Lena Horne - Best Of Lena Horne: All Original Recordings

Title doesn't fit

This is a good cd. However the title is misleading. This is hardly the best of Lena. This cd takes a few songs from her Feeling Good Album and her Lena In Hollywood album and combines them. If you are blown away by this please by the new release Feeling Good/Lena In Hollywood by DRG records released in fall of 07'. It has both complete albums together on one CD. So my three stars is for the CD not for Lena or the material. February 7, 2008

Lena never sounded better--this is a golden nugget shining brightly!

Lena Horne remains of the greatest vocalists of the 20th century. Lena possessed the ability to perform songs with such emotion that her audiences were truly moved. On this CD Lena's voice is strong, vibrant and smooth as silk. There may be only ten songs on this CD but what you get packs a punch!

The CD starts with "Moon River" which Lena sings so beautifully I instantly played it over again to enjoy it some more. Lena delivers "Moon River" with great sensitivity. "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)" gives more proof of Lena's incomparable talent. "Hello Young Lovers" with its upbeat tempo and "Wives and Lovers" both sparkle with a certain energy that only Lena could communicate. Excellent!

Lena also performs a rather rendition of "Never On Sunday;" and Lena performs "Singing In The Rain" with an extra opening verse to make this number a real treat!

Ray Ellis provided the sharp and snazzy musical arrangements for most, if not all, the songs on this CD. His arrangements enhance the beauty of the songs just as they complement Lena's voice.

The liner notes offer the song credits. The liner notes also provide an informative but uncredited essay about Lena Horne and her career.

My only disappointment is that Curb Records almost consistently refuses to put more material on their CDs even when the CD has plenty of room for more songs. Yes, Lena sings ten songs on this CD; but the total running time clocks in at just under 30 minutes! Why couldn't Curb put two or even three more songs on this disc? This baffles me and so I must take off a star to make this a four star review.

I highly recommend this CD for fans of classic pop vocals. Lena's fans will find no flaw in her performances on this CD. Unfortunately, however, the CD itself is short on running time. Therefore, if you like this Lena Horne CD I recommend other CDs by Lena including Lena Horne - RCA Victor: Greatest Hits; At the Waldorf Astoria/At the Sands and Stormy Weather: The Legendary Lena (1941-1958).
January 27, 2007

FANTASTIC

I had only barely heard of Lena Horne (no c.d.'s are locally available) & was captivated with other singers from the same era;such as Ella Fitzgerald;Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington etc..Now I've heard it all.!! Lena is the best.Out of 4 Lena Horne C.D.'s i have bought from the U.S.A.this one blows me away.Only 10 tracks but boy!!!!THEY ARE THE BEST!! Clarity; Quality & How they are delivered, is awesome. boy!!can she hang onto the notes!!! A Lena Fan forever from Down Under.My only regret is that i did not discover Lena Before!!!N.K.South Aussie October 7, 2004

Lovely Lena

The title of this CD is off-base because these 10 songs do not represent the best of Lena Horne's vast catalog. This CD actually pulls songs from only two LPs Horne recorded for United Artists in the 1960's: "Feelin' Good" and "Lena In Hollywood". The good news is that these LPs featured some of her best vocals ever. Although the songs here were recorded when she was a splendid-looking forty-something, Horne was already morphing from cabaret vamp into the worldly, knowing chanteuse that would hit full bloom later in life. The songs here find her in outstanding voice and in full command of her interpretive gifts.

As one of the other reviews points out, the highlight here is Horne's take on WHO CAN I TURN TO -- a lushly orchestrated ballad, the song is a great showcase for Horne's unique mixture of pathos and rage. All of the ballads on this set are lovely and Horne sounds sweet as honey on MOON RIVER and ALL THE WAY. Her take on WIVES AND LOVERS is knowingly ironic, it almost sounds like she's spitting the words out in contempt, disgusted by the sexism in the lyrics. She kicks off NEVER ON A SUNDAY with a sassy spoken intro and she sings it as if through clenched teeth -- like she is doing all she can to keep from cursing someone out. I LOVE PARIS is simply gorgeous. In my opinion, Horne's voice is ideally-suited for uptempo numbers and the ones here do not disappoint. IT HAD BETTER BE TONIGHT is a brassy come-on that she sings so ferociously it is more frightening than titillating. She turns HELLO YOUNG LOVERS on its ear by revving up the tempo and belting the hell out of it. ON A WONDERFUL DAY LIKE TODAY is bouncy and exuberant. Given the price, I could recommend this CD as a nice introduction to Lena Horne's music. April 14, 2004

Try It!

There are better Lena compilations, but this one contains two 5 star gems: "Moon River" and "Who Can I Turn To". In the 1960s every vocalist jumped on anything that was partially decent and there are hundreds of covers of "Who Can I Turn to", even Dusty Springfield recorded it, very expertly I might add. But Lena's vocal is very sad and complex, with a beautiful Ray Ellis arrangement. She sounds great on this CD. Nice Job! December 6, 2003

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