PRESENTS

Welcome to the Grapevine News. This section of the Mathis Chronicles contains my views about anything I find or am sent about Johnny Mathis on the Internet and elsewhere, that had been overlooked by the "official" sites. Occasionally, I report on things not directly related to Mathis but have a connection, may even make up a question to ask myself and try to answer. Readers are welcome to share their experiences here also. So enjoy and thanks for coming.

VOL. 4 NO. 3 - FEBRUARY 9, 2005

WHERE IS IT?: I keep hearing where Isn't It Romantic wasn't available in the UK, but I've found it at Amazon's UK site for £13.99, which is almost $30 American if I do my math right. On Amazon's French site, it's available for about 11.5 Euros. I understand about not wanting to pay import prices (like when we want to buy European-only Mathis releases!), because it's not cheap, but hey, at least it's available!

PRAISES: Accolades are coming in, if slowly, for the new standards album, Isn't It Romantic. I'm a little disappointed that Billboard hasn't picked up on it yet, but on the other hand they could be having trouble finding someone old enough to do the album justice. Here's what I've found so far:

Ron Wynn, of the Nashville City paper, thinks the album "has some surprises, notably a surprisingly strong version of "Dindi," an Antonio Carlos Jobim number, and an intriguing if somewhat flawed collaboration with Ray Charles on "Over The Rainbow" that is also available on Genius Loves Company." and that "...neither the arrangement nor the vocal on "There's A Kind Of Hush" really work, and the same holds true for "The Rainbow Connection," but most of Isn't It Romantic proves a good showcase for the vocal charms of Johnny Mathis." Here's the rest of his opinion in full. William Pearl, at Barnes and Noble's site, writes, "Accept no substitutes; this is how a modern 'standards' album should sound." How nice it is to have reviewers who recognize this. But John Bush, of the All Music Guide, is dead wrong about this being the first non-Christmas recording of the millennium; I mean, I know it was way too short, but who could forget the wonderful Mathis on Broadway from the year 2000? There are sour grapes on my vine, because to me it's a little sad to get an album once every five years from Johnny Mathis with a few rescrambled compilations thrown in for good measure, when Mathis used to do two or three studio albums per year in his heyday.

I never heard of "Dindi" before; in fact, when I was told about the song I thought people were saying "Gigi", the song from the old movie. But my friend Jon-Daniel, the Mathis connaisseur, whom you'll read about in a few, fairly jumped out of his shoes when he heard this would be one of the songs on the new album. Pronounced "Jeenjee", it's by the bossanova legend, the late Antonio Carlos Jobim. (I understand Natalie Cole, who celebrates a birthday this week, recorded the song on her Stardust album, which I don't have.) Having now heard it, I think it's gorgeous, and it's easily my favorite song of the album. (It's been on perpetual repeat since last Friday, when I received the CD.) It gives a taste of how wonderful that unreleased Brazilian album would have been, the one that got tabled for the equally stellar Mathis Sings Ellington: In a Sentimental Mood. Oh, but maybe Mr. Calandrelli can talk Mathis into revisiting that concept in the near future!

I was admittedly one of those who scratched my head of the inclusion of the Muppet-based "Rainbow Connection", written by legendary songwriter Paul Williams. But I think Mr. Wynn is wrong...the oboe intro, the gentleness of the piano (a REAL piano, not the electric kind!), the little oboe break before the last verse, no la-la-looo crap, this little waltz is done right, and is my favorite second-favorite track.

With this album, Mathis has proven, without the shadow of doubt, that live recordings are the way to go for him. A studio orchestra, the singer in the booth, one or two takes per song. At this point in his career, for heaven's sake, why not let Mathis record what he wants the way he wants it. I may not have known who Jorge Calandrelli was before, but he's got my attention with this one. If Mr. Calandrelli wants to produce Mr. Mathis from now on, he's got my vote.

GRAMMY NIGHT: Next Sunday night could be a big night for Victor Vanacore, who arranged the flawless (sorry again, Mr. Wynn) production of "Over The Rainbow" for the Genius Loves Company album. Billy Preston and Bonnie Raitt are going to perform a tribute to Ray Charles. Maybe Mathis will be in the audience, too? As a past Grammy winner, he can be a presenter, which he did the last time in 1991, but I didn't notice him on the list at Grammy.com. Brother Ray's "America the Beautiful" is one of this year's inductees to the Grammy Hall of Fame. Let's hope they give him more airtime posthumously than they did Mathis, huh? I'm really hoping GLC does well Sunday night. In the meantime, I think the new Mathis album is a shoo-in for a 2006 Grammy in the Traditional Pop category. If so, it'd be a great start to the 50th anniversary celebration! Who can beat it? In the weeks to come, I'll see who the competition might possibly be.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: There's going to be a lot of Mathis in this next show I'm going to mention. After all, I supplied the music! Sheet music, that is, from my own Johnny Mathis song folio collection, and you might even hear a snippet of Mathis' "Pieces of Dreams" (the good version) if you're not careful. My dear buddy and brother-by-choice Jon-Daniel Durbin is giving a show to benefit the restoration of a very old Universalist Unitarian church in Medford, Massachusetts, near Boston. I had the pleasure of helping out with food distribution to the needy there last November. This link will tell you a little about it and Jon-Daniel. What the site doesn't tell you is that Jon is a Mathis connaisseur going way back. He's met Johnny several times, and his musical tastes are as eclectic as mine. This show he's doing is designed to tell you all about his musical influences growing up. It's truly a musical autobiography that just happens to have love songs in it. It's going to be done in two 45-minute sets with intermission between. In fact, he says he's patterned it after a typical Johnny Mathis show: casual before intermission and stylin' afterwards! This show is the first time Jon's given a show by himself, but he's been performing a long time. As a kid he wanted to be Pope, but turned to acting and singing instead. He learned a lot about performing from his mentor, William P. Bradford II, in Louisville, Kentucky (who I understand is still teaching); as a performer he's earned praise from the great Stephen Sondheim, and he's even performed at the Kennedy Center! Not bad for an average joe with a fairly mundane life these days! You are guaranteed your money's worth for your time. My Jon is very, very good. Accompanying Jon is local musician Mr. Joe Della Penna, who came highly recommended from what I understand. I've been told I may even be on stage with him! He's gonna make Johnny proud; that I'M proud of him goes without saying. So if you're in the area and can spare the ridiculously low price of $25, make an evening of it, and support my buddy and his church.

UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO ME: Please continue to think of Luther Vandross as he works toward a comeback. Don't hear or see much news about him, I hope he's OK. Send Luther some love and encouragement, won't you? He believes in the power of love, as well as the power of prayer, and so do I! I'm thinking of you, Luther! Keep fighting!

TOUR BUS: The bus stops next in Brooks, California, and Redwood City, California. I see new dates in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (85 miles north of Baltimore) later on. Visit See Mathis Live! for details.

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