Vic Damone and Ralph Marterie

I recently was preparing a reup of one of trumpeter Ralph Marterie's LPs for my other blog, and enjoyed the listening experience so much, I pulled out a few other Marterie records for sharing.

One is this EP that paired the bandleader with the wonderful vocalist Vic Damone in four romantic tunes. This is presented as a "Sorority Serenade," reminiscent of the "Freshman-Sophomore Frolics" and the "Junior-Senior Prom" that were the names of two Ralph Flanagan LPs I recently offered on the 10-inch blog.

The songs are all associated with well known recordings - "Serenade in Blue" with the Glenn Miller-Ray Eberle recording, and the others with Frank Sinatra (at least in my mind). Damone stands up well to comparisons, his sole lapse being a unwelcome (and insecure) venture into falsetto.

The EP is from circa 1954 - "Serenade in Blue" and "That Old Feeling" were issued as a single in late 1953. The sound is excellent. The cover features dual disembodied heads depicting the principals, and even a bonus pair of severed heads from depiction of the sorority soiree.