Jr. Davis Sammy DEFINITIVE COLLECTIO

Liner Note Author: David Ritz.
Photographers: Govert de Roos; Herb Snitzer; David Redfern; Lee Tanner.
Arrangers: Dave Grusin; Don Costa; Richard Wess; Marty Paich; Mort Stevens; Perry Botkin, Jr.; Quincy Jones; Sy Oliver.
The Candy Man most certainly could, as evidenced by this smartly compiled 20-track collection. Sammy Davis Jr., one of America's most intriguing and beloved entertainers, was adept at handling both classic pop tunes and smoky jazz standards, crooning them in a voice that could be smooth, pleasing, and irreverent. As an African-American Jew (with one eye, no less), Davis was undeniably a show business anomaly, but one listen to songs such "I've Gotta Be Me" or "Love Me or Leave Me," and his signature tunes "Mr. Bojangles" and "The Candy Man," proves that Davis's outsider status was a source of pride and creative energy, rather than an inhibitor.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop Vocals