Old School Talent-- I had no idea--Sammy Davis, Jr.

[Marty Grass]

Sentimental content alert.


I found this video of Sammy Davis, Jr. playing drums and doing that very well.

Like others in vaudeville where the demands were grueling and competition keen, he obviously was a very hard worker with a lot of talent and discipline. His voice is rich, smooth and polished. He dances among the best. He's funny with impeccable comedic timing. And he's a short, Jewish, one-eyed black man at a harsh time in history.

I learned a few other things about him. He smoked four packs a day and died as a consequence. He was a heavy drinker and had liver problems from that. And he was an amazingly fast quick draw cowboy pistolero, drawing and shooting in a quarter second.

Here he is on the drums. Enjoy his panache on stage and his talent.

Age 7 dancing.

Trademark song.

Last appearance.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

He was also a decent vocalist. I have him on vinyl from when I was s kid. His versions of some jazz standards were really cool, and I learned several tunes from them.

[John A.]

A fair number of tap dancers also play drums, e.g., Fred Astaire.

[Stringswinger]

Sammy did a great album with Mundell Lowe

Mood to Be Wooed - Wikipedia

[AKA]

Bottom line - Sammy Davis Jr. was an extraordinarily gifted human being!

AKA

[Greentone]

Here's a chart from a great album, "Sammy Davis Sings, Laurindo Almeida Plays":

[paulkogut]

I was on a society gig the night that Sammy Davis Jr passed away. The leader kept announcing song dedications, 'Angel Eye' , 'Star Eye' 'Smoke Gets In Your Eye', 'I Only Have Eye For You', etc. Not sure if any of the patrons caught on...


PK

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Sammy did a great album with Mundell Lowe

Mood to Be Wooed - Wikipedia

Have it! A dozen ballads backed only by ML is a graduate education for anybody who backs vocalists.

[AndyV]

That whole LP with Almeida is beautiful - just voice and guitar. Would never get made today.

[losaltosjoe]

Sentimental content alert.

Thanks for this thread MG!
I was at the "Together Again National Concert Tour" on March 13, 1988 in Oakland, CA, which I believe was the last time the Rat Pack (Sinatra, Martin, and Davis) performed together. Dean got sick and was replaced by Liza Minelli after this show. In any event, two things:
1. I thought Sammy Davis stole the show that night. What an entertainer!
2. As I was double checking my memory on Google, I found a link to that concert posted just 6 days ago. I hope to watch it this coming weekend.

Thanks for spreading some sunshine on Sammy.

[wintermoon]

When I was a kid we had very little as my folks were starting up their business, so they didn't have money for things like entertainment. Someone gifted them tickets to see Sammy @ the old Latin Casino. The next day I asked them how it was and they said they still couldn't believe what they had seen.

[losaltosjoe]

Happy Birthday Sammy Davis Jr. Born on this day, December 8, 1925.

[sgcim]

One of my fave movies is "A Man Called Adam", which we've discussed here before, where SDJr. plays a jazz trumpet player with a lot of issues. He's so good in it, that you really believe he's playing trumpet instead of the great Nat Adderly.
The score is by Benny Carter, and SDJr. sings a BC tune that (along with Nat Adderly's great playing) is the highlight of the film.
It's one of those few films that I'll watch whenever it's on.
When he did shows, he had the hippest arranger/conductor/pianist on the scene back then, George Rhodes, and working in that band was considered the hippest gig in the music business.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Sammy did a great album with Mundell Lowe

Mood to Be Wooed - Wikipedia

I pulled it out and enjoyed it yet again. So I was going to rip the vinyl to a FLAC file when I realized it's probably available on CD. And it is, with 12 "bonus tracks" of SDJr backed by various big bands. I ordered it late yesterday and it just arrived. Highly recommended!

[stringmann]

I pulled it out and enjoyed it yet again. So I was going to rip the vinyl to a FLAC file when I realized it's probably available on CD. And it is, with 12 "bonus tracks" of SDJr backed by various big bands. I ordered it late yesterday and it just arrived. Highly recommended!

Is it mood to be wooed? i didn't see the add'l trax on amazon cd ad---would you have the link? tnx

[whiskey02]

Sammy was great on an episode of All in the Family.

[Greentone]

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Is it mood to be wooed? i didn't see the add'l trax on amazon cd ad---would you have the link? tnx

I use the Amazon app, so I have no link. Just search “Sammy Davis Jr Mundell Lowe” or the CD name (Mood to Be Wooed). on the Amazon webpage - the CD is the one with the bonus tracks. It says this in the title line for the album: “Mood To Be Wooed And Bonus Tracks” (that’s a copy/paste from the app - it’s a link, but it won’t work on the website).

[stringmann]

I use the Amazon app, so I have no link. Just search “Sammy Davis Jr Mundell Lowe” or the CD name (Mood to Be Wooed). on the Amazon webpage - the CD is the one with the bonus tracks. It says this in the title line for the album: “Mood To Be Wooed And Bonus Tracks” (that’s a copy/paste from the app - it’s a link, but it won’t work on the website).

Ok, got it, tnx. Years ago i heard one cut from the Almeida record and couldn't find it except used cd on ebay. I wanted to emulate how he backed Sammy. I had the feeling these were essentially one takes---so i look fwd to trying the same with this record. tnx again