Chris Connor - Bdmusic Presents Chris Connor (2026) [Hi-Res]

Bdmusic Presents Chris Connor is a large-scale digital retrospective compilation issued in 2026 by the French curatorial label BDMUSIC, surveying the core period of American vocalist Chris Connor (Mary Jean Loutsenhizer, 1927–2009). The set draws from her early commercial recordings — the 1953 sides with the Stan Kenton Orchestra (including her career-defining ballad "All About Ronnie"), her Bethlehem studio albums of 1953–1955, the Atlantic catalogue of 1956–1961, and the Roulette/Atlantic collaborations with Maynard Ferguson. The repertoire is dominated by Gershwin, Cole Porter, Ellington, and Rodgers & Hart standards delivered in Connor's signature cool style: restrained, smoke-tinged phrasing, economy of means, and exceptional rhythmic placement.
Connor was born on November 8, 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri, and broke through after Stan Kenton's vocalist June Christy heard her on a radio broadcast and recommended her in 1952; her ten-month stint with Kenton in 1952–1953 secured national recognition. In 1954 Bethlehem issued her debut LPs Chris Connor Sings Lullabys of Birdland and Chris Connor Sings Lullabys for Lovers; she then moved to Atlantic, where she cut a series of landmark albums including Chris Connor Sings the George Gershwin Almanac of Song (1957), A Jazz Date with Chris Connor (1958), and Chris Connor Sings Ballads of the Sad Cafe (1959). Two of her singles charted on the Billboard Hot 100 — "Trust in Me" and "I Miss You So" — the latter being her only Top 40 entry. All of these key recordings are represented in the present collection.
The compilation's architecture reflects BD Music's curatorial logic: the program is organized thematically rather than strictly chronologically — a full disc is devoted to Connor's reading of the Gershwin songbook (discs 6–7), another segment gathers the early Bethlehem ballad sessions, and live disc 9 collects early-1960s concert material, including "Strike Up The Band," "Misty," "Round Midnight," and "Lover Come Back To Me." BDMUSIC defines its collection as "a visual and audio celebration of the musicians and composers who left their mark on the 20th century," pairing each release with work from a team of illustrators and painters — a feature that distinguishes the imprint from the standard run of budget public-domain compilations.
The release is most valuable as a single-package overview of Connor's strongest decade (1953–1963), the period in which — alongside June Christy, Anita O'Day, and Helen Merrill — she shaped the aesthetic of female cool jazz vocals. The Chicago Tribune critic Larry Kart called her "a dominating vocal presence whose music is full of hard-earned wisdom and truth," a characterization that applies in concentrated form to the material curated here.

Tracklist:
1-1 Chris Connor - You're the Cream in My Coffee [2:36]
1-2 Chris Connor - Raisins and Almonds [2:55]
1-3 Chris Connor - Come Rain or Come Shine – 1st version [3:32]
1-4 Chris Connor - Sorta Kinda [2:50]
1-5 Chris Connor - Wish You Were Here [3:47]
1-6 Chris Connor - And The Bull Walked Around, Olay [2:40]
1-7 Chris Connor - Jeepers Creepers [2:18]
1-8 Chris Connor - If I Should Lose You [2:40]
1-9 Chris Connor - There will Never Be Another You [2:58]
1-10 Chris Connor - I'll Remember April [2:47]
1-11 Chris Connor - All About Ronnie [2:50]
1-12 Chris Connor - I Get a Kick Out of You – 1st version [2:43]
1-13 Chris Connor - Everything Happens to Me [2:04]
1-14 Chris Connor - You're Mine You [3:39]
