by Scott Yanow
Rosemary Clooney's first album for the Concord label set the standard for her work of the next 20 years. Long associated with middle-of-the-road pop music, Clooney really excelled in the jazz-oriented settings with the Concord All Stars. Although she does not really improvise, her very pleasing voice and subtle phrasing should appeal to most jazz followers. On her Concord debut Everything's Coming Up Rosie, Clooney is joined by trumpeter Bill Berry, tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton, pianist Nat Pierce, bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Jake Hanna. She lets the band run loose on two instrumentals and then really digs into her eight vocals, finding fresh things to say on eight familiar standards.