Swing Set

Swing Set

Track Listings

1. Sound of Love - Dave Boyer,

2. Abide With Me

3. He'll Never Let You Fall - Dave Boyer,

4. Strike up the Band - Ralph Carmichael Orchestra & Chorus

5. Quiet Place

6. I'm So Glad Jesus Lifted Me - Dave Boyer,

7. Let Us Break Bread Together

8. We Are More Than Conquerors

9. Power in Praisin' the Lord

10. Just a Closer Walk With Thee

11. All My Life

Tracks:

I Saw Stars (Unissued As 78) (September 1934)
I'm Confessin'
Dinah
Tiger Rag
Oh Lady Be Good
I Saw Stars (December 1934)
Lily Belle May June
Sweet Sue, Just You
I'm Confessin'
The Continental
Blue Drag
Swanee River
The Sunshine Of Your Smile
Ultrafox
Avalon
Smoke Rings
Clouds
Believe It, Beloved
I've Found A New Baby
St. Louis Blues
Crazy Rhythm
The Sheik Of Araby
Chasing Shadows
I've Had My Moments
Some Of These Days
Djangology

Tracks:

Honeysuckle Rose
Sweet Georgia Brown
Night And Day
My Sweet
Souvenirs
Daphne
Black And White
Stompin' At Decca
Tornerai
If I Had You
It Had To Be You
Nocturne
The Flat Foot Foogie
The Lambeth Walk
Why Shouldn't I?
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
Please Be Kind
Louise
Improvisation No.2
Undecided
HCQ Strut
Don't Worry 'Bout Me
The Man I Love
My Sweet
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
Improvisation No.2

Tracks:

Billets Doux
Swing From Paris
Them There Eyes
Three Little Words
Appel Direct
Hungaria
Hungaria
Jeepers Creepers
Jeepers Creepers
Swing '39
Japanese Sandman
I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight
I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight
Tea For Two
Tea For Two
My Melancholy Baby
Time On My Hands
Twelfth Year
Twelfth Year
My Melancholy Baby
Japanese Sandman
Tea For Two
I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight
Hungaria

Tracks:

Blue Moon
Avalon
What A Difference A Day Made
Stardust
St. Louis Blues
Limehouse Blues
I Got Rhythm
I've Found A New Baby
It Was So Beautiful
China Boy
Moon Glow
It Don't Mean A Thing
I'se A-Muggin'
I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Oriental Shuffle
After You've Gone
Are You In The Mood?
Limehouse Blues
Nagasaki
Swing Guitars
Georgia On My Mind
Shine
In The Still Of The Night
Sweet Chorus

Tracks:

Exactly Like You
Charleston
You're Driving Me Crazy
Tears
Solitude
Hot Lips
Ain't Misbehavin'
Rose Room
Body And Soul
When Day Is Done
Runnin' Wild
Chicago
Liebestraum No.3
Miss Annabelle Lee
A Little Love, A Little Kiss
Mystery Pacific
In A Sentimental Mood
The Sheik Of Araby
Improvisation
Parfum
Alabamy Bound
Rosetta
Stardust
The Object Of My Affection

Amazon.com

This wonderful five-disc box is an indispensable collection of prewar, prebop jazz that belongs in the company of your finest Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Benny Goodman sets. Technically, this isn't a true box set--it merely collects five single-disc compilations under one slipcase--but it is infinitely rewarding nonetheless. Disheartened by what he thought were sonically subpar Reinhardt collections, Ted Kendall undertook an ambitious mission to find the best original sources for this classic material and then meticulously remastered them. He wisely opted to leave in some of the surface noise to maintain the clarity and integrity of the music. And what glorious, jubilant music it is! Dating to the very first Quintet of the Hot Club of France sessions in September 1934 (before they'd even established that moniker), the collection includes all the landmark recordings Reinhardt made for Ultraphone, Decca (its English and French labels), and HMV up through the Quintet's 1939 breakup on the eve of World War II. Reinhardt's guitar work is spirited and adventurous throughout--lightning-quick runs, insistent rhythm work, and hybrid "riffs" that seem to split the difference. Nearly all the cuts feature the elegant but vivacious violin work of his most famous foil, Stephane Grappelli, who certainly deserves co-billing on the set. The way the two feed off each other's energy is magical. Despite their well-documented personality clashes, the twosome remains perhaps the most synergistic in jazz history, constantly engaging in their incredible cat-and-mouse games. Often overlooked are the songwriting talents of the two musicians, who contributed several standards to the jazz canon. Though mostly focused on the Quintet recordings, the set detours for such oddities as a pair of solo Reinhardt cuts from 1937 and collaborations with Coleman Hawkins. Simply delightful from beginning to end. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful - for the Purists among us.......2007-07-02

Django Reinhardt's music is a study in Jazz influence, improvisation and sheer exuberance. These recordings take you through his early years and maturity as an astonishing guitarist. If you understand guitar and what it took for him to play as he did, your appreciation for the technical virtuosity cannot but respond to his work.

The digital re-masterings themselves faithfully reproduce the original sounds, complete with all of the surface noise that attended those early 78's. For the purist this is no problem because the desire is to not have any of the music also filtered. For those who are into casual listening or background music while you drive, especially if you listen at high volume, you might find it a bit distracting.

One of the most delightful aspects of Reinhardt's group is Stephan Grappely's Jazz violin. We don't think of the violin as a jazz instrument very often, but these folks made it work wonderfully in group. Reinhardt shared the lead often with his band and it gives the music a diversity which enables sustained listening without boredom.

Good group, good selections, good music.

Django Reinhardt , Classic Early Recordings.......2007-04-12

Like the Supreme Court Justice opined about obscenity [I'm informed],
he said if he saw it he would know what it was. I have sonically seen
Django and I know what JAZZ GENIUS IS!! He and his consorts swing from
the beginning to the end every time they do a tune. Being an un-recon-
structed Stan Kenton fan of some 60 + years, I recognize that except
for some Shorty Rogers charts and particularly "Stompin' At The Savoy"
by Bill Holman, Django could have made even the Kenton band swing! How
he could swing so hard with a wounded wing is an education. If you dig
jazz or think you might, this is the ONE to buy.

Tout Sweet.......2007-01-08

Imagine yourself luxuriously pouring time down the drain in some obscure cafe, contemplating the crumbling Parisian skyline through an absinthe-induced fog, puffing on a Gauloise sans filtre securely plugged into an ivory cigarette holder. At the adjoining table a taciturn J.P. Sartre is cheating at solitaire. Out back, on the cobblestone street worn smooth by centuries of horse hooves, Gertrude Stein is rebuilding the transmission of an American Jeep. This is your sound track.

The Classic Early Recordings of Django Reinhardt is one of the best deals in the entire Amazon jungle. From sound quality to song selection to sheer quantity, this superb 5-CD set recreates a whole environment; it transports you to another place and time. Perhaps the only flaw is that Stephane Grappelly does not get equal billing - the real magic of this music is found in the interplay between these two giants.

