Shelley Moore / Ann Williams - For the First Time... / First Time out (2020)

For the First Time...
The enchanting Shelley Moore was an English vocalist with a firm orientation towards jazz, and some rare, unquestionably appealing qualities as a singer. She was born in Essex, England, and through the 1950s she performed in nightclubs, for the American troops, and on British television and radio, which led to several singles. After touring the US with English bandleader Vic Lewis, she began singing with the Ray McKinley band, to move to the states formally in 1960. It only took a year for Ms. Moore to record her first album in Los Angeles—"For the First Time." Vocally, the album showcases her light, almost wistful quality, while instrumentally, the merit lies in the Ramsey Lewis group fitting Shelley Moore’s bent admirably, as well as in the individual instrumental performances, all of uniform quality.

First Time Out
Ann Williams (1928-2007) was a supper-club singer whose vocal talent enabled her to blend equally well jazz and pop repertoire. In 1960 she recorded her only album "First Time Out," where she sings cleanly and her diction and phrasing were precise, demonstrating as well a good range and a comfortable posture at either up or slow tempo. Jimmy Jones’ arrangements are very good ones of their type. They never get in the way of Miss Williams and give her attractive and airy backgrounds with some particularly good solo spots from Clark Terry, Frank Williams, Barry Galbraith and Seldon Powell.