Something Cool by June Christy

Something Cool is a studio album recorded by June Christy in 1953, 1954, and 1955, and featuring Christy singing 11 (in the original release, seven) jazz songs backed by the orchestra of Pete Rugolo, and her saxophonist husband, Bob Cooper. First issued in 1954 as a 10" mono LP, an expanded 12" mono LP was released the following year, with four newly recorded selections added to the track listing. In 1960, Christy and Rugolo re-recorded all 11 selections in stereo, so that a stereo version of Something Cool could be issued. For many years, this re-recorded version of the LP was the only one commercially available. Christy had been associated with "cool" jazz since her vocal work with the Stan Kenton Orchestra in the 1940s and early 1950s. As well as launching her career as a solo artist, Something Cool, according to jazz writer John Bush, was responsible for launching a whole cool movement in jazz singing. It was the first of 18 June Christy albums, most of them recorded with the backing of Pete Rugolo. This debut turned out to be extremely successful with the album reaching the Top-20 album charts in America.