It is tempting to say that Reinhardt was the Hendrix of his generation; it is perhaps more accurate to say that Hendrix was the Reinhardt of his generation. Django Reinhardt, (believed by some to be the best guitarist ever), belongs in the same pantheon with Art Tatum and Charlie Parker - he exhibited almost Faustian brilliance, worlds beyond other players. Green bananas are advised to remember that everything Reinhardt played - he actually played - these recordings were made long before technology took the place of talent.

Reinhardt's style is extremely athletic, he strums as if he is trying to rip the strings off. Lightning-quick riffs are tossed off almost thoughtlessly, creating a vibrant, racing energy. Grappelly's elegant, lyrical violin is the perfect counterpoint, where Reinhardt drives, Grappelly soars. As staggeringly fast as Reinhardt is, Grappelly never strains to keep up, his work here establishes him as heavyweight champ of jazz violin. This music is relentlessly joyful, upbeat, and sweet. While it is always possible to analyze it for sheer technical virtuosity, the temptation to fall under its magical spell is far greater. Absolutely enchanting.

Guitarist Supreme-Django Reinhardt.......2006-08-20

This is a first for us to hear Django play guitar.A simply wonderful set of his recordings. We love his way of playing. So expressive and uplifting and up to date.He is very accomplished musician. "Ted Kendall" (sound engineer) did a fine job of restoring of original recordings. The CD and case like new. Arrived on time. Seller highly recommended!

if you have the mosaic and you're wondering..........2006-05-05

it may have been pointed out another reviewer, but:
if you have the mosaic swing/hmv set and you're concerned about overlap, go ahead and get this set. there's only about a disc and a half of overlap. 3 1/2 hours' worth of non-duplicates, of sessions which preceded those in the mosaic and, even better, the complete paris and london decca sides from '38-39. restoration-wise, these are a little noisier than the mosaic, but also sweeter top end. different approach, i like both. pure joy.

Best Of Columbia Years 1943-52 [4-CD SET]

Average customer rating:

An Excellent Collection Of Sinatra's Most Underrated Period.
Best of Columbia Years 1943-52 Sinatra
Sinatra Had Given Us Sooo Many Wonderful Songs For Our Listening Pleasure
Historic and disarmingly great music
The GREATEST singer of ALL time an' the greatest box set I own!

Best Of Columbia Years 1943-52 [4-CD SET]
Frank Sinatra
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Broadway & Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Vocal Pop & Oldies | Pop | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Capitol Years
The Reprise Collection
Complete Capitol Singles Collection
The Essential Frank Sinatra with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (2CD)
Complete Recordings

ASIN: B000007QCN
Release Date: 1998-06-09

Tracks:

Close To You
People Wil Say We're In Love
If You Are But A Dream
Saturday Night (Is The Loneliest Night In The Week)
White Christmas
I Fall In Love Too Easily
Ol' Man River
Stormy Weather
Embraceable You
(I Got A Woman Crazy For Me) She's Funny That Way
My Melancholy Baby
Where Or When
All The Things You Are
I Should Care
Dream
Put Your Dreams Away (For Another Day)
Over The Rainbow
If I Loved You
Someone To Watch Over Me
You Go To My Head
These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
The House I Live In
Day By Day

Tracks:

Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
Full Moon And Empty Arms
Oh, What It Seemed To Be
(I Don't Stand) A Ghost Of A Chance
Why Shouldn't I?
Try A Little Tenderness
Begin The Beguine
They Say It's Wonderful
That Old Black Magic
How Deep Is the Ocean (How Blue Is The Sky)
Home On The Range
Five Minutes More
The Things We Did Last Summer
Among My Souvenirs
September Song
Blue Skies
Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
Lost In The Stars
There's No Business Like Show Business
Time After Time
The Brooklyn Bridge
Sweet Lorraine
Always
Mam'selle

Tracks:

Stella By Starlight
My Romance
If I Had You
One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
But Beautiful
You're My Girl
All Of Me
Night And Day
S'posin
The Night We Called It A Day
The Song Is You
What'll I Do
The Music Stopped
Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread)
I've Got A Crush On You
Body And Soul
I'm Glad There Is You
Autumn In New York
Nature Boy
Once In Love With Amy
Some Enchanted Evening
The Hucklebuck
Let 's Take An Old-Fashioned Walk
It All Depends On You

Tracks:

Bye Bye Baby
Don't Cry Joe (Let Her Go, Let Her Go, Let Her Go)
That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)
Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy
American Beauty Rose
Should I (Reveal)
You Do Something To Me
Lover
When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smile With You)
London By Night
Meet Me At The Copa
April In Paris
I Guess I'll Have To Dream The Rest
Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)
I Am Loved
Hello, Young Lovers
We Kiss In A Shadow
I'm A Fool To Want You
Love Me
Deep Night
I Could Write A Book
I Hear A Rhapsody
My Girl
The Birth Of The Blues
Azure-Te (Paris Blues)
Why Try To Change Me Now

Amazon.com

This four-disc, 97-track collection compiles the highlights of the first major period of Frank Sinatra's solo career, beginning with 1943's "Close To You," and ending with 1952's "Why Try to Change Me Now." Sinatra was the preeminent singing idol of American teenagers (the female ones, at least) during this period, thanks to the dreamily smooth crooning style he exhibits here on "People Will Say We're in Love," "I Should Care," "Embraceable You," and dozens of others. Sometimes the still-callow singer isn't up to the material ("Ol' Man River"), sometimes the material isn't worthy of the singer ("The Hucklebuck"), and Sinatra would certainly go on to greater artistic achievements during his Capitol and Reprise years. Still, this box set is an absolutely essential purchase for any self-respecting Sinatra fan. --Dan Epstein

Customer Reviews:

An Excellent Collection Of Sinatra's Most Underrated Period........2007-07-22

In comparison to his Capitol and Reprise years, Frank Sinatra's tenure at his first label, Columbia, is unfairly forgotten about by most. And at first glance, it's easy to see why, as artistically, it's easily his weakest period. There's nothing on here as memorable or as artistically impressive as, say, "I've Got You Under My Skin", and Frank's voice had not yet matured into the rich, provocative instrument it would become, nor had be begun to work with arrangers as talented as Nelson Riddle or Don Costa (though Axl Strodahl more than holds his own).

That being said, the 97 tracks featured on "The Best Of The Columbia Years" are nothing to sneeze at. This is Frank in all his youthful glory. His voice isn't as resonant or raw as it on his later recordings, but his way of interpreting a song properly like no other past or present is in full bloom.

For the most part, the songs are on the slower side of things, which for me is excellent. To hear Frank's voice in such a youthful, intimate manner is simply a thrill. It makes songs like "Close To You", "If You Are But A Dream", "The Things We Did Last Summer" and many others sound all the more endearing and passionate. Of course, the album does swing in many instances, and those tracks work just as well.

Many of the songs here (such as, "Someone To Watch Over Me", "Put Your Dreams Away", "Nancy", "Where Or When", "Oh, What It Seemed To Be", "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry", "All Of Me", "Night And Day" and especially "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) were perfected at Frank's latter recording labels, without these, the excellent in their own right originals, as the foundation for those wonderful later renditions, it's unlikely those later versions would have been half as good (though I'm amazed at the striking difference between the lackluster 1947 version of "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)" and the masterful 1958 rendition, as they're almost two completely different songs).