1-15 Chris Connor - September in the Rain [1:57]
1-16 Chris Connor - Lullaby In Rhythm [1:49]
1-17 Chris Connor - Love Me or Leave Me [2:28]
1-18 Chris Connor - Tenderly [3:17]
1-19 Chris Connor - Taking A Chance On Love [2:40]
1-20 Chris Connor - Don't Worry 'Bout Me - live 1953 [3:14]
1-21 Chris Connor - Darn That Dream [3:18]
2-1 Chris Connor - Lullaby Of Birdland [2:23]
2-2 Chris Connor - What Is There To Say [2:52]
2-3 Chris Connor - Try A Little Tenderness [3:03]
2-4 Chris Connor - Spring Is Here [2:55]
2-5 Chris Connor - Why Shouldn't I [2:44]
2-6 Chris Connor - Ask Me [2:45]
2-7 Chris Connor - Blue Silhouette (Blue Sunshine) [2:44]
2-8 Chris Connor - Chiquita From Chi-Wah-Wah [2:47]
2-9 Chris Connor - All About Ronnie - studio [2:59]
2-10 Chris Connor - Miser's Serenade [2:45]
2-11 Chris Connor - Everything I Love [2:18]
2-12 Chris Connor - Indian Summer [2:56]
2-13 Chris Connor - I Hear Music [2:20]
2-14 Chris Connor - Come Back To Sorrento [2:46]
2-15 Chris Connor - A Good Man Is A Seldom Thing [3:25]
2-16 Chris Connor - Don't Wait Up For Me [2:34]
2-17 Chris Connor - In Other Words (Fly Me To The Moon) [3:08]
3-1 Chris Connor - Lush Life [2:54]
3-2 Chris Connor - Out Of This World [2:55]
3-3 Chris Connor - A Cottage For Sale [2:35]
3-4 Chris Connor - How Long Has This Been Going On [2:33]
3-5 Chris Connor - Goodbye [2:33]
3-6 Chris Connor - Stella By Starlight [2:27]
3-7 Chris Connor - Gone With The Wind [2:19]
3-8 Chris Connor - He's Coming Home [2:43]
3-9 Chris Connor - Blame It On My Youth [2:38]
3-10 Chris Connor - It's All Right With Me [2:27]
3-11 Chris Connor - Someone To Watch Over Me [3:10]
3-12 Chris Connor - Trouble Is A Man [2:52]
3-13 Chris Connor - All This And Heaven Too [3:29]
3-14 Chris Connor - The Thrill Is Gone [2:47]
3-15 Chris Connor - I Concentrate On You [3:30]
3-16 Chris Connor - All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart [1:51]
3-17 Chris Connor - From This Moment On [2:29]
3-18 Chris Connor - Ridin' High [4:14]
4-1 Chris Connor - I Get A Kick Out Of You [1:51]
4-2 Chris Connor - Something To Live For [3:15]
4-3 Chris Connor - Get Out Of Town [3:09]
4-4 Chris Connor - Where Are You [3:47]
4-5 Chris Connor - Anything Goes [2:13]
4-6 Chris Connor - You Make Me Feel So Young [2:50]
4-7 Chris Connor - Ev'rytime [3:45]
4-8 Chris Connor - Way Out There [2:31]
4-9 Chris Connor - My April Heart [2:43]
4-10 Chris Connor - Almost Like Being In Love [2:11]
4-11 Chris Connor - Circus [2:01]
4-12 Chris Connor - Flying Home [2:36]
4-13 Chris Connor - When The Wind Was Green [3:26]
4-14 Chris Connor - He Was Too Good To Me [3:45]
4-15 Chris Connor - Moon Ray [3:16]
4-16 Chris Connor - Poor Little Rich Girl [3:53]
4-17 Chris Connor - Just Squeeze Me [4:18]
4-18 Chris Connor - Fancy Free [2:18]
4-19 Chris Connor - It's A Most Unusual Day [2:58]
4-20 Chris Connor - All I Need Is You [3:31]
4-21 Chris Connor - It Only Happens When I Dance With You [3:51]
4-22 Chris Connor - Lonely Town [4:21]
4-23 Chris Connor - Everything I've Got [3:23]
4-24 Chris Connor - Driftwood [2:27]
4-25 Chris Connor - I'm Shooting High [2:36]
4-26 Chris Connor - My Shining Hour [3:13]
5-1 Chris Connor - I Miss You So [2:25]
5-2 Chris Connor - Go 'Way From My Window [2:51]
5-3 Chris Connor - Trust In Me [2:15]
5-4 Chris Connor - Past The Age Of Innocence [2:37]
5-5 Chris Connor - Time Out For Tears [2:41]
5-6 Chris Connor - I Love You Yes I Do [2:38]
5-7 Chris Connor - My Heart Is So Full For You [2:19]
5-8 Chris Connor - My Ideal [2:24]
5-9 Chris Connor - Mixed Emotions [2:50]
5-10 Chris Connor - They All Laughed [2:16]
5-11 Chris Connor - Speak Low [2:34]
