Melodies of Jerome Kern: Various

They certainly fulfilled their remit with these recordings. Although some songs are very well known, there are several songs not otherwise recorded. Particular rarities are some songs from unsuccessful films such as High, Wide and Handsome and Can't Help Singing. The five singers, not known to me, do a fine job with this material.

Pick Yourself Up features the full verse and middle section, and the two singers sing the refrain repeat as a round - very effective. The Way You Look Tonight is a traditional arrangement. A Fine Romance has a real 1930s sound, with tooting woodwinds punctuating the lovers' complaints. A final rearrangement of the lyric doesn't work though "No, I like cactus plants" says the girl. He should say it about her.

It's nice to have Just Let Me Look At You and Our Song, rarely heard examples of the period when Kern and Fields were providing the likes of Irene Dunne, Lily Pons and Grace Moore with emotional, occasionally stilted numbers like this.

Fields tracks: Pick Yourself Up, The Way You Look Tonight, Just Let Me Look At You, A Fine Romance, Our Song