The sound quality is fantastic despite some distant static, and the booklet and overall packaging are boh simply magnifcint. This a an absolute must have that all Sinatra fans should snatch up without hesitation.

Best of Columbia Years 1943-52 Sinatra.......2007-04-05

It couldn't get any better. Sinatra's choice of songs, his phrasing, that beautiful voice, I'm in love again.

Sinatra Had Given Us Sooo Many Wonderful Songs For Our Listening Pleasure .......2007-01-17

"Frank Sinatra was like the Mount Everest for a songwriter: if you got Frank to do one of your songs, it was done right." ~ Antonio Carlos Jobim ~

This is *the* most comprehensive CD package I've ever came across in all Sinatra recordings. It's a 4-CD set consisting of his best recordings from Columbia Records from 1943 thru 1952, which includes ninety-seven songs, most are rare recordings and some alternate takes. With the package is a very detailed and informative booklet of 76 pages that documents Frank Sinatra's fruitful tenure at Columbia Records. The introduction was written by his celebrated daughter, Nancy Sinatra, who singled out the most outstanding quality of her father, his honesty - "honesty that comes through in the lyrics, in the music, in everything that he does. It's that feeling that enables him to take for example, a Sammy Cahn lyric - with Sammy's deepest, most profound feelings - and make it understood by everybody. That's the mark of a great communicator, and not many people are able to do that sort of thing in the honest way he does!"

The booklet offers a chock-full of goodies such as photos of Sinatra with some of the musicians involved in these recordings -- mini photos of music sheets, album covers and single records; photos of songwriters Irving Berlin, Jonny Mercer, Rodgers & Hart, George & Ira Gershwin, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn; alphabetical song titles and CD location listing; a discography; a complete orchestra personnel listing in New York and Hollywood studios; brief information on arrangers Heinie Beau, Sy Oliver, Ray Conniff and Percy Faith; and the following interesting articles.

1. At The Heart of American Music by Daniel Okrent, Managing Editor of Life Magazine
2. The Essence of Axel by Will Friedwald, Author
3. Sinatra Standards by Roy Hemming, Classic Pop Historian
4. The Art of Recording by Charles Granata, Author, Sinatra Historian and Archivist
5. Sinatra In Transition - an appreciation by Will Friedwald, Author
6. Frankly Speaking - interviews and personal recollections by Dave Mann and Matt Dennis, Composers

One thing I admire about Frank Sinatra besides his many musical virtues was his deep sense of gratitude, he always gave credit when it's due especially to people whom he had worked with. And these are his thoughts: "I consider myself among the luckiest people in the world to have been able to make a career out of what I love to do - interpret wonderful music." It's a common knowledge that Sinatra's bright career started at Columbia and he declared that it was a "rare opportunity and a treasured gift having the opportunity to immerse himself in the talents of people like Axel Stordahl, the Gershwins, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Alec Wilder and Nat King Cole" while he was at Columbia Records. In addition, his pianist Stan Freeman commented that he only remembers Sinatra as "being very aware of what he wanted, and getting it! If he thought a flute or oboe part should be left out on one session, he would say so. He didn't have to take charge, but nominally he was in charge - and everybody knew that. He was always very pleasant, never any tantrums or anything."

Listening to these CDs gives me a touch of nostalgia that takes me back in time when I was growing up and constantly hearing these same songs played repeatedly by my late parents. These are the original recordings and I guess Sinatra's renditions are more subdued and reserved as opposed to the second or even third recordings. In my opinion, there is that element of restraint in the way he interpreted them as compared to his passionate performances in the succeeding years from 1953 thru the last years of his recording career. But don't get me wrong, I still consider these CDs five-star materials. They are truly remarkable and the songs that stand out and the most wonderful from this set are as follow.

Disc 1
"Close To You," "If You Are But A Dream," "Stormy Weather," "Embraceable You," "Where Or When," "All The Things You Are," "Dream," "If I Loved You," "Someone To Watch Over Me," "You Go To My Head," "These Foolish Things," "Day By Day," "Put Your Dreams Away" and "I Should Care."

Disc 2
"Always," "Mam'selle," "Time After Time," "Try A Little Tenderness," "Full Moon And Empty Arms," "Begin The Beguine," "They Say It's Wonderful," "That Old Black Magic," "Five Minutes More," "The Things We Did Last Summer" and "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry."

Disc 3
"My Romance," "If I Had You," "Stella By Starlight," "But Beautiful," "All Of Me," "Night And Day," "The Song Is You," "S'posin'," "What'll I Do?," "Fools Rush In," "I've Got A Crush On You," "It All Depends On You" and "Some Enchanted Evening."

Disc 4
"You Do Something To Me," "When You're Smiling," "Nevertheless," "The Birth of the Blues," "Should I Reveal?" and "I Could Write A Book."

This is Axel Stordahl's greatest contribution to Sinatra's rise to stardom. He was called the "Father of Modern Vocal Orchestrations" for his exceptional arrangements on most of the tracks. Nelson Riddle once said that Stordahl was his favorite arranger/conductor. He was Sinatra's very first conductor and musical director. He was described by Will Friedwald as "the man who helped popular music's greatest vocalist lay the foundation for his entire career."

I agree with another great Sinatra arranger who was also very impressed with the works of Stordahl, Don Costa, when he said; "Nobody wrote ballads as pretty as he did until many years later when Nelson Riddle came along. I think he was really the "Daddy" that people began to learn from in the sense of writing orchestrations. He was really the most prolific of his time."

Here's to the magic of wonderful music courtesy of Sinatra and his great orchestrators/arrangers in these recordings: Axel Stordahl, Sy Oliver, Heinie Beau, Ray Conniff, Norman Leyden, Mitch Miller, George Siravo, Alec Wilder, Jeff Alexander, John Guarnieri and Percy Faith. And not to mention the special contributions of his guest musicians: Nat King Cole (piano "Sweet Lorraine"), Johnny Hodges (alto sax "Sweet Lorraine"), Coleman Hawkins (tenor sax "Sweet Lorraine"), Dinah Shore (duet "My Romance"), Felix Slatkin (violin "Always") and Ray Charles Singers ("I'm A Fool To Want You").

The songs in these CDs are the very same songs that launched the bright career of the Chairman of the Board. These are the original recordings that speak of simple elegance and honest-to-goodness interpretations devoid of any technical tricks.

To any serious Sinatra collector, this is an essential add-on.

"I adore making records. I'd rather do that than almost anything else." ~ Frank Sinatra ~

Historic and disarmingly great music.......2002-01-30

Recordings from the 1940s have a lot going against them as we begin the next century. From antiquated recording technology to the changes in our musical tastes from then to now, the listener must be ready to take a journey when slipping WWII era tunes into the CD player (or whatever comes next). The Sinatra 'Best of the Columbia Years' set makes that journey absolutely worth the ride.

