Claudia Thompson

A sultry and sophisticated songbird. The ultra-rare debut and sole output of a wondrous and mysterious vocalist, perfectly accompanied by guitar icon Barney Kessel. An Early Stereo marvel from the original 1959 tapes! Kessel was a jazz pioneer -- as one of the leading lights of the hard-bop movement, his jazz guitar was legendary, and he was ranked the No. 1 guitarist in Down Beat and Playboy for numerous years. He played with Sonny Rollins and Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald as well as leading his own super-tight group. On albums such as The Poll Winners, Kessel defined the bop style with a jazz "power trio," creating a body of work that made him a legend.

Not much is known of Claudia Thompson -- even though the record's a long-time crate digger classic, she remains a mystery. But her stunning voice will knock you out -- sounding like the precedent of singers like Karen Carpenter, her no-nonsense, emotion-soaked singing carries marvelously a collection of standards including "Stormy Weather" and "Body And Soul." Kessel's remarkable playing provides a sparkling backing for her vocals. The album has been pressed onto gold vinyl and wrapped in a restored sleeve that captures the beauty of the era.

Claudia Thompson has a perfectly tuned, and wildly dramatic voice. Picture a female Chet Baker; you’ll have to hear it to believe it.