Jo Stafford - The Gentleman Is A Dope

[@gloriachinea5180]

Jo Stafford❤Beautiful A Known as Gi.Jo

[@zeogiannes]

Live performance, no dubbing, digital mixing, digital cleanup and background, a real voice, real talent, real woman!

[@rallful]

Real orchestra!

[@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).

[@yomama11231]

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

[@ArtigasMillan-tx3nc]

Gracias por compartir esta belleza en todo sentido!!🎉🎉

[@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.

[@Shwonkz]

1947 - The Gentleman Is A Dope Today - The Gentleman Is Dope

[@gloriachinea5069]

Thank MS. Joe Stafford

[@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.

[@michaellazzeri2069]

Any entry with the great Miss Jo Stafford, is most welcome, & a wonderful addition to YT. What a class act, & voice . My parents loved her as i did, also. THE singer's singer. -------------RIP. -------------MJL< 76 y/o

[@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.

[@silverdub2545]

I recall hearing that Jo, a pretty shy person, felt she was pretty poor in front of an audience. She certainly disproves that here. What a wonderful performance from one of the best ever singers of contemporary music.......just magic!

[@atzeshaw4361]

Aaaaaah.....nuthin' like a nice cuppa green tea with Jo in the early morn', no cigarettes, of course. Fresh air is such a nice thing.

[@hep2jive]

never delete this video. people live by this stuff!

[@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.

[@erictowser8470]

The best female ballad singer of the 1940s/50s and she wasn't bad with up tempo material either!

[@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

[@davidanthonystone5165]

One of the Best singers ever --------

[@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!!

[@dandsberg]

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

[@RodgersA51]

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!!!

[@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.

[@Alino17]

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

[@BrontëChick]

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

[@craigkable]

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

[@dougpuryear553]

Teach me tonight

[@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.

[@juliemacandrews1434]

what a glorious talented singer, thanyou Jo....

[@brunoleichtjazztube]

The stunning Jo Stafford. She never ceases to amaze me. Thanks very much for the grand upload, my friend.

[@elvislives68]

Great video! Love it!

[@is1531]

Great song and Jo makes it sound beautiful.

[@youyong28]

Wonderful!

[@LauraDMcBryde]

I love this song so much :D

[@themotheroftacos9712]

I'm so obsessed with this style of singing :D

[@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.

[@donaldauguston9740]

This was fabulous!!!

[@KasiaGliwski]

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

[@thomasgarbe8354]

Me too!

[@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.

[@hep2jive]

SHAG! love GI JO!

[@davidkublin4446]

absolut.love Jo Stafford! I own many of her 78s...She was the most!

[@andifyouhadtwocoats]

I luv those songs from the 20's. Muchas gracias for your effortos.

[@donnaking5941]

great find. love the tune. swing it Jo!

[@pezdelviento]

Oh cómo las palabras me abren el corazón!

[@gloriachinea5069]

Beautiful Music

[@TheKelbelle69]

Great live performance! Love her...

[@heaven4help]

I am only 61,so this is well before my time. The era of the big bands and American song book had a boat-load of talent. Jo Stafford was a great talent and I appreciate that talent. Wow!

[@mikewalsh1682]

Just the best!!!

[@Trombonology]

I'm sure the term "jazz singer" was applied with the greatest respect. I agree that Jo was not a jazz singer, as the label is too limiting for an artist of her tremendous range, but she could, nevertheless, sing jazz with as much authenticity as anyone associated with the style. By the way, jazz singing has elements beyond scatting. Yes, Jo was respectful to the source, as she felt she could not improve on the melodies of the great composers; she did make subtle modifications here and there.

[@AndreasMartinLaute]

Priceless!!

[@swineminus]

She is So So So So Great!! All Hail!

[@abulmeez]

This lady is class! Thanks for uploading. @Marius Bråthen, you took the words right out of my mouth!!!!

[@johngibson4341]

Great lyrics.

