Jackie and Roy
Encyclopedia
Jackie and Roy was a jazz
vocal team consisting of husband and wife singer Jackie Cain
(born May 22, 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
) and singer/pianist
Roy Kral
(born October 10, 1921 in Cicero, Illinois
; died August 2, 2002 in Montclair, New Jersey
). They first joined forces in 1946, and in 1996 they celebrated their 50th anniversary as a vocal duo. Jackie and Roy's stint with Charlie Ventura
's band in 1948 and 1949 brought them a great deal of recognition; Lou Stein
's "East of Suez" was an unusual feature for their voices. Shortly after leaving Ventura in June 1949, they were married and worked together on a regular basis thereafter. Jackie and Roy had their own television show in Chicago in the early 1950s
, worked in Las Vegas
from 1957 to 1960, settled in New York
in 1963, and appeared on some television commercials. They recorded many spirited jazz performances for a variety of labels through the decades, and performed into the 2000s until Kral's death in August 2002. Fairly early in their career, Jackie and Roy were befriended by composer Alec Wilder
, who wrote the liner notes for one of their earliest albums, Jackie Cain and Roy Kral (1955). They had always favored Wilder's songs and, ten years after his death, paid tribute by recording an entire album of them, An Alec Wilder Collection.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
vocal team consisting of husband and wife singer Jackie Cain
Jackie Cain
Jackie Cain is an American jazz vocalist best known for her partnership with her husband Roy Kral as the team Jackie and Roy.-Selected discography:* So Many Stars -Literature:...
(born May 22, 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
) and singer/pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
Roy Kral
Roy Kral
Roy Kral was an American jazz pianist and vocalist best known for his partnership with his wife Jackie Cain as the team Jackie and Roy. He was the brother of the singer Irene Kral....
(born October 10, 1921 in Cicero, Illinois
Cicero, Illinois
Cicero is an incorporated town in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 83,891 at the 2010 census. Cicero is named for the town of Cicero, New York, which in turn was named for Marcus Tullius Cicero, the Roman statesman and orator....
; died August 2, 2002 in Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
). They first joined forces in 1946, and in 1996 they celebrated their 50th anniversary as a vocal duo. Jackie and Roy's stint with Charlie Ventura
Charlie Ventura
Charlie Ventura was a tenor saxophonist and bandleader.Ventura was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He had his first successes working with Gene Krupa. In 1945 he won the Down Beat readers' poll in the tenor saxophone division...
's band in 1948 and 1949 brought them a great deal of recognition; Lou Stein
Lou Stein
Lou Stein was an American jazz pianist.Stein's first major gig came in 1942 when he joined Ray McKinley's band. He also played with Glenn Miller when the latter was stateside during World War II.After the war he worked with Charlie Ventura and following this became a session musician...
's "East of Suez" was an unusual feature for their voices. Shortly after leaving Ventura in June 1949, they were married and worked together on a regular basis thereafter. Jackie and Roy had their own television show in Chicago in the early 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
, worked in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
from 1957 to 1960, settled in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1963, and appeared on some television commercials. They recorded many spirited jazz performances for a variety of labels through the decades, and performed into the 2000s until Kral's death in August 2002. Fairly early in their career, Jackie and Roy were befriended by composer Alec Wilder
Alec Wilder
Alec Wilder was an American composer.-Biography:...
, who wrote the liner notes for one of their earliest albums, Jackie Cain and Roy Kral (1955). They had always favored Wilder's songs and, ten years after his death, paid tribute by recording an entire album of them, An Alec Wilder Collection.
Selected discography
- Jackie and Roy: Jazz Classics by Charlie Ventura's Band (1948; reissue on CD, 2005, of earlier 78s)
- Jackie Cain and Roy Kral (Trio Records, 1955 [PA-6128]; reissued by StoryvilleStoryville RecordsStoryville Records is a large international record label based in Copenhagen, Denmark, specializing in jazz and blues music. Besides its original material, Storyville Records has licensed and reissued many vintage jazz recordings that previously appeared on such labels as Paramount Records,...
