Vocalist Marge Dodson recorded just three albums. Her first two for Columbia were straightforward songbook efforts: In the Still of the Night (1959) and New Voice in Town (1960). But the third, for Decca, was way more interesting and so 1960s!
A Lovely Way to Live (February 1968) was swinging, brash and groovy, from the psychedelic cover art to the arrangements by Dave Blume, who also conducted and composed a few of the songs. The album was produced by Dick Jacobs. [Photo above of Marge Dodson]
Dodson was born in Philadelphia and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y. Early on, she wanted to become a concert singer or a musical comedy star, and with those goals in mind studied music. Soon she was singing pop, encouraged by pianist Coleridge Perkinson, who would accompany her on her first album.
Dodson took first prize in a string of talent contests contests, won over musicians such as pianist Teddy Wilson and flutist Sam Most, and landed a two-album Columbia contract. After her second LP failed to chart, her contract wasn't renewed and she toured the Eastern half of the country throughout the 1960s and early '70s. She was a huge attraction in Boston, according to local papers, performing with the Dave Blume Trio. That's where my research trail went cold given the time had to research her background. More to come as readers check in.
The tracks:
- My Heart Loves the Samba (Samba da Bencao), from the film A Man and a Woman (Baden Powell-Vinicius DeMoraeKs with English lyrics by Jerry Keller)
- Lover Man (Jimmie Davis-Ram Ramirez-Jimmy Sherman)
- Don't Explain (Billie Holiday-Arthur Herzog Jr.)
- Sunday's Child (Rod McKuen)
- Yesterday Is Crowding My World (Judy Spencer-Pockriss
- I Walk a Little Faster (Cy Coleman-Carolyn Leigh)
- Foolin' Around (Jerry Keller-Dave Blume)
- If You Knew (David Shire-Richard Maltby Jr.)
- A Lovely Way to Live (Judy Spencer-Kenyon Hopkins)
- What Happened to You and Me (Jerry Keller-David Blume)
- Be Your Baby (Carolyn Hester-Dave Blume)
Here's Marge Dodson's A Lovely Way to Live, without ad interruptions...
A special thanks to Adam Sieff on the South East Kent coast in England for reminding me of Marge.
Other ad-free Backgrounders in my series:
- Sammy Davis Jr. Sings and Laurindo Almeida Plays, go here.
- Paul Quinichette: Moods, go here.
- Jimmy Forrest: Forrest Fire!, go here.
- Brazilian Jazz Quartet: Coffee and Jazz, go here.
- Art Blakey!!! Jazz Messengers!!!, go here.
- Sidney Bechet/Martial Solal, go here.
- John Carisi: The New Jazz Sound Of "Show Boat," go here.
- The Marty Paich Quartet, Featuring Art Pepper, go here.
- João Gilberto, 1998, go here.
- Bobby Timmons: Soul Time, go here.
- Gerry Mulligan: Jeru, go here.
- Ray Bryant: Alone With the Blues, go here.
- Leon Spencer Jr.: Bad Walking Woman, go here.
- Jimmy McGriff: Step 1, go here.
- Johnny "Hammond" Smith: Breakout, go here.
- Oliver Nelson: Taking Care of Business, go here.
- Quincy Jones: Americans in Paris, go here.
- Sonny Stitt: Tune-Up!, go here.
- Herbie Mann: Yardbird Suite, go here.
- Quincy Jones: Twilight Time, go here.
- Lou Levy Quartet: Jazz in Four Colors, go here.
- Johnny Alf: Rapaz de Bem, go here.
- Hank Mobley: Poppin', go here.
- Barney Kessel: Kessel's Kit, go here.
- Larry Young: Into Somethin', go here.
- Henry Mancini: The Jazz Sound From Peter Gunn, go here.
- Sonny Stitt: Night Crawler, go here.
- Maynard Ferguson: Around the Horn, go here.
- Frank Rosolino: Franky Speaking!, go here.
- Ben Webster: King of the Tenors, go here.
- Kenny Dorham: Una Mas, go here.
- Gigi Gryce: Nica's Tempo, go here.
- Charlie Parker With Strings: The Master Takes, go here.
- The Great Jazz Piano of Phineas Newborn Jr., go here.
- The Complete Chet Baker Sings, go here.
- Shorty Rogers Courts the Count, go here.
- Miles Ahead: Miles Davis +19, go here.
- Kenny Burrell, Jazzmen - Detroit, go here.
- Bill Watrous, In Love Again, go here.
- Gene Ammons, Boss Tenor, go here.
- Roy Eldridge: The Strolling Mr. Eldridge, go here.
- Clifford Brown and Max Roach with Sonny Rollins, go here.
- Fats Navarro: Nostalgia, go here.
- Hank Mobley: Hank Mobley Quintet, go here.
- Sandy Mosse: Relaxin' With..., go here.
- Maynard Ferguson: A Message From Newport, go here.
- Jimmy Raney: Two Jims and Zoot, go here.
- Zoot Sims Plays 4 Altos, go here.
- Jimmy Forrest: Out of the Forrest, go here.
- Jazz Studio 2, From Hollywood, go here.
- Billy Taylor: My Fair Lady Loves Jazz, go here.
- Hank Mobley: Soul Station, go here.
- Sylvia Telles, Lúcio Alves and Roberto Menescal: Bossa Session, go here.
- Horace Silver: The Horace Silver Trio, go here.
- Walter Davis: Davis Cup, go here.
- Wynton Kelly: Kelly at Midnite, go here.
- Jack Sheldon: Jack's Groove, go here.
- Herbie Nichols: Complete Masters, go here.
- Hank Mobley: Hank Mobley Quartet, go here.
- Mundell Lowe: Satan in High Heels, go here.
- Hal McKusick and Art Farmer: Quintet Sessions, go here.
- Os Poligonais: Os Poligonais, go here.
- Buddy Fite: Tasty, go here.
- Al Sears: Swing's the Thing, go here.
- A.K. Salim: Complete Savoy Recordings, go here.
- Rosinha de Valença, go here.
- Remo Rau, Evening at Cafe Africana, go here.
- Georgie Auld, Plays the Winners, go here.
- Complete Oscar Pettiford Orchestra, go here.
- East Coast - West Coast Scene, go here.
- O'Donel Levy: Black Velvet, go here.
- Sonny Rollins: Alfie, go here.
- Music to Listen to Barney Kessel By, go here.
- Complete Grant Green and Sonny Clark Quartets, go here.