Frank Sinatra had a soft spot for singer David Allyn. But his affection and assistance with Las Vegas gigs weren’t based on pity. David had suffered psychologically during his service in World War II and went to prison for eight years on drug charges after his attempts to self-medicate led to addiction. Sinatra admired Allyn because he was a superb emotional jazz balladeer who also could swing. But they shared more.
Both singers had major professional turning points at virtually the same time—in early 1940—when Sinatra joined the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and David joined Jack Teagarden and His Orchestra. They were more companions and brothers in heart than rivals.
To illustrate:
Here's David Allyn in January 1941, singing It All Comes Back to Me Now...
Here's Sinatra in January 1941 with Tommy Dorsey singing I Tried...
In 1962, Allyn was still striving to become a mainstream pop singer after five years of recording a few excellent albums for small labels. Actor Tony Curtis loved his voice and bankrolled an LP for Everest—This Is My Lucky Day, arranged by Bob Florence. One of the tracks, Love Is a Serious Thing, perfectly illustrates David's gorgeous sense of swing. To read my two-part interview with David, go here. David died in 2012 at age 93.
Here's David Allyn singing his own composition (words and music) Love Is a Serious Thing. I so love this track...
Other Perfection tracks in this ongoing series...
- Paul Desmond and Jim Hall: Any Other Time, go here.
- John Coltrane: You Say You Care, go here.
- Quincy Jones: Funk Junction, go here.
- Art Farmer's Work of Art, go here.
- Miles Davis: A Gal in Calico, go here.
- Gene Krupa: Mulligan Stew, go here.
- Dave Brubeck: The Duke, go here.
- Horace Silver: The Back Beat, go here.
- Horace Parlan: Up & Down, go here.
- Dexter Gordon: Society Red, go here.
- Barney Kessel: You Go to My Head, go here.
- Count Basie: Corner Pocket, go here.
- Herbie Mann: Manteca, go here.
- Donald Byrd: Bronze Dance, go here.
- George Shearing: I'll Be Around, go here.
- Ammons & Stitt: You Talk That Talk, go here.
- Count Basie: Blues in My Heart, go here.
- Moonlight in Vermont, go here.
- Johnny Griffin / Matthew Gee, Here, go here.
- Jimmy Smith / Stanely Turrentine: When I'I Grow Too Old to Dream, go here.
- Chet Baker: Estate, go here.
- Jazz Studio 1: Tenderly, go here.
- Herb Pomeroy: Down Home Outing, go here.
- Frank Sinatra: There's a Small Hotel, go here.
- Bill Harris Herd: Blackstrap, go here.
- Gerry Mulligan: Westwood Walk, go here.
- Red Garland and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis: We'll Be Together Again, go here.
- Bill Evans: Reflections in D, go here.
- Ted McNabb & Co.: Mountain Greenery, go here.
- Maynard Ferguson: Fox Hunt, go here.
- Serge Chaloff & the Herdsmen: The Most!, go here.
- Maynard Ferguson: Starfire, go here.
- Urbie Green, Please, go here.
- Machito, Conversation, go here.
