Best Nancy Wilson CDs

Ella...IMHO, in a different category--both great singers, but Ella had something I can't quite put my finger on. She had that amazing voice, sort of indescribable like Nat Cole. They set the bar!

Agreed, Ella is in a class all her own. I do love Dinah.

I'll go with "The Swingings Mutual" which I have on cd. The tunes are short and catchy with a few instrumentals. The recording quality is very good considering the 1960 vintage. It possesses a lighter, lively frequency balance than many other recodings of that era. Nancy's voice is young and lovely at this time in her career. I had a nice listen this morning before work. Good stuff!

You know, back to that NW and Cannonball Adderley album...I listened to that on a tiny 'suitcase' like record player which was by my bed, as a kid of 12. I'd put it on and listen, falling asleep (putting it on repeat) and wake up to turn it off in the wee hours of the morning. (Cue orchestra)...
There's one passage in the song which is fascinating to me, from a creative standpoint. Nancy's lyrics are:
"I guess I'll have to sing (like) Pagliacci, and get myself a clown's disquise..." Obviously this references Leon Cavelle (?) I'm wrong on that, but it's close...work which is an opera about an unhappy husband, who I think, dressed as a clown is crying.
Anyway, with that cue, Joe Zawinall (sp?) does this BEAUTIFUL operatic flourish, intensifying Nancy's words; It's goosebump time remembering that. What a collaboration of musicians and music. It was simply magic.