The feeling of jazz

BOBBY TROUP
Bobby Troup é outro daqueles "segredos bem guardados", restrito a um pequeno núcleo de privilegiados "jazzmaníacos". Durante anos, na minha adolescência, tive "ódio" do Bobby, pelo singelo motivo de que ele era marido da monumental Julie London...Bricadeirinhas à parte, Bobby Troup foi um grande artista: cantor, ator, compositor e pianista elegante, classudo. Seu estilo econômico de cantar se assemelha em tudo por tudo ao de outro gigante - Joe Mooney. Entre as grandes composições de Bobby Troup, se encontram "Route 66", "Girl Talk" e uma das minhas preferidas: "You´re looking at me".

(*) Ruy Castro, em seu livro "Garota de Ipanema", conta que Julie London, quando esteve no Rio de Janeiro, nos anos 60, deu uma "pisada na bola" e teve um breve - porém tórrido - romance com o jornalista João Luiz Albuquerque. Encantada com o "latin lover", todas as noites, em seu show, dedicava uma canção a ele - o rapaz com "bedroom eyes". Que ódio!

(**)Ainda bem que eu só soube disso bem depois: só por isso, o João Luiz escapou de também ser alvo da minha inveja e da minha ira!
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BOBBY TROUP
Robert William "Bobby" Troup Jr. (October 18, 1918 - February 7, 1999) was an American actor, jazz pianist and songwriter. He is best known for writing the popular standard "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66", and for his role as Dr. Joe Early, the more calm, yet dedicated doctor of Julie London's and Robert Fuller's characters, in the 1970s US TV series. Bobby Troup was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Bobby Troup was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ) fraternity and the Mask and Wig Club. His earliest musical success came with the song "Daddy" which was a regional hit in 1941. Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra recorded "Daddy", which was no.1 for 8 weeks on the Billboard Best Seller chart and the no.5 record of 1941. Glenn Miller and His Orchestra performed "Daddy" on their radio broadcasts, and The Andrews Sisters also recorded the song. In the same year, Troup's song "Snootie Little Cutie" was recorded by Frank Sinatra and Connie Haines with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and the Pied Pipers. Bobby Troup's first marriage was to Cynthia Hare. Bobby and Cynthia had two daughters. Troup's light and humorous musical style was similar to that of the Nat King Cole Trio. In the 1940s Cole had a hit with Troup's best known song "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66" which became a hit for Cole and then a popular standard (recorded by many artists including Chuck Berry (1961), The Rolling Stones (1964)). In 1987 Depeche Mode combined the tune with their own composition, "Behind the Wheel", released it as the B-side of "Behind the Wheel" and it became a radio hit on KROQ 106.7 FM in Los Angeles. In 2006, "Route 66" was featured in the animated movie Cars, and the movie RV with Robin Williams. Troup produced torch singer Julie London's million selling hit record "Cry Me a River" in 1955 and they married five years later, following London's divorce from actor Jack Webb, then directing and starring in the now-classic Dragnet TV show. Troup's own recordings in the 1950s and '60s were not commercially successful. He made recordings for Liberty Records and Capitol Records, many with musicians from the West Coast "school" of jazz. In February, 1999, Troup died at UCLA Medical Center of a massive heart attack. His wife, Julie London died the following year.
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ALBUM REVIEW
An important player in the West Coast Jazz scene of the '50's and '60's, singer/songwriter Bobby Troup is heard performing some of his best quartet and small band work in Hollywood and New York jazz clubs in these 21 tracks. Backed by such jazz legends as Herb Ellis, Bucky Pizzarelli, Bob Enevoldsen and Grady Tate, Troup's stylized club vocals and cool personality are showcased in a way that still sounds fresh and contemporary. These recordings of performances from 1955 to 1967 include 13 songs written or co-written by Bobby Troup, which is why I find the album such a gem. Included are "The Feeling of Jazz" (co-written with Duke Ellington and George Simon), the standard "Girl Talk" (co-written with Neal Hefti), and Troup classics "Daddy" and "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66." I'm also impressed with the excellent 12 pages of liner notes and wonderful photos of the "Stars of Jazz" TV show Bobby Troup hosted in the '50's on ABC---he's shown with Billie Holiday, June Christy, Johnny Mercer, and Bobby's wife of 40 years, Julie London. Cool indeed, and this CD captures it. Get hip.
By R. H. Roth Jr. "Robert Roth" (East Lansing, Michigan USA)
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MINHA OPINIÃO
Neste CD, BOBBY TROUP canta algumas de suas composições (Girl Tal, Route 66, Daddy, Walking Shoes, The feeling of jazz, etc), e alguns "standards". O quarteto instrumental encarregado dos acompanhamentos é liderado pelo próprio Bobby, ao piano. O estilo "cool" e elegante de Bobby Troup é muito semelhante ao de Nat "King" Cole, Joe Mooney, Page Cavanaugh e Chet Baker.  Um luxo!
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BOBBY TROUP: The feeling of jazz

TRACKS/FAIXAS:
1. Walkin' Shoes   
2. Midnight Sun   
3. Lemon Twist   
4. Lullaby of Birdland   
5. Watch What Happens   
6. I Get a Kick Out of You
7. The Feeling of Jazz
8. Daddy   
9. I'm Such a Hungry Man
10. Moonlight in Vermont
11. Do-Re-Mi   
12. The Three Bears
13. Hold Your Breath   
14. Route 66   
15. One October Morning
16. That Old Black Magic   
17. Back in Your Own Backyard   
18. There She Goes   
19. Take Me Out to the Ball Game
20. Learnin' the Blues   
21. Girl Talk