I Thought About You
Best known for the 1962 recordingJohn Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, Hartman had a long career that began withEarl HinesandDizzy Gillespiein the '40s. But there were relatively few opportunities to record and little public recognition for a singer held in such high regard by other musicians. This 1959 session for the Roost label is one of the more obscure of Hartman's albums, receiving little attention before its reissue in 1997, but it's a fine showcase for his consummate abilities: the warm, distinctive glow of his baritone voice, its surprisingly flexible range, and his superb musical phrasing. He also had the ability to give a lyric the feeling of spontaneity, a talent that's apparent here on tunes both well known, like "I Should Care," and more obscure, like "Sunday" and "Alone." He's accompanied here by an unidentified rhythm section and reeds, subtly and unobtrusively orchestrated by Rudy Traylor. --Stuart Broomer