Lorez Alexandria – Alexandria the Great [Stereo] (Verve Record Club Series Edition)

(AAA) — Lacquers cut from the original analog master tapes by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound.

Recorded for Impulse in 1964, Alexandria the Great captures vocalist Lorez Alexandria at the height of her powers. Drawing on the church music of her upbringing without relying on gospel mannerisms, Alexandria brings her dark, husky tone and precise enunciation to a program of standards and show tunes. A gifted interpreter of lyrics, she lends soulful feeling to “The Best Is Yet to Come,” “I’m Through with Love” and “Give Me the Simple Life.” The sessions feature an all-star cast including Wynton Kelly, Victor Feldman, Al McKibbon, Jimmy Cobb, Ray Crawford, Bud Shank and Paul Horn, with three big-band tracks arranged by Billy Marx. One of the very few vocal albums on Impulse and long overdue for wider recognition, Alexandria the Great remains an ideal showcase for one of jazz’s most overlooked voices. This Verve Record Club pressing marks the album’s first U.S. vinyl reissue in over 40 years.

* Mastered from analog sources

* Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Record Technology, Inc. (RTI)

* Numbered Tip on Gatefold Jacket

* Limited to just 2,500 copies

(Above description from VerveRecords.com)