Songs from the Heart / and

"Songs from the Heart" & "And I Thought About You" are two original albums from the fifties by Jazz singer Johnny Hartman. The swing of Sinatra, the smooth seductively of Nat Cole, and the baritone depth of Eckstein, all rolled into one. Johnny Hartman's voice is similar to a good scotch: clean and smooth, yet solidly powerful. On this collection of ballads and upbeat standards, Hartman wraps his voice around the lyrics like a thick, warm fog, surrounding the listener in the sheer beauty of his voice. For the uninitiated, this collection offers a great introduction to a sadly underexposed talent. It's a shame he wasn't adequately recognized in his lifetime.