Personnel:
Bev Kelly (vcl), Harry Edison (tp), Pony Poindexter (as), Jerome Richardson (fl, ts), Jimmy Jones, Flip Nuñez (p), Kenny Burrell (g), Milt Hinton, Johnny Allen (b), Osie Johnson, Johnny Cresci, Roy Haynes, Tony Johnson (d)
Reference: FSR V146 CD
Bar code: 8427328641463
The Best Voices Time Forgot
Collectible Albums by Top Female Vocalists
· Collector's Edition
· 2 LPs on 1 CD
· Original Cover Art
· Complete Personnel Details
· Original liner Notes
· Stereo Recordings
· Newly Remastered in 24-Bit
Love Locked Out: Songs by Bev Kelly
In 'Love Locked Out,' Bev Kelly delivers an intimate and emotionally rich set of ballads and jazz-inflected songs of love and loss. With sensitive backing from jazz greats like Jimmy Jones, Kenny Burrell, Milt Hinton, and Harry Edison, Kelly’s warm voice, subtle swing, and intelligent phrasing mark her as a true original. Drawing from lesser-known standards and hidden gems, she brings fresh life to every lyric, proving that jazz isn’t just in her style—it’s in her bones. This is a captivating portrait of a maturing artist with a deep emotional connection to her material.
Bev Kelly in Person
Recorded live at San Francisco’s Coffee Gallery in 1960, Bev Kelly in Pers on captures the intimate magic of a vocalist in full command of her art. Backed by Pony Poindexter’s quartet—with the wonderfully responsive pianist Flip Nuñez—Kelly swings effortlessly through a set of timeless standards, blending emotional depth with clarity, style, and a natural feel for jazz. From heartfelt ballads to brisk swingers, her vibrant voice and subtle phrasing shine through in this rare club date that proves some of the best moments happen outside the studio. Warm, honest, and compelling—this is Bev Kelly at her most personal and inspired.
Love Locked Out: Songs by Bev Kelly
"Although she had an appealing voice and a softly swinging style, Bev Kelly only recorded two jazz albums before sinking permanently into obscurity. On the CD reissue of her first Riverside date, the repertoire mostly deals with lost love and most of the songs are taken at slow-to-medium tempos. The supporting cast is impressive (pianist Jimmy Jones, guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist Milt Hinton, Roy Haynes, Osie Johnson or Johnny Cresci on drums and occasionally trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison or Jerome Richardson on flute and tenor) and the songs are strong. Kelly does a particularly good job on "My Ship," "I'm Gonna Laugh You Right out of My Life" and "Gloomy Sunday"; the latter is very much in Billie Holiday's style. Fans of jazz singing would be well advised to check out this interesting set."
—Scott Yanow (All Music Guide)
Bev Kelly in Person
"The history of jazz is full of talented singers who, for whatever reason, never became as well-known as they should have been. That is certainly true of Bev Kelly, an obscure Bay Area-based vocalist whose influences ranged from Anita O'Day to Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington. It's safe to say that the vast majority of jazz lovers have never even heard of Kelly, but the singer did have an enthusiastic supporter in Orrin Keepnews, who produced this live date for Riverside. Recorded at the Coffee Gallery in San Francisco in 1960, In Person was out of print for a long time [...] Kelly had a raspy yet sweetly vulnerable delivery, and that approach serves her well on tasteful, introspective performances of well-known standards like "My Funny Valentine," "Long Ago and Far Away," and "Body and Soul." Kelly swings, but she does so in a subtle fashion. Thankfully, the singer has sympathetic accompaniment in alto saxman Pony Poindexter, pianist Flip Nunez, bassist Johnny Allen, and drummer Tony Johnson. Some bop-oriented instrumentalists have a hard time backing singers, but these Bay Area jazzmen enjoy a strong rapport with Kelly. So why was a singer as expressive as Kelly so obscure? One can only speculate. The music business is incredibly competitive as well as extremely political, and a lot of talented, deserving people inevitably fall through the cracks. In Person makes one wish that Kelly wasn't one of them."
—Alex Henderson (All Music Guide)
