Jo Stafford - The Gentleman Is A Dope

[cw605]

there are vary few live preformances of Joe Stafford, this is great.

Thanks for sharing.

[kester1940]

@cw605 I'm hoping to upload some more TV performances soon CW, so keep checking me. Her name is Jo (Josephine) by the way, not Joe.

[craigkable]

great arrangement and impeccable performance by Jo. An interesting song too- from one of Rodgers & Hammerstein's few Broadway flops, 1947's Allegro

[KeithHarperSF]

This is great stuff. Great voice, cute face. Great material. Perfect.

[paisley73]

If it were possible to purchase time travel I would spend be willing to spend a small fortune on a ticket to that nightclub concert back then - I love how Jo performs this swinging arrangement

[tacticalcoffee]

is this a retaliation for frank sinatra's th lady is a tramp?

[KasiaGliwski]

This song is so good!!!! It makes me smile!!

[kayserbondor]

The bandleader is a double for Andy Garcia

[tickledpink2U]

No female could sing like Jo. She was the beginning and the end.

[is1531]

Great song and Jo makes it sound beautiful.

[LauraDxiaojie]

I love this song so much :D

[Kramnosnits]

Great Guitarist that Van Eps. BUT... I'm thinking Jo is the greatest Fe-vocalist of the 20th Century... and most likely the 21st, as well, judging by things so far.... THANKS

[Kramnosnits]

Is that George Van Eps on guitar ?? Who is that ?

[kester1940]

@Kramnosnits - I'm advised by several previous contributors here that the guitarist is indeed George Van Eps. My thanks to them, and indeed to the many other admirers of Jo who have commented on this video. Keep checking as I hope to add more Jo Stafford clips soon.

[p47flyboy]

What a kick-butt arrangement!! Pardon my French but what a great band and what a great singer she was...so cool! My big band plays this tune but its and arrangement of one I found on a Best of CD and though its still good, its not as good as this one...and they make it look so easy! Is that her husband conducting in the background? What was his name? Paul ????? Thanks for posting this.

[kester1940]

@p47flyboy The name you're trying to recall was Paul Weston, but that's not him conducting on this occasion. According to an earlier contributor to this comments column, the name of the Conductor is Al Pelligrini - although in all probabilty the arrangement was Paul's (it's very similar to her Capitol Records recording).

[Odizity]

Interesting ending note...

[yomama11231]

Hands down, Jo Stafford was one of the best popular singers of the 20th century. RIP.

[silverdub25]

I read somewhere that Jo Stafford stated that she was poor in front of an audience. This consummate performance cerrtainly overturns her own opinion -- it is really excellent on all fronts

[buckracer]

Jo Stafford is a Classic. 4 octave range and Spot on pitch and so crisp in all that she did. thanks for the live clip!!!

[DavesXXXXXXXX]

I think this is the first and only clip I've seen of Jo singing "live." There were lots of female singers in the post-war era through the early 1960s, and out of them all, I think Jo is is the "best" (followed by Jane Morgan) -- at least in terms of musicianship. Their clarity, precision, tonality, etc., are incredible. THANK YOU for posting this rare clip.

[udon890]

What is a dope???

[kester1940]

@udon890 - The answer is in the lyric: "A man of many faults, a clumsy Joe who wouldn't know a rhumba from a waltz." & "The gentleman isn't bright, he doesn't know the score." --- To be more specific, the dictionary definition is that it's a slang term for a person considered to be stupid or slow-witted.

[udon890]

@kester1940 : Wa, wa, wa. It is so funny. Thank you very much for your explanation. You are right, the lyric explains it too. Thanks.

[hep2jive]

@udon890 Its you!!!!

[UncleCharlieOakley]

@udon890 A fool. A dummy. Someone who doesn't 'get it.' Someone who doesn't know enough or is too lazy to simply Google to get a definition.

[wwrigle2]

She recorded a song named "My Own Grandma" and what a weird song it is!!!

[detectmendacity]

I had no idea she passed away so recently! Aw.

Love her voice so much.

[Alino17]

Cool swing!

I loved the classic, dense arrangement and band cohesion. I love the '50s sounds!

[AllFamily3]

This is freakin' AMAZING, at all levels.

[SwingAge22]

I loved Jo Stafford. Whenever I think of the 40's and mid 50's I think of her and Ella Fitzgerald then Frank Sinatra.  Those were 3 of the top singers of the last century.

[whirlaway05]

WOW! I've only heard this sung by Sara Vaughan w/ the Ct. Basie Orchestra- I never thought anyone else could do it justice... well I was wrong!! She does a GREAT job of this! This was my Dad's fav. female singer, too. I am so thankful to have been exposed to this music my whole life- I'm 38, and I LOVE it!! Thanks, Mom!!

[ishouldntbeyoutubing]

WOW! is right. This is a master class in how to present a hard swinging jazz ballad.

[bossaman58]

OMG! The guitarist behind her is the legendary George Van Eps!

[BebopAuthor]

Dear Kester1940,

I am a woman. I'm like Oprah and Cher I never have to sign my last name as it is not in the name book.

Grange

[BebopAuthor]

You just revitalized my silent memory of exactly how lovely to look at Jo Stafford was. There is such a hip sweetness to the repartee with the conductor and his lovely songstress who seems to be setting the pace as she soars with these great lyrics. Thank you.

[kester1940]

Well - thank you Sir. You've summed up my feelings about the lady perfectly. I have one more clip of Jo uploaded - singing 'County Fair' on her TV show. I really must upload some more, she is clearly still so popular.

[mrbodhranhead]

@BebopAuthor Repartee, indeed -- they were husband and wife.

[realms1]

Hilarious. The conductor can't get enough of her.

