Recorded on June 11 and 12, 1956. Originally released on Verve (2020). Includes liner notes by Donald Freeman.

Digitally remastered by Ben Young (Universal Mastering).

Fred Astaire did a classic session with Oscar Peterson for Verve (Clef) back in 1952. In 1963, it was Bing Crosby's turn to re-establish his jazz credentials by doing the obligatory date for Norman Granz. In truth, this is a pretty easygoing session, even if then-hotshot arranger Buddy Bregman wrote his usual hard-swinging charts. But with Bing Crosby, could the results be anything but easygoing? Since jazz vocal expert Will Friedwald's first choice for up-to-date Crosby, 1957's BING WITH A BEAT, is so far unissued on CD, this Gold Disc will just have to do.

Though Crosby's voice does show signs of wear and tear--this is 1963, after all--he breezes his way confidently through a choice set of Great American Songbook classics, including four by Rodgers & Hart. Bing also steals a page from his friend Fred's well-thumbed book by jauntily covering "Cheek to Cheek," "They All Laughed," and "Nice Work if You Can Get It." Highlight: an old-timer's expert timing on Jerome Kern's gently soaring "The Song Is You," once made memorable in the new style by a student of Crosby's named Sinatra.

This LP is one of my absolute favorites The song selection is sensational, with such classics as Mountain Greenery, Cheeck to Cheek, 'Deed I Do, Heat Wave, The Blue Room, Have You Met Miss Jones?, I've Got Five Dollars, Nice Work When You Can Get It, Jeepers Creepers, etc Bing was absolutely at the prime of his career, and the arrangements by Buddy Bregman were killers! And Maynard can be heard at the top of it all, blowing the high notes on a number of passages The 1956 version of this LP has "Verve Records, Inc
John Himes