The great Johnny Hartman's career began in 1947 and recording his way through numbers of record labels virtually until his passing in 1983. One of the greatest interpreters of love songs that ever lived, he had the gift of making you feel every word. Hartman was an early disciple of Sinatra, but making each song his own, as in - "LUSH LIFE" (with John Coltrane), it's torchy and sad but not despondent, not suicidal. Same way with - "IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS, Hartman wasn't influenced by the way Sinatra sang it, just took on a different meaning when Hartman did it. Where does Johnny Hartman rate in the line-up of Jazz and popular singers of our time? Just take a listen to this 2-CD-Set Hip-O Records has released, definitely a vocalist with the style and mastery that cannot be denied with pure talent. A few highlights - "DON'T YOU KNOW I CARE" (Duke Ellington/Mack David) not heard that much, this ballad is truly catchy and mind-lingering - "MY SHIP" (Ira Gershwin/Kurt Weill) beautiful song co-written by the composer who gave us "Mack the Knife", from "The Threepenny Opera". He was subtle, yet swinging on uptempo tunes and commanding on slow numbers. Hartman possessed a superb delivery and sound, had remarkable enunciation with a rich tone, which brings us to the question, "Why was this artist so under-rated and not as popular as the Sinatra's, Martin's and Como's"? But thanks to Hip-O, we can enjoy 38 tracks from various labels during his 25 professional year career. Hip-O Records - HIPD2 40137 (1998)/ 59:31 ON 21 Tracks(Disco One)/60:22 on 17 Tracks(Disc Two)