The Romantic Moods Of Jackie Gleason Deals on Jackie Gleason

Music to relax with

Reviewed by Larry R. Putt, 2010-01-29

I only discovered the mood music of Jackie Gleason a few years ago, but I have to say this has become my favorite album to relax with. The lush strings and the haunting quality to Bobby Hackett's trumpet send my mind off to a place where Angels minister to my troubles and my mind calms.
Midnight Sun and Moonlight are a couple of my favorites. This was the very first album I transferred to my mp3 player and I have found it very soothing on long plane rides.

Romantic Beauty

Reviewed by Donna in Virginia, 2009-04-04

This is a wonderful collections of romantic 60's style jazz club arrangements of quite a few familiar tunes. I have listened to it non stop for the past two weeks. It is superb and I would suggest it to anyone who enjoys a romantic dance with your lover. Beautiful!

A Primer of the Great One's foray into music!

Reviewed by Robert Badgley, 2008-09-07

In 1952 Jackie Gleason was in love with Marilyn,the sister of his great choreographer for his TV shows,June Taylor.Instead of writing poetry as a way of expressing his affection as in years gone by ,Jackie wrote songs.In March of that year he got together with legendary arranger Pete King and out of that tete a'tete came two songs "Lover's Rhapsody" and "Melancholy Serenade",of which the latter would become his theme song.
Jackie had the idea of expanding on these two songs to create an entire album.He shopped his idea all over town but there were no takers/backers.Frustrated at the cold response,out of his own pocket he rented a studio from Decca records,musicians and all.He brought in famous trumpeter Bobby Hackett to round out his troupe and the result was his first album "For Lovers Only".Now with album in hand he again shopped around.Decca whose very recording studios he had worked in turned their noses up at him.The only nibble was a $1,000 advance from Capitol records in exchange for some free publicity on his TV Show.Well the album sold a half-million copies right out of the starting gate! Suddenly Jackie was swamped with recording offers from all the major labels(some more lucrative than with Capitol),but Jackie ever loyal stayed with Capitol because they had been the only ones there at the start.
From here Jackie went on to create and record a multitude of albums over the years and most would be million sellers and alot of those chart toppers.
The Gleason/Hackett relationship had been a warm one for years,ever since their fortuitous meeting on the set of the movie "Orchestra Wives" in 1942.Jackie played a bass player in the movie, in Glenn Miller's band ,while Hackett,also in the movie, was Glenns' real trumpet player.Gleason loved Glenn but especially admired Hackett's talents in the horn department.When it came time to make his album there was no other choice for Jackie.
This fantastic two disc set is a wonderful primer for both those new to the Great Ones' musical magic and the seasoned listener.Cuts here come from most of his well known albums from 1952 to 1968.Most of the trumpet playing in the 50s is Hackett's,along with tenor saxist Toots Mondello.In the 60s the trumpet section featured Pee Wee Erwin and in the sax department it was Charlie Ventura.What is also especially nice about this set is the release of some previously unrealeased and singles-only tracks.Also included are TWO versions of "Melancholy Serenade",the Jan/53 singles version and the re-recorded version of the "Opiate D'Amour" album of May/59.
There are just SO many in here that are delectable ear candy that I couldn't possibly list them all but some of my faves are:'The Best is yet to Come','When your Lover has Gone','Ruby','But Beautiful'(Lawrence Brown with an incredible trombone solo),'Mystery Street','Glamour' and the song that has sort of taken on a life of its',own repuation wise,'Mad about the Boy'.This song features mandolin players.Some stories claim they are playing balalaikas,some say there were a hundred or more,etc.The truth is Gleason hired 40 Italian mandolin players telling them to dip their picks into water before playing.The audible result is pure magic;pure Gleason.
I highly recommend this two CD set to everyone.This is NOT cold and lifeless Musak one hears in an elevator.This is lush,vibrant,classy and as beautiful as music can get,all recorded with some of the best musicians of the day.It's good as music to relax by,to eat dinner by or,the way Jackie himself would have preferred,dance and romance your special one by!

A Primer of the Great One's foray into music!

