Lover Man – 1986
Ethel Ennis
The singer celebrates New Year’s Eve with an all-star cast
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Ethel Ennis (1932-2019) spent much of her career in Baltimore where she was called “The First Lady Of Jazz.”
She made a strong impression with her first few albums in the 1950s and toured with Benny Goodman but then was mostly off records (other than four albums for RCA during 1963-65) during much of 1958-71, deciding to settle in Baltimore.
Because she became primarily a local singer, she did not achieve much fame, but every once in awhile she would emerge on a recording or for a concert, showing that she was still one of the best.
Ethel Ennis was part of an extensive all-star PBS New Year’s Eve jazz telecast in 1986.
She is featured in fine form on ”Lover Man” with a group that includes baritonist Gerry Mulligan and Toots Thielemans on harmonica plus bassist Ray Brown.
-Scott Yanow
Merry Christmas from Jazz on the Tube