Some of the finest popular recordings are found in this collection -- along with more than a couple that are less timeless and could have been left in the '40s. Forget the hard swinging Sinatra of the late '50s and early '60s. Listen to 'Stella by Starlight', 'The Song is You' and 'What'll I Do.' The long vocal passages, sung by a guy who really wants to know what he will do when his girl is gone -- and really hurts -- are still spellbinding. 'Night and Day' was an incredible song even in this early recording, and the quality of the recording is plenty good enough to recognize how impressive many of these songs really were -- and are.

With 94 tracks, it is pointless to list all the highlights here. It is riveting, however, to hear the origins of Sinatra classics such as 'Where or When', 'That Old Black Magic' and 'Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry.' What is remarkable is not that many of these songs sound dated ('Old Fashioned Walk' would be laughed off the shelves today, as would 'The Hucklebuck') but that many more make the listener forget the age of the music and feel the message.

The Sinatra of 1943-1952 is not for everybody, and there are some numbers here that have not aged well. But if you want to know Sinatra before the cigarettes and booze started to take his voice (after the '60s the effects are pronounced), this is a superb set. The quality of the music, the reasonable quality of the recordings and the first-rate booklet that accompanies the four CDs all make this a must have for Sinatra fans. No matter how much we enjoy the Sinatra of the Capitol years and the Las Vegas era, there is something compelling about these early tracks. Try this. Pick a forgotten song like 'Deep Night', turn down the lights, turn up the volume a bit and thank the engineers at Columbia for making this obscure bit of magic available to us half a century later.

The GREATEST singer of ALL time an' the greatest box set I own!.......2000-11-20

The greatest singer of all time, Frank Sinatra, will always live on, thanks to the countless recordings he did over his 60-year career. He is the voice of our love, happiness, sorrow, guilt, regret, and holidays. He was also the voice that provided comfort for women on the homefront during World War II while the husbands were overseas serving our country. They flocked to the Paramount Theatre or the 500 Club to see him, they screamed, yelled, caused riots, fainted, etc. Before Elvis, before the Beatles, Frankie made them swoon.

Sinatra began recording for Columbia in 1943 after a few years singing and making records with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, and as a loyal Sinatra fan, the necessity of owning this 4-CD set did not go over me. These are my absolute favorite Sinatra recordings for the sheer simplicity of them. They are tender, sentimental, heartfelt; jus' some simple songs 'bout love an' romance (save a few social numbers like 'the House I Live In'). This is jus' a man crooning in all aspects of the term. I mean, this was the first singer to put ALL of himself into the words he sang, to truly pour his soul into the songs. And the world hasn't seen another one like him since.

Venture back to a time that, even though history tends to romanticize it maybe TOO much sometimes, still seems so much simpler than these morally reprehensible days we're livin' in now. Bottomline. This is the mos' beautiful music in the world.

Average customer rating:

Good Old Boy
Good stuff
hard hard and even harder core country!!!
Aged to perfection
Love it!

The Truth Will Set You Free
James Hand
Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music

General | Country | Styles | Music

Western Swing | Country | Styles | Music

New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music

Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Whiskey or God
Tulsa
Straight to Hell
You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker
All the Roadrunning

ASIN: B000E5N652
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Tracks:

Banks Of The Brazos
Baby, Baby, Don't Tell Me That
Here Lies A Good Old Boy
I've Got A Lot Of Hiding To Do
If I Live Long Enough To Heal
In The Corner, At The Table, By The Jukebox
Leave The Lonely Alone
Little Bitty Slip
Just An Old Man With An Old Song
Shadows Where The Magic Was
The Truth Will Set You Free
When You Stopped Loving Me, So Did I

Customer Reviews:

Good Old Boy.......2007-07-24

I was at a Dale Watson show in Newcastle, Australia and Dale mentioned James hand as a great singer/songwriter. I took note and ordered this album. Once received, it has NOT been off my CD player/s since; and I got it at the end of April 07!!!!! This album is probably one of the finest honky-tonk albums ever to be released. And to think James wrote all the material!! I would put this right up there with anything Hank Williams has done and that's saying something. Before you scoff at that, give this album a good listen and then tell me I'm wrong.

The production and playing on this record are first rate. It was produced by Ray Benson (of AATW) and Lloyd Maines with Red Volkaart and Lloyd playing superb guitar and steel respectively. But it's James' voice and songwritng which makes this an absolutely essential country album. His voice cracks slightly now and again as though his heart is about to break and it will send shivers down your spine. His songs are quite personal and show a life of hard times, lost love, heavy drinking and broken hearts; all classic country music fare but James does it better than just about anyone.

Just get this album, play it to death and you'll be in Honky Tonk heaven.

Good stuff.......2007-05-19

My husband had the opportunity to see James Hand...and talk with him...at a small bar in Richmond. We since then have purchased his CD for other people also.Good Stuff!!! I am not a big country music fan...but I really like his voice...this is real country music.

hard hard and even harder core country!!!.......2007-05-13

There should be a caution label on this cd much like the rappers have on they're cds warning you. If you have been listening to what nashville puts out as country these days and thats all you know James Hand will destroy your mind lol. A celebration of hard core Texas honky tonk and of course its all wonderful. He's much like these extreme hot sauces that can put you in the hospital if your not careful, but once handled you got to go even hotter a pure addiction this brother is James Hand!! Testify!!! Hell this would be too heavy for 1967 country figure it out for 2007 lol. This ol boy aint retro or playing a part hes pure country and thats a fact. Fantastic.

Aged to perfection.......2007-03-03

Now here is one of the best "new" voices to come down the pike. I bought this one on a whim, after reading a few of the earlier reviews; and I'm glad I did. I really cannot do this man justice with a few written words, so you'll just have to buy the CD and enjoy it. James Hand picks up where the great Vernon Oxford left off. True, James continues much in the same vein as Hank Williams and Frankie Miller, but he's also adopted the modern shuffle and rhythm that Vernon Oxford did in his early years. In other words, this is great honky-tonk music. Maybe not quite up to the standards of Charlie Walker, but given time, I think James Hand will put his brand on "bar-room country"....actually, I think he had the potential to rule that sadly-shrinking genre we call Honky-Tonk. He is to Hank Williams, what Justin Trevino is to Johnny Bush, or Dale Watson is to Merle; and most importantly, James is not a mere imitator. There are 12 numbers here, and they're all excellent. Personal favorites include "Little Bitty Slip", "Baby, Baby,.....", and "In the Corner.....". If you've become disheartened (or just plain pissed-off) at the crap being pushed as country music today, then get this one; it will restore your faith. A+++++++++++++++++++++

Love it!.......2007-02-23

I am not a country music fan, but I heard this one played and reviewed on NPR, and ordered it. I may not be a country music fan, but I AM a James Hand fan.

Average customer rating:

The foundation set of R&B
Great Listening
Lloyd Brown St Louis, MO
A Whole Lotta Music For Not Much Dough
Five Guys Named Moe - bad transfer!

