Charles Brown - Drifting Blues / Bonus Tracks (2015)

Review by Bill Dahl

Brown's balladeer leanings come heavily to the fore on these lushly arranged 1963 sides, originally produced by Bob Shad for issue on his Mainstream logo. He croons Steve Lawrence's "Go Away Little Girl," Ruby & the Romantics' "Our Day Will Come," and Henry Mancini's "Days of Wine and Roses" in his mellowest supper-club style -- which simply doesn't match up to what came before. Brown plays organ on this album, contributing to the lounge-like ambience.

Tracklist:
1-1 Charles Brown - DRIFTING BLUES [3:17]
1-2 Charles Brown - SEVEN KISSES MAMBO [2:20]
1-3 Charles Brown - Fool's Paradise [2:49]
1-4 Charles Brown - PLEASE DON’T DRIVE ME AWAY [2:24]
1-5 Charles Brown - BY THE BEND OF THE RIVER [2:55]
1-6 Charles Brown - I’M SAVING MY LOVE FOR YOU [2:00]
1-7 Charles Brown - NITE AFTER NITE [3:16]
1-8 Charles Brown - RISING SUN [2:31]
1-9 Charles Brown - MY HEART IS MENDED [3:02]
1-10 Charles Brown - ROLLING LIKE A PEBBLE IN THE SAND [2:52]
1-11 Charles Brown - EVENING SHADOWS [2:48]
1-12 Charles Brown - HONEYSIPPER [2:22]

Bonus Tracks
1-13 Charles Brown - GET YOURSELF ANOTHER FOOL [3:04]
1-14 Charles Brown - TROUBLE BLUES [2:24]
1-15 Charles Brown - IN THE EVENING WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN [2:59]
1-16 Charles Brown - BLACK NITE [3:11]
1-17 Charles Brown - SEVEN LONG DAYS [3:04]
1-18 Charles Brown - MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY [2:55]