, then by Black LionBlack Lion RecordsBlack Lion Records was a jazz record label based in London, England.Black Lion was founded by Alan Bates in 1968. The label had two series of releases, one for British jazz musicians and one for international musicians...
as Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most, 1987) (with Barney KesselBarney KesselBarney Kessel was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. Generally considered to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century, he was noted in particular for his vast knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies...
, Red MitchellRed MitchellKeith Moore "Red" Mitchell Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell (September 20, 1927, New York City - November 8, 1992, Salem, Oregon, was an American jazz double-bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet. He was the brother of Whitey Mitchell....
, Shelly ManneShelly ManneShelly Manne , born Sheldon Manne in New York City, was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, swing, bebop, avant-garde jazz and fusion, as well as contributing...
) - Sing Baby Sing! (Storyville, 1956)
- The Glory of Love (MCA, 1956)
- Jackie and Roy (Brunswick, 1957)
- Bits and Pieces (ABC-ParamountABC RecordsABC Records was an American record label, founded in New York City in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records. It originated as the main popular music label operated the Am-Par Record Corporation, the music subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Company . ABC-Paramount Records' first president was Samuel H....
, 1957) - Free and Easy (ABC-Paramount, 1957) (with Bill Holman's Orchestra)
- In the Spotlight (ABC-Paramount, 1958)
- Sweet and Low Down (CBS Mastersound, 1960)
- Double Take (Columbia RecordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, 1961) - Like Sing (Columbia, 1963)
- By Jupiter & Girl Crazy (RouletteRoulette RecordsRoulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director...
, 1964; reissued by Fresh SoundFresh SoundFresh Sound, or Fresh Sound New Talent, is a Spanish jazz label based in Barcelona, specializing in American jazz music.Fresh Sound was founded in 1983 as a reissue label for 1950s jazz...
) - Changes: Jackie & Roy (VerveVerve RecordsVerve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
, 1966) - Lovesick (Verve, 1966)
- Grass (CapitolCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, 1969) - Time & Love (CTI, 1972)
- A Wilder Alias (CTI, 1974)
- Howard Rumsey Presents: Concerts by the Sea (Studio 7, 1976) (live)
- Echoes (1976, not issued until 2007 on Jazzed Media) (live; more material from Howard Rumsey's Concerts by the Sea)
- Star Sounds (ConcordConcord RecordsConcord Records is a U.S. record label now based in Beverly Hills, California. Originally known as Concord Jazz, it was established in 1972 as an off-shoot of the Concord Jazz Festival in Concord, California by festival founder Carl Jefferson, a local automobile dealer and jazz fan who sold his...
, 1979) (with Joe BeckJoe BeckJoe Beck was an American guitarist who had been notable in jazz for more than 30 years.Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Beck also briefly flirted with rock music in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
) - East of Suez (Concord, 1980)
- A Stephen Sondheim Collection (Finesse, 1982)
- High Standards (Concord, 1982)
- We've Got It: The Music Of Cy Coleman (DiscoveryDiscovery RecordsDiscovery Records was a United States-based record label known for its recordings of jazz music.Discovery was founded in 1948 by jazz fan and promoter Albert Marx...
, 1984) - Bogie (Fantasy RecordsFantasy RecordsFantasy Records is a United States-based record label that was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. They had previously operated a record-pressing plant called Circle Record Company before forming the Fantasy label...
, 1986) - One More Rose: A Tribute to Alan Jay Lerner (Audiophile, 1987)
- Full Circle (ContemporaryContemporary RecordsContemporary Records was a jazz record label founded by Lester Koenig in 1951 in Los Angeles. Contemporary was known for seminal recordings embodying the West Coast sound, but also released recordings based in New York...
, 1988; reissued by Fantasy, 1992) - An Alec Wilder Collection (Audiophile, 1990)
- Forever (MusicMasters, 1995)
- The ABC Paramount Years (1997; compilation of earlier material)
- The Beautiful Sea: Songs of Sun, Sand & Sea (DRG, 1999)