Louis Jordan & His Tympani Five
Jordan Louis & His Tympani Five
Manufacturer: Jsp Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

East Coast Blues | Regional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Jump Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Box Sets | Stores | Music

General | Jazz | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Box Sets | Stores | Music

General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Classic R&B | R&B | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Classic Hits 1938-52
Let The Good Times Roll: The Anthology 1938-1953
Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930
The Early Years: 1930-34
Stomping at the Savoy

ASIN: B00005KFUG
Release Date: 2001-07-10

Tracks:

Honey In The Bee Ball
Barnacle Bill The Sailor
Flat Face
Keep A Knockin' But You Can't Come In
Sam Jones Done Snagged His Britches On
Swinging In A Coconut Tree
Doug The Jitterbug
At The Swing Cat's Ball
Jake, What A Snake
Honeysuckle Rose
'Fore Day Blues
But I'll Be Back
You Ain't Nowhere
You're My Meat
June Tenth Jamboree
You Run Your Mouth And I'll Run My Business
I'm Alabama Bound
Somebody Done Hoodoo'd The Hoodoo Man
Bounce The Ball (Doo Dah Diddle Dum Day)
Penthouse In The Basement
After School Swing Session (Swinging With Symphony Sid)
Oh Boy, I'm In The Groove
Never Let Your Left Hand Know What The Right Hand's Doin'
Don't Come Cryin' On My Shoulder
Waiting For The Robert E. Lee
A Chicken Ain't Nothing But A Bird
Pompton Turnpike
Do You Call That A Buddy? (Dirty Cat)
I Know. I Know What You Wanna Do

Tracks:

Pinetop's Boogie
The Two Little Squirrels (Nuts To You)
T-Bone Blues
Pan Pan
St Vitus Dance
Saxa Woogie
Brotherly Love
Boogie Woogie Came To Town
How 'Bout That
Mama, Mama Bues (Rusty, Dusty Blues)
Knock Me A Kiss
The Green Grass Grows All Around
Small Town Boy
I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town
What's The Use Of Getting Sober
The Chicks I Pick Are Slender Tender And Tall
I'm Gonna Leave You On The Outskirts Of Town
That'll Just 'Bout Knock Me Out
Five Guys Named Moe
It's A Low Down Dirty Shame
Ration Blues
Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby
Deacon Jones
I Like 'Em Fat Like That
Mop! Mop!
G.I. Jive
You Can't Get That No More

Tracks:

My Baby Said Yes (Yip, Yip De Hootie)
Your Socks Don't Match
Buzz Me
Caldonia Boogie
Somebody Done Changed The Lock On My Door
How Long Must I Wait For You?
Salt Pork, West Virginia
Don't Worry 'Bout That Mule
Stone Cold Dead In The Market
Petootie Pie
Reconversion Blues
It's So Easy
Beware
Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
Choo Choo Ch' Boogie
Ain't That Just Like A Woman
That Chick's Too Young To Fry
No Sale
If It's Love You Want, Baby That's Me
Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens
Let The Good Times Roll
All For The Love Of Lil
Texas And Pacific
Jack, You're Dead
Reet, Petite And Gone
Sure Had A Wonderful Time
I Know What You're Putting Down

Tracks:

Friendship
Open The Door, Richard
Boogie Woogie Blue Plate
Barnyard Boogie
Every Man To His Own Profession
Early In The Morning
Run, Joe
Look Out
Have You Got The Gumption?
We Can't Agree
Chicky-Mo, Craney Crow
Roamin' Blues
Inflation Blues
You're Much Too Fat (And That's That)
Pettin' And Pokin'
You're On The Right Track, Baby
Don't Burn The Candle At Both Ends
Why'd You Do It, Baby?
Daddy-O
Safe, Sane And Single
I Know What I've Got, Don't Know What I'm Getting
You Broke Your Promise
Push-Ka Pee-Shee Pie (The Saga Of Saga Boy)
Coleslaw
Beans And Corn Bread

Tracks:

Onion
Baby's Gonna Go, Bye-Bye
Heed My Warning
Psycho Loco
Baby, It's Cold Outside
Don't Cry, Cry-Baby
School Days
Hungry Man
Saturday Night Fish Fry
I Want A Roof Over My Head
Show Me How (You Milk The Cow)
Blue Light Boogie
Ain't Nobody's Business But My Own
I'll Never Be Free
Tamburitza Boogie
You Dyed Your Hair Chartreuse
Lemonade
It's A Great, Great Pleasure
You Will Always Have A Friend
Trouble Then Satisfaction
Life Is So Peculiar
I'll Be Glad When You're Dead (You Rascal, You)
Tear Drops From My Eyes

Amazon.com

Think five discs and 131 songs is too much Louis Jordan? Not a chance. Not for a man who so consistently and so definitively achieved the elusive and delicate combination of musicianship and accessibility. Not for a man who paved new and vital musical roads without ever losing his sense of style or his appetite for fun. Covering Jordan's historic (not to mention commercially successful) Decca tenure (1938 to 1950), this amazing collection finds the alto sax player, songwriter, and singer building blues and swing into a hot mix that came to be known as R&B, producing hit after hit with topnotch bands behind him, streamlining the big-band concept without diminishing the music's force. Much has been made of his role in the development of R&B--and as a result, rock & roll--and his importance as a musical pioneer can't be underestimated. But all ideas about "historical importance" fade away as these vibrant, insistent, irresistible tracks roll by. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

The foundation set of R&B.......2007-01-10

Simply put, for its value this is one of the greatest collections of CD's of utter joy and happiness around.

This multivolume set covers the early music and musical peak of the musical and comical link between Bert Williams and Louis Armstrong (LJ's dad was a friend of Bert's and used his records to inspire his son, and Satch was a mentor and occasional collaborator with LJ) and the first generation of R&B rockers (Ray Chalres, the Godfather, B.B. King, and Little Richard have all sang their praises to LJ).

Some of his really rare early music is found on the early discs. It took him a while to find his style of humorous stories told to a beat and inspired sax playing, but there are still some diamonds in the rough here. "Swinging in the Coconut Trees" is an amusing and atmospheric instrumental, "Keep a Knockin" was later covered by Little Richard, "Do You Call That a Buddy" is a good comical blues with some nice background singing by the T-5, "June Teenth Jamboree" is probably the first record to deal with this early black holiday (LJ was astudent of Black folklore, and incorporated it into his music), and "What's the Use of Gettin' Sober" is the kind of wild, authentic black humor that would put Amos & Andy's "PseudoNegro" antics to shame.

Later on, we get into the familiar bits of inspired nuttiness and great musicianship. "Caldonia," "Sat Nite Fish Fry," "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie," "Beware" (and its sequel "Look Out Sister" which has some hilarious early rapping), and what is to me the funniest R&B record of all time, the knee-slapping floor-pounding classic BEANS & CORNBREAD.

We also get some of the calypso tunes with Jordan's expertly delivered "Jafakean" accent such as "Run Joe," "Early in the morning," "Stone Cold dead in the Market," and "Push Ka peesh Kee Pie." The West Indians were flattered by these tunes and LJ made succesful tours of the West Indies.

However, the set ends at about 1950, just before our man's career peaked. But his later material is available elsewhere on Amazon. In either case, whenver you come home from a hard day at work, put this set on your CD player. It'll put your psychologist out of work!

Great Listening.......2006-08-14

I wandered into this CD while checking out the many great boxed sets that JSP Records has to offer. I knew very little about Louis Jordan before hearing this, and now I'm hooked! For anybody whole loves to hear the building blocks of modern music, this is for you. If you like to hear things like Bob Wills, Milton Brown, Louis Armstrong, This is for you.

