There are those who will tell you that Julie London recorded nothing worth listening to after 1960’s Julie At Home. They’re probably the same people who insist that anything by Nancy Wilson without the words Cannonball, George, Adderley or Shearing on the LP cover is unlistenable but we’ll come back to them another day.
While it’s true that London did find herself drowning in strings and film theme covers for much of her later career, there are some absolute stunnas in their as well. Everyone should own her 1965 all-Porter effort with Bud Shank, All Through The Night, but the following year’s For The Night People runs it close. Arranger Don Bagley adds tasteful strings to a jazz trio and the fact that the voice is slightly frayed only reminds the listener how much London could achieve with minimal resources. There are beautifully languid versions of I Hadn’t Anyone Till You and (more surprisingly) Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey but the highlight may be her take on this delicious Jimmy McHugh / Frank Loesser collaboration.