[hep2jive]

I cant either!

[rallful]

@realms1 The conductor is watching Jo closely because the orchestra is following her; she is not 'singing along with the band'.

[TheJazzStreet]

where i can find the duet with ella fitzgerald!!!!

[JudithIN410]

Here at YouTube: Benny Goodman Swing into Spring 1958 has Ella and Jo singing separately and together.

[TheJazzStreet]

thank you very much!!! was amazing that duet! algo i found there ella fitzgerald with peggy lee... now i'm happy xD

[tabitwin]

why are all of my favorite singers dead?

[fjbutch]

@tabitwin My 8 year old son asked me the same question in regards to M.J. and Jackie Wilson ...

[tabitwin]

@fjbutch lol...i'm refering to people like frank sinatra, gene kelly, doris day, jo stafford, dean martin, benny goodman (well, his band i guess), ect.

[elvislives68]

Great video! Love it!

[electrototty]

i cant believe old people were into this stuff

[electrototty]

Nope you're the fucking retard you old tosspot. Aren't you past your sell by date? Fucking die already.

[JillHill7]

MAN, this chick can SWING!!

her vocals and style is amazing and i LOVE it!! ^_^

[hep2jive]

song right outta the Atomic Era. Listen to that ending!

[kingusmcgee]

Great to see Jo Stafford actually singing. She was the best. Her husband Paul Weston was a fantasic arranger collaborating on many or most of her best recordings.

[chemmylab123]

all of my idols are dead... not to be blunt or anything. but i really love all of her music.

[hollbri]

i agree.very sad.these times were so wonderful and singers like jo,peggy lee,sinatra where so much better than todays crap

[hep2jive]

never delete this video. people live by this stuff!

[dept2]

Also in the band is 2nd trumpet Johnny Best and lead trombone Joe Howard. All fine west coast musicians who recorded with Bob Crosby, Paul Weston and many others. The tenor sax is Billy Usselton and the drummer is probably Nick Fatool and the bessist Morty Corb. This is from a TV show called "The Swingin Singin Years" hosted by Ronald Reagan.

[LorenzMaycher]

Thank you for identifying the guys in the band. Really appreciated! I wish there were more live appearances of Jo available here. What a singer.

[dept2]

The guitar is George Van Epps. The lead trumpet is Conrad Gozzo. In the sax section is Matty Matlock & Eddie Miller. The Conductor is Al Pelligrini (pianist with Bob Crosby).

[blessed714]

Beautiful lady, wonderful singer, God rest her soul.

[rubberdc]

Its only a chance that i clicked on this video,only to find that someone I greatly admired as a singer has passed on.I am saddened to find this ,the lady was a fantastic singer.I first heard her on a 78 record when i was around 12 years old and that started me searching out records and cd's featuring her voice. A huge loss to the music industry,to us and her family.

dc.

[Arikisei]

brilliant,deluxe...,god bless

[KroovyMonsoon]

Whether Jazz or Pop one thing is definitely certain. Jo's voice was one of a kind. There'll never be another voice like hers. She will be missed.

[pezdelviento]

Oh cómo las palabras me abren el corazón!

[iskylark]

kester1940, Jo was adored by jazz musicians, and loved them as well. She was a unique singer who really let the song "sing itself" but don't disrespect the artistry of great jazz singers and musicians by gratuitously dumping on jazz. Listen to Jo's records with Johnny Hodges and Ben Webster, as well as Jo's duets with Ella Fitzgerald on Jo's British TV show, and take the cotton out of your ears!

[kester1940]

The important thing to note is that the Hodges/Webster album was titled Jo + Jazz (rather than Jo Sings Jazz), underlining the fact that Jo was simply being Jo, but to an accompaniment provided by jazz musicians. How much more satisfying would it have been to a backdrop of strings rather than honking sax and muted trumpet twittering away behind her. The album was mostly ballads and light swingers anyway, but she was indeed perfectly able to swing too, as evidenced in those duets with Ella.

[kester1940]

But then Ella too had enormous respect for melody and lyric. Her most important recorded work was the Song Books, which mostly required her to sing straight to tasteful accompaniments provided by Riddle, May, Weston, etc. I love Ella but I keep the cotton wool handy though for when she ventures into scat.

[keesevenblij]

HEERLIJK !!!!

[hep2jive]

SHAG! love GI JO!

[aloveoftheatre]

Love her voice! She's such a cutie!

[sandaglad]

Thanks for re-posting this performance of Jo at her very best. I'll go out on a limb and say that's Milton DeLugg and his band...he did alot of TV work in the 50's and 60's.

[austinstud69]

I know Paul Weston-- Jo's husband-- is seated behind the bandleader, playing rhythm guitar. I was surprised to see him there, not leading the band.

[mmilovan]

No, it's not Paul Weston, it is George Van Eps on rhythm guitar.

[TheSwingShift]

Oh you're right. I had forgotten how much they look like each other.

[waynebrasler]

There is a resemblance in look and stance to Patti Page. Here Jo is very much a jazz singer. A great artist for all time.

[kester1940]

Oh PLEASE don't saddle Jo with the Jazz tag. She was always a popular vocalist of the first order, but had too much respect for the great composers and lyricists to mess with the melody and lyric of their songs. Improvisation and (worse) scat singing, beloved of the jazz fraternity, was mercifully not the Stafford way - or indeed the style of other great vocalists such as Patti Page, Rosemary Clooney etc.

[ilistenalot]

The best of her time!

[dandsberg]

This is a great live performance that is better than the studio recording. What an arrangement and what an ending!

[davidfraserg]

Thanks for posting. A great singer.

[lessaiao]

God bless you, Jo.

[renamouskouri]

RIP JO :(