On
June Christy's excellent run of albums for Capitol Records the vocalist was most often backed by
Pete Rugolo's complex orchestral charts or by small, freewheeling jazz groups led by her husband,
Bob Cooper. So
The Intimate Miss Christy is a special treat for her fans as it finds the cool blonde singer backed only by
Al Viola's guitar and
Don Bagley's bass (though a flutist sits in on a few tracks). This guitar/bass-only approach was first popularized by
Julie London and went on to be utilized by many other singers during this era. The backing not only suits the laid-back, cool jazz approach of
June Christy perfectly, but it also means that the singer is never forced to strain too hard, as she sometimes did when working with the experimentally inclined
Pete Rugolo. And while the vocalist usually put a dark emotional spin on her ballad readings, this album is definitely aimed more toward romantic entanglements than romantic regrets.
The Intimate Miss Christy may be a fireside makeout album, but it's one that merits repeated listens even when the embers die out. ~ Nick Dedina