Cy Coleman and His Cytones

When Decca records signed young piano phenom Cy Coleman in 1951, it decided to do something different from his first record on its affiliate Coral (available on my other blog via this post). It paired him with a studio vocal group it dubbed the Cytones, a name possibly inspired by Mel Torme's Meltones. "Cytones" is OK, but how about the Cyclones or the Cyborgs? The Cyclopses?

The results are certainly different from the piano fireworks that Coleman displayed on his first outing. While there is no lack of notes from the keyboard this time out, they are balanced by interjections from the group in vocal arrangements reminiscent of Kay Thompson. Coleman biographer Andy Probst thinks the results are fresh, while others (including me) find them cluttered.

No Coleman songs here, alas - instead we have "Lullaby of the Leaves" and "It Ain't Necessarily So." The sound is good.

My main blog has a new post of Coleman in a jazz setting, for those interested.