The Jazz Giants Play Sammy Cahn: It's Magic (1999)

About this title: An excellent entry in Prestige's excellent Jazz Giants songbook series, The Jazz Giants Play Sammy Cahn: It's Magic largely lives up to the subtitle. At best, Cahn is at the front of the second string of the great pre-rock Tin Pan Alley songwriters, but this well-chosen collection hits the high points of his catalog. Cal Tjader's Latin-tinged version of "Pete Kelly's Blues," for example, sits beautifully next to Max Roach's hard bopping take on "It's You or No One," testament to the versatility of Cahn's songwriting partners, most frequently Jimmy Van Heusen and Jule Styne. And with a list ... read more

Tracks:

1. Wonder Why [Cahn/Brodszky]
2. Be My Love [Take 2] [Cahn/Brodszky]
3. Until the Real Thing Comes Along [Cahn/Chaplin/Freema]
4. Please Be Kind [Cahn/Chaplin]
5. I'll Walk Alone [Cahn/Styne]
6. I Should Care [Cahn/Stordahl/Westo]
7. All the Way [Cahn/VanHeusen]
8. Time After Time [Cahn/Styne]
9. It's You or No One [Cahn/Styne]
10. The Things We Did Last Summer [Cahn/Styne]
11. If It's the Last Thing I Do [Cahn/Chaplin]
12. Teach Me Tonight [Cahn/DePaul]
13. Second Time Around [Cahn/VanHeusen]
14. Pete Kelly's Blues [Cahn/Heindorf]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.