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The Bethlehem label didn't make it out of the '50s before folding,
and one of the reasons why is the ambitious yet misguided George
Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, a three-LP box set that represents a
complete recording of the Gershwin classic (with narration and
sound effects). Bethlehem certainly had the talent to pull it off
-- appearing on the label, and this production, are Mel Torm‚,
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, Johnny Hartman, Bob Dorough,
Betty Roche, Frances Faye, and minor period stars including
vocalist Frank Rosolino, bandleader Stan Levey, and arranger Russ
Garcia. And long-playing versions of theatrical productions were
huge in the mid-'50s (a few sold millions of copies). The most
popular of these, however, were simply easy-to-digest highlights
LPs that never attempted to present the complete production. This
version is a gargantuan two hours long, difficult to sit through
even if every performance was stellar (and, unfortunately, that's
far from the case). The recording makes a virtue of being hip,
primarily through the narration of Al "Jazzbo" Collins, a radio DJ
who may have been hip for the times but whose counterfeit
excitement and perfect diction make the proceedings sound like a
period newsreel. ("Watch out, Porgy, here comes that mean Sportin'
Life!") Torm‚, as the most popular vocalist on the label, was a
shoe-in for the role of Porgy, despite Johnny Hartman's clear
superiority, and Frances Faye received the role of Bess despite
Betty Roche's ability to handle the role much better. Those
mistakes are compounded by Russ Garcia's period arrangements (the
Ellington group makes only one appearance) and some decidedly
subpar performances from Frank Rosolino early in the program.
Still, it has to be admitted that a highlights compilation of this
record would sparkle very brightly, driven by Mel Torm‚'s
swinging "I've Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" with a super-enthused backing
chorus, George Kirby's "It Ain't Necessarily So," and Betty Roche's
reprise of "Summertime" during the second half. ~ John Bush
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