I hereby declare May to be Cole Porter month at the Friday Cocktail Hour. Why May? Why the hell not?
Cole Porter wrote I Get A Kick Out Of You in 1934 for the Broadway musical Anything Goes, which starred Ethel Merman. Porter loved Merman’s brassy-n-hammy voice. I do not. She used to scare the beejesus out of me when she appeared on variety shows in my youth. I bear the musical scars to this very day.
Since I love the featured image of Louis and Oscar so much, we begin with their version, which always gives me a boot as well as a kick:
Perhaps the best known interpretation of the Porter classic comes from the Sinatra-Riddle team. Dig that crazy lamppost.
I Get A Kick Out Of You isn’t my idea of Music For Torching but who am I to argue with Lady Day?
It’s time to dial the Psychic Hotline and request a song:
This 1995 version won a Grammy for arranger Rob McConnell. I think the Velvet Fog’s singing had something to do it with too.
Who among us doesn’t love Velvet & Brass as an album title? Yowsa.
Finally, Dolly Parton. Say no more.
What’s the Friday Cocktail Hours without a jazz instrumental version of the week’s tune? This time, Art Blakely & The Jazz Messengers followed by Benny Carter & Oscar Peterson.
Have I mentioned lately how much I love Oscar Peterson? I’m rather fond of Benny Carter as well.
That’s it for this week. Mix yourself a drink and toast something or other. It’s what Cole would want. Never argue with a man in wild and crazy pajamas.
