Sammy Davis Jr. & Marty Paich - Sammy Davis Jr. Sings & Swings with the Marty Paich Dek-Tette & Orchestra (2017)

This collection features Sammy Davis Jr. as a singer at his best, blending superbly with the beautifully crafted work of arranger Marty Paich conducting his famous jazz Dek-tette and larger orchestral units derived from it. Seasoned with the notable contributions of such jazz soloists as Jack Sheldon, Bud Shank, Mel Lewis and Jimmy Rowles, Paich’s settings were perfect for Davis. And this is how they felt about each other.

Davis: “Trust is everything in life. That’s why I chose Marty Paich. I trusted his work with my buddy Mel Tormé at Bethlehem and Verve. Paich had this West Coast jazz-style approach to music. Together we made some of the best recordings of my career.”

Paich: “Sammy Davis is easy to work with from the arranger’s standpoint. Why? Because he’s got such a fantastic sense of time and rhythm which makes for good singing. He has an excellent ear and is able to adjust to anything I might write for him. Once he hears a chart, he makes adjustments to it, which is the type of singer I like to work with because in a sense he is like a jazz musician, fitting his singing into the arrangement.”

That same jazz feel and great talent were marvellously married by Davis and Paich on these essential sides, gathered here for the first time.