Lloyd Brown St Louis, MO.......2006-04-17

Wolf Shadow, great review. Louis Jordan was my uncle and I have almost all of these great cuts on original 33 1/3s and even 45s and 78s. I will buy this CD to preserve my Louis collection which I hardly ever played in the past 40 years.

I give it four stars instead of five because his grearest blues hit "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" is not included in over 130 cuts.

There are others I would have liked to have seen included like 'School Days', which we loved as kids years ago. Plus more of his blues solos. Lots of people did not consider my uncle a "serious" musician, which he surely was.

All in all, a great box set well worth the price.

A Whole Lotta Music For Not Much Dough.......2006-03-07

Don't think twice-- buy it! Great collection goes on and on, and never runs out of steam. Louis Jordan was at his peak when these were recorded. I repeat: buy!

Five Guys Named Moe - bad transfer!.......2005-03-21

The sound quality on this set is great with one exception: "Five Guys Named Moe" sounds horrible! It sounds like it was dubbed from an out-of-round record! What's most puzzling is that this is the only track that sounds bad, and that this was one of Louis Jordan's biggest hits, with many superior transfers available. JSP usually does a stellar job with sound - what happened here?! Luckily, I still have my LP version. Otherwise I'd give this set 5 stars.

Average customer rating:

Great overview of his early prime years
One Of The Better Values Out There
An astounding value!
Prime Forties Recordings From a Tenor Sax Legend

The Bebop Years
Coleman Hawkins
Manufacturer: Proper UK Boxed Sets
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Box Sets | Stores | Music

General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music

The Lester Young Story
Settin' the Pace
Big Ben
The Fats Navarro Story
Body & Soul

ASIN: B000051TPD
Release Date: 2001-05-28

Tracks:

Body and Soul
Dinah
When Day Is Done
Smack
I Surrender, Dear
I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me
Dedication
Rocky Comfort
One O'Clock Jump
9-20 Special
Feedin' the Bean
Esquire Bounce
My Ideal
Voodte
How Deep Is the Ocean?
Hawkins Barrel House
Stumpy
Lover, Come Back to Me
Blues Changes
Crazy Rhythm
Get Happy
Man I Love

Tracks:

Sweet Lorraine
My Ideal
I Only Have Eyes for You
'S Wonderful
I'm in the Mood for Love
"Bean" at the Met
Woody 'N You
Bu-Dee-Daht
Yesterdays
Flame Thrower
Imagination
Night and Day
Cattin' at Keynote
Disorder at the Border
Feeling Zero
Rainbow Mist
Blue Moon
Father Co-Operates
Just One More Chance
Through for the Night
On the Sunny Side of the Street
Three Little Words

Tracks:

Battle of the Saxes
Louise
Pick-Up Boys
Porgy
Uptown Lullaby
Salt Peanuts
Make Believe
Don't Blame Me
Just One of Those Things
Hallelujah
Stompin' at the Savoy
On the Sunny Side of the Street
All the Things You Are
Every Man for Himself
Look Out Jack!
Under a Blanket of Blue
El Salon de Gutbucket
Undecided
Recollections
Drifting on a Reed
Flyin' Hawk
On the Bean
Hawk's Variations, Pts. 1 & 2

Tracks:

April in Paris
Rifftide
Stuffy
What Is There to Say?
Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)
Bean Soup
It's the Talk of the Town
Say It Isn't So
I Can't Get Started
Cocktails for Two
Sweet Lorraine
Nat Meets June
How High the Moon
Bean-A-Re-Bop
Isn't It Romantic?
Way You Look Tonight
Phantomesque
Angel Face
Picasso
It's Only a Paper Moon
Bah-U-Bah

Album Description

Hawkins reached a new level of creativity during the 1940's. THis box-set focuses on those yeard, presenting the original master of the tenor sax in a wide variety of settings, including his encounters with young modernists like Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk. 88 tracks in all. Includes 56 page booklet containing the full Hawkins story, rare photographs and discography. 2000 release. 4 standard jewel cases housed together in a deluxe slipcase.

Customer Reviews:

Great overview of his early prime years.......2006-01-20

I would recommend this for anyone wanting to get an overview of Hawk's playing from his early prime years. His playing reached a peak in '38 and as far as I can tell pretty much stayed there until his death in the '60s. This contains his legendary recording 'Body and Soul' from '38 and goes to '49.

For comparison I would recommend also getting "The Lester Young Story" also a great 4CD set from Proper covering the same time period.

One Of The Better Values Out There.......2005-08-18

Focusing on this key period shows you why Hawk was one of the top 3 in any one's list of great Sax men...drawing solely on material from 1939-1944 the amazing total quality shines through..For those who care,this set has good quality sound and the book is a good read..

An astounding value!.......2002-05-15

This is an excellent compilation of Hawkins' work between 1939 and 1949. Most of the selections date from 1943 to 1947 and were recorded for several record labels, including Victor, Bluebird, Okeh, Brunswick, V-Disc, Commodore, Signature, Keynote, Apollo, Savoy, Clef, Regis, Capitol, Aladdin, Joe Davis, and Selmer. Sidemen include Roy Eldridge, Benny Carter, Cootie Williams, Count Basie, Art Tatum, Oscar Pettiford, Teddy Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie, Budd Johnson, Ben Webster, Earl Hines, Don Byas, John Kirby, Jonah Jones, Buck Clayton, Thelonious Monk, Howard McGhee, Milt Jackson, Hank Jones, Harry Carney and Miles Davis. As you would expect with such a wide variety of source material, the sound quality varies a bit. However, it ranges from good to excellent and in most cases is on par (or identical:)) with the best previous CD issues of the same music. The set comes with a 56 page booklet that includes a lengthy essay with analysis of each session, several photographs, and a very thorough discography (you can read the complete essay and discography at Proper's website). The essay is good, though it could have used some editing. Also, the photos look like they were duplicated from printed sources. The most important thing, however, is that the music is consistently excellent. These discs show Hawkins at his absolute best, whether in a small group, big band, or solo. For the price the set is an astounding value!

Prime Forties Recordings From a Tenor Sax Legend.......2001-03-06

This is a magnificent collection of the Forties work of tenor sax great Coleman Hawkins, the father of the jazz saxophone. Much of it has been previously released in bits and pieces, but it has never been collected in a single package, and never with such tremendous sound. The set also includes an informative booklet with a number of rarely-scene photographs.

Hawkins began his performing career as a teenager, backing blues singer Mamie Smith in the early 1920's. Before Hawkins, the saxophone was not a major instrument in jazz, and it was seldom featured as a solo instrument. When Hawkins joined Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra in 1924, that began to change. Perhaps inspired by fellow bandmember Louis Armstrong, who spent about a year with Henderson, Hawkins quickly developed his own distinctive style as a soloist. When Armstrong left, Coleman Hawkins became the dominant soloist with the Henderson band, a position he held until 1934. He set the standard for the jazz saxophonist during the first part of the Swing era, and he strongly influenced such other figures as Ben Webster, Benny Carter, Chu Berry and many others. After a productive five-year stay in Europe, Hawkins returned to the U.S. and started his own group in 1939. One of his first records was the ballad "Body and Soul," which became a major pop hit and remains one of the most memorable recordings in jazz history. It set a standard for jazz improvisation that has seldom been matched.