[@dreamyband-]

Jo is the best mezzo soprano. Period. Additionally, her tone is God's personal touch...THE BEST tone of ANY female singer...tone is something you can sort of improve with larynx - vocal box exercises BUT not much...we're all pretty much stuck with what God gave us...well the Boss hooked this woman up.

[@monicahickey4835]

Brilliant!

[@snickewitz]

Deelightfull!

[@tommybjorling8910]

Joes feelings,four a this type of swinging songs is so nice,and good,one of the best swinger ever.

[@chemmylab123]

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

[@RichieHogan]

World class

[@hep2jive]

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

[@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.

[@swineminus]

Thanks for these details!!

[@dougconnah1161]

Don't forget George Van Eps, pioneer 7-string guitarist, banging out those rhythm chops.

[@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.

[@kester1940]

Following my earlier reply, I've now uploaded two more clips of Jo Stafford - 'Medley Of Golden Hits' and 'Tomorrow Mountain'. I hope you're still looking in on youtube, and will enjoy these additional 1950s TV performances by Jo.

[@jas026able]

that's George Van Eps (as others have remarked) doing a side-session on guitar. It's fitting that he is filmed behind Jo; two of the great craftsmen of the age. One would have liked to hear George back Jo in a smaller ensemble.

[@dennisalters702]

Jo can swing it with such velvet smoothness. Would love to her with Mel Torme’

[@kriki1000]

!!!! NICE

[@GerdaSchrubber]

Soothingly swingin'. Just my style.

[@electrototty]

i cant believe old people were into this stuff

[@joycepino9749]

They weren't old people at the time. My parents were in their 20s in the 40s. This was their kind of music. As a baby boomer I'm into this kind of music. I love the music of the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and some 80s.

[@kriki1000]

awsome:)

[@jillsmith633]

I love her! Lyrics remind me of a guy I was involved with named Jack. He was a dope lol.

[@TheJazzStreet]

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

[@natecole4486]

wow wow wow

[@wagstaffe7]

The best.

[@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.

[@CiscoDuck]

From the 1960 Startime telecasts - she also did Tim-Tay-Shun with Red Ingle on this same show with Noel Boggs on steel and Red saying his fiddle wearing a straw hat and overalls. LOL

[@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.

[@rallful]

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

[@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).

[@alfmatta]

excelent realy

[@Odizity]

Interesting ending note...

[@iTubeNL]

This tv-performance is from 1960.

[@iTubeNL]

Kester1940, On what show was it that Jo Stafford gave this great performance? And when? If you know, please let us know.

[@FERNANDOGARCIA-xs9lp]

The announcer at the beginning is the legendary Ken Carpenter .

[@JudithIN410]

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

[@wwrigle2]

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

[@hep2jive]

I cant either!

[@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.

[@mmilovan]

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

[@lindaeasley4336]

She used to be in the same singing group that included Frank Sinatra in the 1940s .The Pied Pipers , I believe

[@PoetryMan11]

A great song from a rare flop of a Rogers and Hammerstein musical that was sandwiched between Carousel and State Fair. Blossom Dearie also does a great rendition of this song.

[@janwintz8372]

What was that flop? Jan

[@jas026able]

Allegro

[@gintgotham]

Where is this? Not a studio set! Who are some of the musicians? I bet a lot of famous ones in this clip.

[@kriki1000]

nice ... a G. is a DOPE :)

[@kayserbondor]

The bandleader is a double for Andy Garcia

[@TheJazzStreet]

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

[@hep2jive]

@udon890 Its you!!!!

[@hipsterdoofus1026]

This is a Voice of America broadcast?

[@closetome]

Yeah, that's George.

[@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.

[@gdbrabenec]

Why does that guy behind Jo keep scratching the guitarist's head?

[@johntwayne9867]

My style is a bit more blacky (how 'bout Monk or Miles Davies), but I dig dat chick as well.

[@fjbutch]

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

[@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.