Cathi Hayes & Lu Ann Simms – It’s All Right With Me / At Seperate Tables

The Best Voices Time Forgot - Collectible Albums by Top Female Vocalists
Collector’s Edition - 2 Original LPs on 1 CD - · Original Cover Art, Liner Notes

It's All Right with Me
Cathi Hayes (Milwaukee, 1935) began singing in Seattle, Washington, in 1953, along with her brother Jerry, in a five-vocal group called “The Signatures.” They soon became instrumentally proficient with Cathi on vibes. Then in 1958 she left to join a versatile and exciting group called “Gus ‘n’ Us,” directed by Gus Mancuso. In October that same year, Cathi began her career as a single at the Facks club in San Francisco. After eight months working the club circuit, she headed to Hollywood, where she became a prominent attraction at Dean Martin’s restaurant Dino’s. It was then —while still swinging at the bistro— that she recorded her only album —"It's All Right with Me"— emerging as a new, individual artist of quality. Guitarist Barney Kessel, who took care of the superlative arrangements, described her as “a very adventurous singer who, I’m convinced, sings for the sheer love of it. As to her style, she’s in a cool groove, all right, but she’s not derivative in any way.”

At Separate Tables
Lu Ann Simms (1932-2003) was born in Rochester, New York, and first bowed to an audience at the age of three, while singing for a local radio station. She got her singing break after auditioning on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts, which she won in 1952. From then on, she performed regularly on the Godfrey television show for three years, and became so popular that she even inspired the best-selling Lu Ann Simms doll. Then in 1957 she signed with Jubilee, recording her only LP for this label in the fall of 1958: "At Separate Tables." On this album we find Lu Ann at her best, singing with feeling and warmth a dozen Harry Warren songs, all from pictures. The arranger-conductor behind the singer was Dave Terry. Unfortunately, her career was shaken in 1959 by the death of her first husband and manager Loring Buzzell, and despite attempts to return to the stage, little by little her star faded.

Track Listing:
Cathi Hayes: 1. The Angels Sing - 3:12   2. Blue Moods - 4:32   3. You Smell So Good - 4:00   4. Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe - 3:29   5. Wonder Why - 3:29   6. Tangerine - 1:49   7. If I Were a Bell - 2:16   8. Last Night When We Were Young - 2:56   9. Down in the Depths - 4:19   10. You Don't Know What Love Is - 4:13   11. My Old Flame - 4:28   12. You and the Night and the Music - 2:04   Lu Ann Simms: 13. Separate Tables - 2:22   14. I Only Have Eyes for You - 1:55   15. There Will Never Be Another You - 2:43   16. The More I See You - 2:57   17. No Love, No Nothin' - 2:09   18. My Dream Is Yours - 2:27   19. You'll Never Know - 2:39   20. I Wish I Knew - 2:56   21. I've Got to Sing a Torch Song - 2:50   22. You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me - 1:58   23. Ooh That Kiss - 2:40   24. This Is Always - 2:20

Sources:
Tracks #1-12, from the Cathi Hayes album
“It’s All Right with Me” (HI-FI Records SR 416)
Tracks #13-24, from the Lu Ann Simms album
“At Separate Tables” (Jubilee JGS 1092)

Personnel:

Personnel on "It’s All Right with Me":
Cathi Hayes *, vocals
Orchestra Arranged and Conducted by Barney Kessel
Tracks #3,4,5,6,9: Conte Candoli, trumpet; Bud Shank, alto sax; Bill Perkins, Ted Nash, tenor saxes; Justin Gordon, baritone sax; Jimmy Rowles, piano; Barney Kessel, guitar; Howard Roberts, rhythm guitar; Monty Budwig, bass; Shelly Manne, drums.
Tracks #2,8,10,11: Larry Bunker, vibes; Barney Kessel, guitar, Howard Roberts, rhythm guitar; Monty Budwig, bass; Shelly Manne, drums.
Tracks #1,7,12: Four trumpets; four trombones; Barney Kessel, guitar; Monty Budwig, bass; Mel Lewis, drums.
Recorded in Hollywood, 1959

Personnel on "At Separate Tables":
Lu Ann Simms, vocals
With Dave Terry and His Orchestra
Featuring: Joe Wilder, trumpet, and Hank Jones, piano
Recorded in New York City, November 1958