Reviewed by Anonymous, 2008-09-03

In 1952 Jackie Gleason was in love with Marilyn,the sister of his great choreographer for his TV shows,June Taylor.Instead of writing poetry as a way of expressing his affection as in years gone by ,Jackie wrote songs.In March of that year he got together with legendary arranger Pete King and out of that tete a'tete came two songs "Lover's Rhapsody" and "Melancholy Serenade",of which the latter would become his theme song.
Jackie had the idea of expanding on these two songs to create an entire album.He shopped his idea all over town but there were no takers/backers.Frustrated at the cold response,out of his own pocket he rented a studio from Decca records,musicians and all.He brought in famous trumpeter Bobby Hackett to round out his troupe and the result was his first album "For Lovers Only".Now with album in hand he again shopped around.Decca whose very recording studios he had worked in turned their noses up at him.The only nibble was a $1,000 advance from Capitol records in exchange for some free publicity on his TV Show.Well the album sold a half-million copies right out of the starting gate! Suddenly Jackie was swamped with recording offers from all the major labels(some more lucrative than with Capitol),but Jackie ever loyal stayed with Capitol because they had been the only ones there at the start.
From here Jackie went on to create and record a multitude of albums over the years and most would be million sellers and alot of those chart toppers.
The Gleason/Hackett relationship had been a warm one for years,ever since their fortuitous meeting on the set of the movie "Orchestra Wives" in 1942.Jackie played a bass player in the movie, in Glenn Miller's band ,while Hackett,also in the movie, was Glenns' real trumpet player.Gleason loved Glenn but especially admired Hackett's talents in the horn department.When it came time to make his album there was no other choice for Jackie.
This fantastic two disc set is a wonderful primer for both those new to the Great Ones' musical magic and the seasoned listener.Cuts here come from most of his well known albums from 1952 to 1968.Most of the trumpet playing in the 50s is Hackett's,along with tenor saxist Toots Mondello.In the 60s the trumpet section featured Pee Wee Erwin and in the sax department it was Charlie Ventura.What is also especially nice about this set is the release of some previously unrealeased and singles-only tracks.Also included are TWO versions of "Melancholy Serenade",the Jan/53 singles version and the re-recorded version of the "Opiate D'Amour" album of May/59.
There are just SO many in here that are delectable ear candy that I couldn't possibly list them all but some of my faves are:'The Best is yet to Come','When your Lover has Gone','Ruby','But Beautiful'(Lawrence Brown with an incredible trombone solo),'Mystery Street','Glamour' and the song that has sort of taken on a life of its',own repuation wise,'Mad about the Boy'.This song features mandolin players.Some stories claim they are playing balalaikas,some say there were a hundred or more,etc.The truth is Gleason hired 40 Italian mandolin players telling them to dip their picks into water before playing.The audible result is pure magic;pure Gleason.
I highly recommend this two CD set to everyone.This is NOT cold and lifeless Musak one hears in an elevator.This is lush,vibrant,classy and as beautiful as music can get,all recorded with some of the best musicians of the day.It's good as music to relax by,to eat dinner by or,the way Jackie himself would have preferred,dance and romance your special one by!

"If Gable needs music, a guy in Brooklyn must be desperate!"

Reviewed by Penumbra, 2008-02-04

Thus spake The Great One, Jackie Gleason, upon observing how much a romantic instrumental track added to the love scene in a Clark Gable movie.

Gleason wasn't a musician himself. He couldn't read or write music. He didn't play an instrument. He would hear the music in his head and describe it to someone else who would write the notes. Jackie was a perfectionist until the sound he had imagined had been transcribed, played by an orchestra (consisting of the finest musicians of the day) and transfered to a recording.

He had an unerring ear for beautiful, smooth jazz - what he called "plain vanilla music." He was after a sound, a mood. As he said, "It's 5 a.m. and you see her body outlined through her dress by the streetlight and you get that Mmmmmm...feeling."

Mmmmmm.... Yes, that's what this music is. (Notice that there are no drums on these songs. Percussion wasn't part of the mood he was trying to create.)

The 40 songs on this two CD set have been beautifully remastered. This is how Jackie wanted his music to sound - it's gorgeous!

Highly recommended!