Johnny Mathis (album)

Johnny Mathis
Studio album by Johnny Mathis
Released	July 16, 1956
Recorded	March 14, 1956 - April 6, 1956
Genre	Jazz
Length	45:17
Label	Columbia
Producer	George Avakian
Johnny Mathis chronology
Johnny Mathis (1956) Wonderful Wonderful (1957)
Johnny Mathis
UK album cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Johnny Mathis is the debut studio album by vocalist Johnny Mathis. Issued by Columbia Records in 1956, this album was only released in Mono.^[2] In the UK the album was issued by Fontana Records, with alternative artwork and a differing track listing. Both versions have been re-issued on CD, the US edition by Columbia Legacy in 1996 included a previously unreleased bonus track. The UK edition was re-issued by Columbia in 2001, on a 2on1 CD together with the 1957 album Wonderful Wonderful.^[3]

Overview

Conceived as a jazz album, it features Mathis backed by legends like J.J. Johnson, Buck Clayton, John Lewis, Art Farmer, Milt Hinton, and Ray Brown, with arrangements from Gil Evans, Teo Macero, and Manny Albam. Although well sung by the novice crooner, the album did not sell well. Mathis' fortunes soon changed when producer Mitch Miller began to guide his career shortly after this album which resulted in a string of lushly produced albums and hit singles.

US Track listing

1. "Autumn in Rome" (Sammy Cahn, Alessandro Cicognini, Paul Weston) – 3:56
2. "Easy to Love" (Cole Porter) – 2:29
3. "Street of Dreams" (Victor Young, Sam M. Lewis) – 2:15
4. "Love, Your Magic Spell is Everywhere" (Edmund Goulding, Elsie Janis) – 2:59
5. "Prelude to a Kiss" (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Irving Gordon) – 4:26
6. "Babalu" (Margarita Lecuona) – 2:47
7. "Caravan" (Juan Tizol, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills) – 3:59
8. "Fly Me to the Moon" (Bart Howard) – 3:52
9. "Star Eyes" (Don Raye, Gene DePaul) – 2:48
10. "It Might as Well Be Spring" (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 4:47
11. "Cabin in the Sky" (Vernon Duke, John La Touche) – 2:57
12. "Angel Eyes" (Matt Dennis, Earl Brent) – 4:19

CD bonus track

13. "I'm Glad There Is You" (Jimmy Dorsey, Paul Maderia) – 3:43

Previously unreleased bonus track from March 1956 recording session)

UK Track listing

1. "Wild Is the Wind" (Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington) - 2:24
2. "Street of Dreams" (Victor Young, Sam M. Lewis) – 2:15
3. "Love, Your Magic Spell is Everywhere" (Edmund Gouldin, Else Janis) – 2:59
4. "Prelude to a Kiss" (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Irving Gordon) – 4:26
5. "Babalu" (Margarita Lecuona) – 2:47
6. "No Love But Your Love" (Billy Myles) - 2:19
7. "Come To Me" (Robert Allen, Peter Lind Hayes) - 3:05
8. "Fly Me to the Moon" (Bart Howard) – 3:52
9. "Star Eyes" (Don Raye, Gene DePaul) – 2:48
10. "It Might As Well Be Spring" (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 4:47
11. "When I am With You" (Al Stillman, Ben Weisman) - 2:59
12. "The Twelfth of Never" (Jerry Livingston, Paul Francis Webster) - 2:26

References