Jack Haskell - Let's Fall in Love (1957)

"Have You Met Miss Jones" by Jack Haskell

When announcer Hugh Downs took time off from Tonight, Jack Haskell was his replacement. A veteran of radio since his college days, Haskell built his career after World War II announcing for television shows. But he was also a singer and first made his name singing for Les Brown and His Orchestra alongside Doris Day. He released his debut album Let's Fall in Love in 1957 on Jubilee Records.

Of the crooners we've covered lately, Haskell proves himself to be most in tune with what jazz vocals really sound like—rather than pop interpretations of standards with light Big Band arrangements. But although Haskell knows how to sing jazz, he's not good at it. It is a daring choice to lay ones voice bare with only guitar and bass for accompaniment, but on these selections of standard love songs, there ends up being no place to hide his faults or highlight his strengths. His blue notes can turn sour. He has limited range and limited dynamics. Alongside the singular tones of the accompaniment, the album makes for a set of songs that do not differentiate themselves. Only on a couple of them does he break out with a belting finale or a faster tempo, while the rest of the songs are left to sit in a boring limbo meant to be romantic but are mostly sleepy. To top it off, Haskell has no feel for the structure of a song. He might be able to phrase but the phrases never build. They might follow a logical musical path, but in performance, the lines blend together and no song seems to find a hook or a climax or a satisfying ending—like listening to a series of run-on sentences.

Here is the discography surrounding Jack Haskell's debut album:

Over the Hillside (1949 single)

Too-Whit! Too-Whoo! (Bring My Loved One to Me) (1949 single)

Ashes of Roses (1950 single with Connie Russell)

Be Anything (But Be Mine) (1952 single)

Goodbye Sweetheart (1952 single with The Heathertones)

Tell It to My Heart (1955 single)

I Remember Mambo (1955 single)

Today's Hits (1955 EP with the José Melis Trio)

Today's Hits (1955 EP with Johnny Guarnieri and His Orchestra)

Today's Hits (1955 EP with Johnny Guarnieri and His Orchestra)

I-M-4-U (I Am for You) (1955 single with Jack Paar)

Theme Songs from Michael Todd's "Around the World in 80 Days" (1957 EP)

I'm Playing Solitaire (1957 single)

Let's Fall in Love

Be Sure, Make No Mistake (1958 single)

The Love Theme from "The Vikings" (My Heart Has Gone to Wander) (1958 single)

Wedding Invitations (1961 single)

"I'm Thru with Love" by Jack Haskell

"I Wish I Were in Love Again" by Jack Haskell

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