The Bethlehem label didn't make it out of the '50s before folding, and one of the reasons why is the ambitious yet misguided
George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, a three-LP box set that represents a complete recording of the
Gershwin classic (with narration and sound effects). Bethlehem certainly had the talent to pull it off -- appearing on the label, and this production, are
Mel Tormé,
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra,
Johnny Hartman,
Bob Dorough,
Betty Roche,
Frances Faye, and minor period stars including vocalist
Frank Rosolino, bandleader
Stan Levey, and arranger
Russ Garcia. And long-playing versions of theatrical productions were huge in the mid-'50s (a few sold millions of copies). The most popular of these, however, were simply easy-to-digest highlights LPs that never attempted to present the complete production. This version is a gargantuan two hours long, difficult to sit through even if every performance was stellar (and, unfortunately, that's far from the case). The recording makes a virtue of being hip, primarily through the narration of
Al "Jazzbo" Collins, a radio DJ who may have been hip for the times but whose counterfeit excitement and perfect diction make the proceedings sound like a period newsreel. ("Watch out, Porgy, here comes that mean Sportin' Life!")
Tormé, as the most popular vocalist on the label, was a shoe-in for the role of Porgy, despite
Johnny Hartman's clear superiority, and
Frances Faye received the role of Bess despite
Betty Roche's ability to handle the role much better. Those mistakes are compounded by
Russ Garcia's period arrangements (the
Ellington group makes only one appearance) and some decidedly subpar performances from
Frank Rosolino early in the program. Still, it has to be admitted that a highlights compilation of this record would sparkle very brightly, driven by
Mel Tormé's swinging "I've Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" with a super-enthused backing chorus,
George Kirby's "It Ain't Necessarily So," and
Betty Roche's reprise of "Summertime" during the second half.