5-12 Chris Connor - Radar Blues [2:37]
5-13 Chris Connor - High On A Windy Hill [3:46]
5-14 Chris Connor - Round About [3:57]
5-15 Chris Connor - Angel Eyes [3:42]
5-16 Chris Connor - You Stepped Out Of A Dream [3:50]
5-17 Chris Connor - Why Can't I [3:45]
5-18 Chris Connor - Suddenly It's Spring [3:11]
5-19 Chris Connor - About The Blues [3:43]
5-20 Chris Connor - Oh! You Crazy Moon [3:42]
5-21 Chris Connor - But Not For Me [3:50]
5-22 Chris Connor - I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry [3:30]
5-23 Chris Connor - I Wonder What Became Of Me [4:13]
5-24 Chris Connor - Thursday's Child [3:55]
6-1 Chris Connor - But Not For Me – 2nd version [3:50]
6-2 Chris Connor - Of Thee I Sing [1:29]
6-3 Chris Connor - Strike Up The Band [2:33]
6-4 Chris Connor - I've Got A Crush On You [2:17]
6-5 Chris Connor - Soon [2:03]
6-6 Chris Connor - Liza [2:39]
6-7 Chris Connor - Looking For A Boy [3:05]
6-8 Chris Connor - I Got Rhythm [2:05]
6-9 Chris Connor - I've Got Beginner's Luck [2:12]
6-10 Chris Connor - Slap That Bass [2:02]
6-11 Chris Connor - For You, For Me, For Evermore [3:36]
6-12 Chris Connor - Love Is Sweeping The Country [2:55]
6-13 Chris Connor - The Man I Love [2:38]
6-14 Chris Connor - S'Wonderful [2:26]
6-15 Chris Connor - A Foggy Day [3:19]
6-16 Chris Connor - Summertime [2:36]
6-17 Chris Connor - There's A Boat That's Leaving Soon [1:52]
6-18 Chris Connor - I Love You Porgy [2:48]
6-19 Chris Connor - Nice Work If You Can Get It [1:22]
7-1 Chris Connor - Blah Blah Blah [2:57]
7-2 Chris Connor - They Can't Take That Away From Me [2:12]
7-3 Chris Connor - Clap Yo Hands [2:27]
7-4 Chris Connor - Little Jazzbird [3:13]
7-5 Chris Connor - I Was Doing All Right [2:17]
7-6 Chris Connor - My One And Only [2:41]
7-7 Chris Connor - That Certain Feeling [2:14]
7-8 Chris Connor - Fascinating Rhythm [2:36]
7-9 Chris Connor - Our Love Is Here To Stay [3:19]
7-10 Chris Connor - They All Laughed – 2nd version [2:17]
7-11 Chris Connor - How Long Has This Been Going On – 2nd version [4:02]
7-12 Chris Connor - I Can't Be Bothered Now [1:51]
7-13 Chris Connor - Love Walked In [3:02]
7-14 Chris Connor - Somebody Loves Me [2:25]
7-15 Chris Connor - Embraceable You [2:35]
7-16 Chris Connor - Strike Up The Band (alt take) [2:11]
7-17 Chris Connor - Summertime (alt take) [3:12]
7-18 Chris Connor - Under Paris Skies [2:40]
7-19 Chris Connor - Moon Ride [2:46]
7-20 Chris Connor - Hallelujah, I Love Her So [2:26]
7-21 Chris Connor - I Won't Cry Anymore [2:25]
8-1 Chris Connor - Moonlight In Vermont [3:16]
8-2 Chris Connor - Blow Gabriel Blow [2:14]
8-3 Chris Connor - Here Lies Love [3:40]
8-4 Chris Connor - Be A Clown [3:04]
8-5 Chris Connor - Good For Nothin' (But Love) [3:56]
8-6 Chris Connor - On The First Warm Day [2:44]
8-7 Chris Connor - Chinatown My Chinatown [2:10]
8-8 Chris Connor - One Love Affair [2:43]
8-9 Chris Connor - The Night We Called It A Day [3:24]
8-10 Chris Connor - Johnny One Note [2:01]
8-11 Chris Connor - Lover Man [3:53]
8-12 Chris Connor - Be My All [4:23]
8-13 Chris Connor - These Foolish Things [3:39]
8-14 Chris Connor - Bargain Day [3:16]
8-15 Chris Connor - The End Of A Love Affair [3:50]
8-16 Chris Connor - Glad To Be Unhappy [3:34]
8-17 Chris Connor - Ballad Of The Sad Cafe [5:01]
8-18 Chris Connor - Good Morning Heartache [4:24]
8-19 Chris Connor - Something I Dreamed Last Night [4:29]
8-20 Chris Connor - Lilac Wine [4:54]
8-21 Chris Connor - One For My Baby [4:54]
9-1 Chris Connor - Strike Up The Band -Live [2:21]
9-2 Chris Connor - Misty - live [3:11]
9-3 Chris Connor - Senor Blues - live [3:19]
