2 LPs on 1 CD: AT THE WALDORF ASTORIA (1957)/AT THE SANDS (1961).

Personnel includes: Lena Horne (vocals); Lennie Hayton (conductor).

Recorded live at the Waldorf Astoria, New York, New York and the Sands, Las Vegas, Nevada on Feburary 20, 1957 and November 3-5, 1960. Originally released on RCA (1038) & RCA (2364).

Vocalist Lena Horne is most widely known for her film appearances and nightclub performances, and this excellent collection offers up two of the latter, one live set from 1957 at New York City's prestigious Waldorf Astoria Hotel and another from 1960 at Las Vegas's renowned Sands venue. And as this 20-track release makes clear, the Brooklyn-born singer was often more comfortable in front of an audience than in the studio.

Rather than relying on signature tunes such as "Stormy Weather," Horne goes for more adventurous set lists that include energetic numbers such as "Come Runnin'" and "New Fangled Tango," along with medleys of beloved composers, including Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, and Rodgers & Hammerstein. With both performances featuring orchestras conducted by Horne's husband, Lennie Hayton, these are two of the singer's most successful and highly regarded albums, making this two-for-one disc a must-have for '50s and '60s pop-vocal fans.