This is your grandparent's Helen Merrill (songs from 1955-2002).
This is not your grandparent's Helen Merrill (9 hip hop and electronic tracks that sample the aforementioned).
Happy 91st birthday to this wonderful singer, born today in New York City in 1930
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Merrill
Very few jazz singers sound as natural singing non-jazz material as Merrill does. She sounds just like herself (which she always does anyway), with no particular adjustment to a straighter idiom, as if she had to shed herself of jazz sophistication in order to become more "innocent".
- Richard Mortifoglio (Village Voice)
Family connection: Helen's son Alan Merrill wrote and sung the original version of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" in 1975, made more famous by Joan Jett in 1982. Alan died at age 69 in 2020 of COVID.
| 20 Helen Merrill tracks from 1955 to 2002 |
| In A Mellow Tone Helen Merrill + Ron Carter [orig. Duke Ellington] - Duets - EmArcy - 1989 |
| You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To Helen Merrill with Clifford Brown & the Quincy Jones Sextet [orig. Cole Porter] - Helen Merrill - EmArcy - 1955 |
| Dream Of You Helen Merrill feat. Art Farmer, Joe Morello, Jimmy Cleveland, Gil Evans - Dream Of You - EmArcy - 1955 |
| Just Imagine Helen Merrill - The Nearness Of You - EmArcy - 1958 |
| Why Don't You Do Right Helen Merrill Con Piero Umiliani E Il Suo Complesso [orig. Lil Green] - Parole E Musica - RCA Italiana - 1960 |
| Smog / My Only Man Helen Merrill & Piero Umiliani - Smog (Musiche Dalla Colonna Sonora Originale) - RCA Victor - 1962 |
| Arcangeli Twist Sandro Brugnolini feat. Helen Merrill - Gli Arcangeli (Colonna Sonora Originale) - RCA Italiana - 1964 |
| Careless Love Helen Merrill feat. Charlie Byrd - The Artistry Of Helen Merrill - Mainstream - 1965 |
| So Danco Samba Helen Merrill - Bossa Nova In Tokyo - Victor - 1967 |
| Lonely Woman Helen Merrill feat. Dick Katz, Thad Jones, Gary Bartz, Hubert Laws, Jim Hall, Richard Davis, Elvin Jones [orig. Ornette Coleman] - A Shade Of Difference - Milestone - 1968 |
| Norweigan Wood Helen Merrill feat. Masahiko Satoh, Yasuo Arakawa, Takeshi Inomata [orig. The Beatles] - Helen Merrill Sings Beatles - Victor - 1970 |
| My Man Helen Merrill with the Gary Peacock Trio - Sposin' - Victor World Group - 1971 |
| Black Coffee Helen Merrill feat. Masahiko Satoh, Motohiko Hino, Kenji Takamizu - Love In Song - Trio - 1977 |
| Chasin' The Bird Helen Merrill - Chasin' The Bird - Inner City Records - 1980 |
| Casa Forte Helen Merrill - Casa Forte - Trio - 1980 |
| No More Blues Helen Merrill - Affinity - Continental - 1982 |
| When Lights Are Low Helen Merrill feat. Gordon Beck, Steve Lacy, Stéphane Grappelli - Music Makers - Owl Records - 1986 |
| You And The Night And The Music Helen Merrill feat. Charlie Haden, Paul Motion, Masabumi Kikuchi, Torrie Zito - You And The Night And The Music - Gitanes Jazz Productions, Verve Records - 1997 |
| Imagining KRK Helen Merrill feat. Terry Clarke, George Mraz, Steve Lacy, Torie Zito - Jelena Ana Milčetić a.k.a Helen Merrill - Gitanes Jazz Productions - 2000 |
| Pierre Helen Merrill - Lilac Wine - Gitanes Jazz Productions - 2002 |
| 9 contemporary electronic and hip hop songs that sample 6 Helen Merrill cuts from the 1950s and 60s. |
| Don't Explain Helen Merrill with Clifford Brown & the Quincy Jones Sextet [orig. Billie Holiday] - Helen Merrill - EmArcy - 1955 |
| Infomercials & Heavy Eyelids Jaeden Camstra - Kids' Menu - (not on label) - 2017 |
| Otro Barrio, Otra Noche Robot (Robot95) - José Ramón - Vida Robot / More Juice - 2019 |
| Working Out (A COLORS SHOW version) J.I.D - - - ColorsxStudios - 2018 |
| Yesterdays Helen Merrill with Clifford Brown & the Quincy Jones Sextet - Helen Merrill - EmArcy - 1955 |
| Taking It Back (Yesterdays Pt. 2) 4th Pyramid - The Light Is But The Shade Of The Darkness - 4th Pyramid Productions - 2004 
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| Yesterdays Vice Vic - Light Blue - (not on label) - 2019 |
| Blue Guitar Helen Merrill - 7" - Mercury - 1957 |
| Guerillas Coops - Life In The Flesh - High Focus Records - 2018 |
| It's a Lazy Afternoon Helen Merrill With Hal Mooney And His Orchestra - Merrill At Midnight - EmArcy - 1957 |
| Taperight Your Best Friend Jippy - BEAT TAPE 16: 64 BEATS - (not on label) - 2018 |
| Solutide Helen Merrill Con Piero Umiliani E Il Suo Complesso - Parole E Musica - RCA Italiana - 1960 |
| Solutide's Song Alif Tree - Spaced - Universal - 2002 |
| Dawn Helen Merrill & Piero Umiliani - Smog (Musiche Dalla Colonna Sonora Originale) - RCA Victor - 1962 |
| On a Cloud Flamingosis feat. Beatmachinearon - Pleasure Palette - Vinyl Digital - 2016 |
| Closing with a great number from Helen Merrill with Piero Umiliani from 1960.
Thanks for listening! |
| Night And Day Helen Merrill Con Piero Umiliani E Il Suo Complesso - Parole E Musica - RCA Italiana - 1960 |
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Good evening radio listeners
9:19 PM, July 21st, 2021