This Is Chris

This Is Chris
Studio album by
Chris Connor
ReleasedAugust 1955 (1955-08)
RecordedApril 1955 (1955-04)
GenreJazz[1]
LabelBethlehem
Chris Connor chronology
Chris Connor Sings Lullabys for Lovers
(1955)		 This Is Chris
(1955)		 Chris Connor
(1956)

This Is Chris is a studio album by American singer, Chris Connor. It was released in August 1955 by Bethlehem Records and was her third studio product. The 10-track collection consisted of jazz recordings, including four penned by Cole Porter. It received positive reviews from Cash Box, DownBeat and AllMusic.

Background, recording and content

Chris Connor found success in the jazz field during the 1950s and was one of the first successful performers signed to Bethlehem Records. Her debut album for the label was released in 1954 titled Chris Connor Sings Lullabys for Lovers. This was followed by several more Bethlehem products over the next few years, including This Is Chris. The album was recorded in April 1955 alongside the label's consistent session musicians including pianist Ralph Sharon and trombonist J. J. Johnson.[2] This Is Chris consisted of ten tracks, including four composed by Cole Porter: "It's All Right with Me", "I Concentrate on You", "From This Moment On" and "Ridin' High".[3]

Release and critical reception

This Is Chris was released in August 1955 by Bethlehem Records[1] and was her third album for the label.[4] The album received a positive critical reception. Cash Box praised her vocal performance, writing, "Miss Connor’s obvious feeling for the lyric and her perfectly controlled vocal mannerisms have resulted in excellent sales. This should be an album to be stocked immediately and in ample numbers."[1] DownBeat believed it to be her best album to date and believed that once she "becomes this consistent in a night club, she'll really have it made."[4] Allmusic's Scott Yanow gave it four out of five stars praised her voice and several tracks: "Connor's cool tone, subtle, emotional delivery and haunting voice were perfect for the music of the 1950s. Highlights of this superior set include "The Thrill Is Gone," "Blame It on My Youth," and "I Concentrate on You," but all ten numbers are rewarding."[5]

Track listing

Side one[3][6]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Blame It on My Youth"
2:39
2."It's All Right with Me"Cole Porter2:28
3."Someone to Watch Over Me"
3:11
4."Trouble Is a Man"Alec Wilder2:53
5."All This and Heaven Too"
3:29
Side two[3][6]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Thrill Is Gone"
2:47
2."I Concentrate on You"Porter3:30
3."All Dressed Up with a Broken Heart"
  • Claude Reese
  • Fred Patrick
  • Jack Val
1:51
4."From This Moment On"Porter2:30
5."Ridin' High"Porter4:14

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of This Is Chris.[3]

Release history

Release history and formats for This Is Chris
Region Date Format Label Ref.
North America August 1955 LP mono Bethlehem [3]
Various 1956
  • LP mono
  • 10" LP
 [7]
Japan 1960–1992 LP
[8]
Various 1986–2024 Compact disc (CD)
  • Bethlehem
  • CTI
  • Solid
  • Ultra Vybe
 [9]
1990–2014 LP
[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Album Reviews: Jazz" (PDF). Cash Box. August 13, 1955. p. 17. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  2. ↑ Will Friedwald (2010). A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers. Knopf Doubleday. p. 112. ISBN 9780307379894.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Connor, Chris (1955). "This Is Chris (Disc Information)". Bethlehem Records. US. BCP-20 (LP mono).
  4. 1 2 "Jazz Reviews". DownBeat. 22: 20. August 1955.
  5. ↑ Yanow, Scott. "This Is Chris: Chris Connor: Album". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  6. 1 2 "This Is Chris - Album by Chris Connor". Apple Music. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  7. ↑ Connor, Chris (1956). "This Is Chris (disc information)". Bethlehem Records. UK; Australia. LZ-NA-14036 (10-inch LP).
  8. ↑ Connor, Chris (1960–1992). "This Is Chris (various LP disc information)". Bethlehem Records/Polydor Records. Japan. HV-3021 (1960); MP-2334 (1973); 22AP-233 (1976); BCP-6010 (1978); YP-7101-BE, 1 (1984); COJY-9025, 4 (1992).
  9. ↑ Connor, Chris (1990–2014). "This Is Chris (various CD disc information)". Bethlehem Records/CTI Records/Solid Records/Ultra Vybe. United States/Germany/Japan. BR-5017, BCP-20 (1986); BCP-20, PDCTI 1127-2 (1990); COCY-78662, 22 (1992); COCY-80346 (1996); TOCJ-62014, 14 (1999); R2 76684 (2001); TOCJ-9324 (2002); TOCJ-62014 (2005); VICJ-61462 (2007); CDSOL-6017, 17 (2012); CDSOL-45522 (2017); VJZ-10071 (2018); CDSOL-3842 (2024).
  10. ↑ Connor, Chris (1990–2014). "This Is Chris (various LP disc information)". Bethlehem Records/Fresh Sound. Spain/United Kingdom. BCP-20, FSR-2062 (1990); BCP-20 (2014).
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