The Weekend Of A Private Secretary (RSD 25)

The Weekend of a Private Secretary is as hip and delightful as its title promises. A singer whose fierce intelligence and droll wit more than compensate for her limited vocal range, Charlene Bartley is the very essence of post-war chic, navigating the rhythmic twists of Tito Puente’s lively arrangements with sophistication and style. Bartley is a consummate storyteller, interpreting lyrics like “She Didn’t Say Yes” and “Sand in My Shoes” with inimitable pluck. While Puente’s Latin treatments lend the session much of its energy, co-arranger Hal McKusick is no less vital to the album’s success, crafting simple but effective settings that underscore Bartley’s modernist outlook.   It’s like the stuff that would play in a super hip martini lounge, and not only is it unique but it has substance too. The lyrics on this album are remarkably sharp and witty and unexpected, really quite a surprising treat,

Dusty Grooves –  “One of our favourite 50s vocal albums from RCA — a hip little set by the lesser-known Charlene Bartley — and one with a fair bit of jazz and Latin elements as well! The title track alone is worth the price of admission, but the rest of the numbers are equally great too — and include some lesser-known gems next to interestingly-arranged standards — all a cut above the usual for the time. Of course, Charlene gets some great help here from Tito Puente, who arranged some tracks with a Latin flair, and Hal McKusick, who arranged others with a slightly modern undercurrent — both slightly unlikely talents for such a record, but that’s another part of its appeal!