The Voice That Is! (Acoustic Sounds LP)

Drawn from two September 1964 sessions at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio with producer Bob Thiele, The Voice That Is! features vocalist Johnny Hartman in his third and final album for Impulse! following a celebrated collaboration with John Coltrane. The album blends two sessions arranged by Bob Hammer: one pairing Hartman with pianist Hank Jones, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Osie Johnson, and another for octet, with English horn, flute, marimba and Latin percussion flourishes throughout. The repertoire includes standards like “These Foolish Things” and “It Never Entered My Mind” alongside contemporary material such as Bill Evans’ “Waltz for Debby,” “Sunrise, Sunset” from Fiddler on the Roof, and an early vocal interpretation of Henry Mancini’s “A Slow Hot Wind.” The album highlights Hartman’s warm baritone and understated phrasing against the sophisticated jazz sound associated with Impulse!’s mid-1960s catalog.

Verve Acoustic Sounds Series titles are mastered from the original analog tapes by Matthew Lutthans, pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings (QRP) and packaged in high-quality tip-on gatefold jackets.