Connie Francis recorded so many pop trifles during her long career that it's easy to forget what a hip and effervescent singer she could be when paired with the right material and collaborators.
Cocktail Connie: Connie Francis Sings and Swings Lounge Classics rights that wrong, assembling 18 surprisingly fresh and sophisticated tracks recorded for MGM during the mid-'60s. A significant chunk of the compilation originates via 1968's
Sings Bacharach and David -- arranger
Claus Ogerman's interpretations of songs like "Walk on By," "This Girl's in Love with You," and "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" augment the melodies' jazz-like intricacies to create subdued, richly textured settings that perfectly complement
Francis' uncharacteristic vocal restraint, complete with nuanced orchestration worthy of
Burt Bacharach himself. No less impressive are pairings with arrangers like
Don Costa,
Marty Paich, and
Benny Golson, all of whom push
Francis in welcome new creative directions spanning from bossa nova to sunshine pop. ~ Jason Ankeny