9-4 Chris Connor - Lover Come Back To Me - live [3:17]
9-5 Chris Connor - Angel Eyes - live [3:39]
9-6 Chris Connor - Hallelujah I Love Him So - live [2:45]
9-7 Chris Connor - Poor Little Rich Girl - live [2:42]
9-8 Chris Connor - Round Midnight - live [3:50]
9-9 Chris Connor - All About Ronnie - live [2:59]
9-10 Chris Connor - Fine And Dandy - live [2:19]
9-11 Chris Connor - Don't Worry 'Bout Me - live [2:47]
9-12 Chris Connor - It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) [3:27]
9-13 Chris Connor - Chinatown My Chinatown - live [2:35]
9-14 Chris Connor - Witchcraft [3:07]
9-15 Chris Connor - I'll Never Be Free [2:45]
9-16 Chris Connor - The Lady Sings The Blues [3:43]
9-17 Chris Connor - Come Rain Or Come Shine [2:48]
9-18 Chris Connor - When Sunny Gets Blue [4:15]
9-19 Chris Connor - How Little We Know [2:36]
9-20 Chris Connor - I Hear The Music Now [2:19]
9-21 Chris Connor - Baltimore Oriole [3:30]
9-22 Chris Connor - Just In Time [2:27]
9-23 Chris Connor - Like A Woman [2:42]
9-24 Chris Connor - Skyscraper Blues [4:14]
9-25 Chris Connor - You Don't Know What Love Is [3:47]
10-1 Chris Connor - Invitation [2:52]
10-2 Chris Connor - I Sold My Heart To The Junkman [2:06]
10-3 Chris Connor - I Hear A Bluebird [2:19]
10-4 Chris Connor - Fortune Cookies [2:15]
10-5 Chris Connor - That's My Desire [2:00]
10-6 Chris Connor - I Only Want Some [2:49]
10-7 Chris Connor - Follow Me [2:50]
10-8 Chris Connor - Alone Together [2:44]
10-9 Chris Connor - All Too Soon [2:53]
10-10 Chris Connor - Love [2:46]
10-11 Chris Connor - Where Flamingos Fly [3:25]
10-12 Chris Connor - Here's That Rainy Day [3:02]
10-13 Chris Connor - Day In, Day Out [2:26]
10-14 Chris Connor - If I Should Lose You - Version 2 [2:47]
10-15 Chris Connor - I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues [2:22]
10-16 Chris Connor - Harlequin [2:47]
10-17 Chris Connor - I'm Glad There Is You [4:20]
10-18 Chris Connor - Sweet William [2:33]
11-1 Chris Connor - Summertime - 2nd version [3:12]
11-2 Chris Connor - I Only Have Eyes For You [2:36]
11-3 Chris Connor - It Never Entered My Mind [5:08]
11-4 Chris Connor - Two Ladies In De Shade Of De Banana Tree [2:38]
11-5 Chris Connor - Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most [4:15]
11-6 Chris Connor - The Lonesome Road [4:24]
11-7 Chris Connor - All The Things You Are [2:48]
11-8 Chris Connor - Black Coffee [3:40]
11-9 Chris Connor - Happy New Year [4:26]
11-10 Chris Connor - That's How It Went, All Right [3:13]
11-11 Chris Connor - I Feel A Song Coming On [2:08]
11-12 Chris Connor - The WInd [5:00]
11-13 Chris Connor - New York's My Home [4:38]
11-14 Chris Connor - Guess Who I Saw Today [3:31]
11-15 Chris Connor - When The Sun Comes Out [3:37]
11-16 Chris Connor - Send For Me [2:37]
11-17 Chris Connor - Where Do You Go? [3:44]
11-18 Chris Connor - Something's Coming [6:40]
11-19 Chris Connor - Deep Song [4:09]
11-20 Chris Connor - Can't Get Out Of This Mood [2:47]
12-1 Chris Connor - Jump For Joy [2:45]
12-2 Chris Connor - Night BIrd [3:17]
12-3 Chris Connor - Milano [3:21]
12-4 Chris Connor - Opportunity, Please Knock [3:10]
12-5 Chris Connor - Day Dream [3:01]
12-6 Chris Connor - Things Are Swingin´ [2:27]
12-7 Chris Connor - Kansas City [3:53]
12-8 Chris Connor - Lonely Woman [4:04]
12-9 Chris Connor - I´m Gonna Go Fishin´ [2:51]
12-10 Chris Connor - God Bless The Child [3:01]
12-11 Chris Connor - Free Spirits [3:18]
12-12 Chris Connor - The Sweetest Sounds [2:34]
12-13 Chris Connor - Look No Further [3:42]
12-14 Chris Connor - Nobody Told Me [3:19]
12-15 Chris Connor - No Strings [2:39]