In the Lounge with Rich Morton

Welcome to the lounge!

I'm especially keen - er, more like obsessed really - with the cultural phenomenon of early twentieth century jazz singers negotiating that tricky musical journey from their 'swing roots' (in what was still quite a conservative, even reactionary society) to the crazy, groovy, liberal counter-culture world of the psychedelic '60s. Of course, in many cases it was due to economic necessity.

Major recording artists like Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan and Peggy Lee had enjoyed huge hit records in the '40s and '50s but were struggling to sell records in the fast-changing world of '60s pop. I'm not sure that they wanted to embrace the new era as such, but I think their record companies did!

I'm intrigued to discover more about this particularly kitsch sub-genre of Lounge Music, as there is actually something very cool about Ella Fitzgerald singing the hippy-trippy 'Put A Little Love In Your Heart', or Mel Torme re-working the sunshine pop classic, 'Happy Together'.

And if we are talking Lounge, let's not forget the weighty Burt Bacharach catalogue! Who remembers the sublime recordings of 'This Guy's In Love With You' by Sammy Davis Junior, or 'What The World Needs Now' by Tony Bennett?

And how about a subtle and insouciant version of 'Wives And Lovers' by Julie London? (although her renditions of 'Yummy, Yummy, Yummy' and 'Stoned Soul Picnic' are far more apposite if we are talking about real psychedelia!).

Have you checked out Dean Martin's dreamy interpretations of 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' or 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix' by Jimmy Webb? Speaking of whom, Sammy Davis Jr does a fabulous job belting out his iconic compositions, 'Up, Up And Away' and 'Wichita Lineman'.

What fascinates me about these largely overlooked and under-rated recordings is the obvious cultural clash dramatised in each song. Captured in the vinyl (or MP3s nowadays) is the sound of a staid 1940s and '50s American culture clashing head-on with an iconoclastic and revolutionary Swinging '60s world.

Though strangely incongruous in each given format, there's something wonderful about hearing the fantastic jazz-trained and swing- styled vocal phrasing brought to an essentially rock-based pop song by a crooner who learned his or her trade in front of a brass-led big band. You want another example? Okay!

I can't imagine anything more amazing in terms of pre-'50s jazz/swing meets '60s pop/folk than Count Basie and the Mills Brothers doing a funky, soulful version of Peter, Paul and Mary's 'I Dig Rock 'n' Roll Music'.....Wow !!!!!!