"Body and Soul" first song in this boxed set, and really doesn't belong with the other recordings here, which cover the period 1943-1947. Hawkins' big band failed within a year, and he soon began working with the smaller groups that make up the bulk of these recordings. He worked for a series of small New York-based record companies, both as a leader and a sideman. During this period, the bebop movement began to make inroads into the New York jazz scene. Hawkins was as skilled and schooled as any musician in jazz, and he quickly grasped the innovative ideas that the beboppers were offering in their music. Even though he never fully embraced bebop in his own playing, he often worked with its rising young stars, such as Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Howard McGhee, Fats Navarro and others. Working with these new talents reinvigorated the middle-aged Hawkins, and these are some of the finest recordings of his long career. He also influenced a new generation of saxophonists such as Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins.

Tracks:

In The Mood - Glenn Miller
Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing) - Benny Goodman
Ciribiribin - Harry James
Begin The Beguine - Artie Shaw
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You - Tommy Dorsey
Cherokee - Charlie Barnet
Artistry In Rhythm - Stan Kenton
Take The 'A' Train - Duke Ellington
Minnie The Moocher - Cab Calloway
One O'Clock Jump - Count Basie

Tracks:

Let's Dance (Opening Theme) - Benny Goodman
Woodchopper's Ball - Woody Herman
Leap Frog - Les Brown And His Band Of Renown
Flying Home - Lionel Hampton
A-Tisket A-Tasket - Chick Webb
Dippermouth Blues - The Dorsey Brothers
It's Only A Paper Moon - Paul Whiteman
My Shawl (Theme Song) - Xavier Cugat
I Can't Get Started - Bunny Berigan
Auld Lang Syne - Guy Lombardo

Tracks:

Opus One - Tommy Dorsey
Moonlight Serenade - Glenn Miller
Two O'Clock Jump - Harry James
Summertime - Bob Crosby
Mood Indigo - Duke Ellington
Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar - Andrews Sisters
On A Slow Boat To China - Freddy Martin And His Orchestra
Jazznocracy - Jimmie Lunceford
Apurksody - Gene Krupa
Hell's Bells - Art Kassel And His Kassels-In-The-Air

Tracks:

Stompin' At The Savoy - Benny Goodman
Sentimental Journey - Les Brown And His Band Of Renown
Rum And Coca-Cola - Vaughan Monroe And His Orchestra
All Or Nothing At All - Harry James
Pennsylvania 6-5000 - Glenn Miller
Frenesi - Arite Shaw
Oh! Look At Me Now - Tommy Dorsey
Der Fuerer's Face - Spike Jones
Davenport Blues - Bix Beiderbecke
Goodbye (Closing Theme) - Benny Goodman

Customer Reviews:

Get this with "The War Years".......2006-04-06

Both items-, "The Best of the Big Bands" and "The War Year" are remarkable. They contain some extraordinarily rare recordings by famous artists such as a young "Doris Day" singing "Sentimental Journey" "Bing Crosby" singing "Shoo Shoo Baby," the latter being a wonderful piece of live history, and "Cab Calloway's - Minnie The Moocher"

Many of the tracks were originally "V-Discs" and intended for eventual destruction. That is, each "V-Disc" was to entertain the troops (of the greatest generation) for an allotted time, and then each fragile disc was to be melted-down.

I think, one can't own one box set without the other - they ought to be bought together to get an all-inclusive experience of the era.

However, don't look for flawless Glenn Miller recordings - or any other Big Band for that matter - in these box sets. Every recording in these box sets are presented in their original format - and what could be better! Personally, I don't want any of these recordings so clean that they are deprived of their original charm. Digital remastering can be taken a bit too far sometimes.

I've had to borrow this set for a longtime from a dear friend, but now I'll have my own.

An excellent collaction from the big band era.......2005-10-08

I have to disagree with the previous reviewer. Great collection, yes, but NOT by Glenn Miller. Although there are some excellent Glenn Miller songs included, this collection has most of the Big Band theme songs played by the original artists, and a collection like this is hard to find. So if you have any interest in the music from this era, or want a bit of nostalgia, this is the set for you.

Great.......2000-11-25

This is another awsome set of tracks by Gleen Miller. I loved listening to him and his band play the original jazz master pieces. This is a great addition to anyone's collection of fabulous jazz C.D.'s

Average customer rating:

Great Collection - Ready for more!!!
Great collection
Hi-De-Ho! What a deal on the best of Cab Calloway!
Excellent Compilation
NICELY DONE, BOYS, NICELY DONE. BUY THIS SET!

The Early Years: 1930-34
Cab Calloway , and Cab Calloway
Manufacturer: Jsp Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jive Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Big Band | Jazz | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Vol. 2: 1935-1940
Louis Jordan & His Tympani Five
Stomping at the Savoy
The 1930's Recordings
Are You Hep to the Jive?

ASIN: B00005O13O
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Tracks:

Gotta Darn Good Reason Now (For Bein' Good)
St. Louis Blues
Sweet Jennie Lee
Happy Feet
Yaller
The Viper's Drag
Is That Religion?
Some Of These Days
Nobody's Sweetheart
St. James' Infirmary
Dixie Vagabond
So Sweet
Minnie The Moocher
Doin' The Rumba
Mood Indigo
Farewell Blues
I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby
Creole Love Song (Creole Love Call)
The Levee Low-Down
Blues In My Heart
My Honey's Lovin' Arms
The Nightmare
It Looks Like Susie
Sweet Georgia Brown
Basin Street Blues

Tracks:

Black Rhythm
Six Or Seven Times
Bugle Call Rag
You Rascal, You
Stardust
You Can't Stop Me From Lovin' You
You Dog
Somebody Stole My Gal
Ain't Got No Gal In This Town
Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
Trickeration
Kickin' The Gong Around
Down-Hearted Blues
Without Rhythm
Corinne Corinna
Stack O' Lee Blues
The Scat Song
Cabin In The Cotton
A Strictly Cullud Affair
Aw You Dawg
Minnie The Moocher's Wedding Day
Dinah
How Come You Do Me Like You Do?
Old Yazoo

Tracks:

Angeline
I'm Now Prepared To Tell The World It's You
Swanee Lullaby
Reefer Man
The Old Man Of The Mountain
You Gotta Ho-De-Ho (To Get Along With Me)
Strange As It Seems
This Time It's Love
Git Along
Hot Toddy
I've Got The World On A String
Harlem Holiday
Dixie Doorway
Wah-Dee-Dah
Sweet Rhythm
Beale Street Mama
That's What I Hate About Love
The Man From Harlem
I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
My Sunday Gal
Eadie Was A Lady
Gotta Go Places And Do Things
Hot Water

Tracks:

Evenin' - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Harlem Hospitality - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
The Lady With The Fan - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Harlem Camp Meeting - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Zaz Zuh Zaz - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Father's Got His Glasses On - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Minnie The Moocher - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
The Scat Song - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Kickin' The Gong Around - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
There's A Cabin In The Cotton - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
I Learned About Love From Her - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
Little Town Girl - Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra
'Long About Midnight
Moon Glow
Jitter Bug
Hotcha Razz-Ma-Tazz
Margie
Emaline
Chinese Rhythm
Moonlight Rhapsody
Avalon
Weakness

Amazon.com

As a young singer Cab Calloway was at his most exuberant, and The Early Years: 1930-1934 has plenty of that exuberance on offer. In 1930, just before his recording debut, he took over a powerful band called the Missourians, and their best soloists (R.Q. Dickerson on trumpet and Thornton Blue on clarinet) can be heard on the first of these four CDs, which includes a startling "St. Louis Blues" as well as the original version of the famous "Minnie the Moocher." Calloway, in spite of a rather nasal tone, was a technically gifted singer who approached songs with the improvising skills of a jazz musician. No doubt because of this he ensured that his bands always swung and contained soloists of character. His repertoire here mixes well-known songs such as "Somebody Stole My Gal" and "I've Got the World on a String" with obscure delights like "Black Rhythm" and "Eadie Was a Lady," but Calloway imparted a unique flavor to whatever he sang. The value of this bargain package is enhanced by the audio restoration work of the expert John R.T. Davies, who has extracted more sonic detail from these old recordings than one would have thought possible. --Graham Colombé

Customer Reviews:

Great Collection - Ready for more!!!.......2004-12-27

While I'm a big fan of this collection, along with the continuing collection "1935-1940", I'd be really interested in knowing if JSP is planning on putting out a collection of Cab's 1940-1947 stuff. If such a collection exists from JSP & I'm just being ignorant, please let me know!

Great collection.......2004-11-12

I'm a very big Calloway fan and this is a very complete collection. Wonderfully put together and sounds just like I'm listening to an actual record. Amazing.

I will highly suggest this four disc set to everyone, a four disc set of one of the greatest jazz/blues singer and performer of the 1930's.

Hi-De-Ho! What a deal on the best of Cab Calloway!.......2004-04-01

JSP Records from the U.K. has really been doing a bang-up, first-rate job with these CD box sets of classic swing jazz: they offer complete chronological catalogs of great artists, re-mastered with terrific sound, and sold at amazing prices! I've enjoyed their Django Rheinhardt, Bill Wills, and Louis Jordan box sets, and this collection of Cab Calloway and His Orchestra (the first of two) is another triumph.

This set encompasses the earliest recordings in Cab's incredible career, starting with his first session with the musicians who had once been the Missourians (they changed to the Cab Calloway orchestra when he became their singer) through his years as the top act at the Cotton Club. Before Benny Goodman made swing a commercial smash, Cab and his orchestra were swingin' hard, and you can hear in these first four years of recordings. His band leaps from hot jazz to hard swing to Cab's bizarre slow blues that became his trademark (exemplified in "Minnie the Moocher," heard in two different versions in this set). Cab Calloway was a remarkable showman, a born entertainer, a funny guy, and a unique singer. He was also an exceptional bandleader, and this extensive collection of songs lets you savor the musicianship of the boys in the band in a way that wasn't previously possible.

The first CD shows the band and Cab finding their identity. Cab seems a bit hesitant on the first track, his first recording as a leader, "Gotta Darn Good Reason (For Bein' Good)," but with the second track, a recording of the already old "St. Louis Blues," he finds his groove and starts having fun. And the fun never stops after this.

Here are some of the classic and un-earthed gems and other delightful treasures you'll find here:

Two recordings of "Minnie the Moocher," the first of which is extremely different from what people usually think of the song. (The most famous version wasn't recording until 1942). You'll also hear two of the sequels to "Minnie the Moocher": "Kickin' the Gong Around" (two versions) and "Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day." Cab does some great nonsense scatting with "Zaz Zuh Zaz," "Hotcha Razz-Ma-Tazz," "The Scat Song," and "Wah-Dee-Dah." Some of the songs have strong racial overtones that reflect the kind of shows the Cotton Club put on for the white patrons: "Yaller," "Black Rhythm," and "Strictly Cullud Affair." These are somewhat unpleasant songs if you focus on the lyrics, but extremely interesting from the historical perspective. (The excellent liner notes discuss Cab's opinion about having to sing songs like this.) And then there's the extremely naughty, but red-hot song about marijuana, "Reefer Man." Cab also croons quite well on some very pretty, slow blues numbers, even though ballad singing wasn't his strength: "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues," "Stardust," and "Six or Seven Times" are among the best tracks on these CDs. Some other personal favorites of mine: "Aw You Dog," instrumentals like "Moon Glow" and "Mood Indigo" that show how great a band was backing up Cab, and the defiant "I Gotta Go Places and Do Things," and...

Oh, there's just too much that's good on these CDs! And how can you turn it down at this price? You also get four informative booklets (actually, it's one continuous set of liner notes spread over four booklets) that detail the history of band, it's many exceptional players, and background on the racial situation of the times, which ties very closely into Cab Calloway's music. This information will help you appreciate the genius of Cab Calloway and His Orchestra even more.

And if you like this, make sure to get JSP's Volume 2 set of Cab Calloway, covering 1935-1940.

Excellent Compilation.......2003-11-07

This compilation of early (31-34) Calloway features excellent sound quality and a first-rate band backing up the King of Jive. At a great bargain price, this set is recommended for those who like their 30s swing served hot.

NICELY DONE, BOYS, NICELY DONE. BUY THIS SET!.......2003-04-29

Cab came out of the gate at full hepcat jive when these recordings were made. His youthful exuberance is well-represented by this great five-disc set, which has a price even someone who only knows "Minnie the Moocher" can love. BUY THIS SET and you will hear everything that made Cab an icon: a well-arranged hot band with some of the best soloists around, great songs, from standards to the famous novelty and scat classics, and a joy that will bring you out of the lowest mood. Thank you, JSP! BUY THIS SET! And then go out and buy a big white wide-brimmed hat and a zoot suit so you can jive with the best. GO CAB, GO!

Average customer rating:

Best yet
I love this stuff!
A wonderful musical document
Greatest Collection Ever!
The Golden Years

The Golden Years: 1938-1942
Glenn Miller
Manufacturer: Proper UK Boxed Sets
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Big Band | Jazz | Box Sets | Stores | Music

General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Swing Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music

The Very Best of Benny Goodman
Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey - Ultimate Collection
I've Heard That Song Before: Hits of Harry James
Tommy Dorsey - Greatest Hits [RCA]
Songs That Got Us Through WWII

ASIN: B00005K3N2
Release Date: 2001-05-28

Tracks:

King Porter Stomp
And The Angels Sing
Moonlight Serenade
The Lady's In Love With You
Wishing (Will Make It So)
Sunrise Serenade
Little Brown Jug
But It Didn't Mean A Thing
Pavane
Runnin' Wild
Stairway To The Stars
Blue Evening
We Can Live On Love (We Haven't Got A Pot To Cook In)
Moon Love
Sliphorn Jive
Oh! You Crazy Moon
Ain't Cha Comin' Out?
Wanna Hat With Cherries
Pagan Love Song
Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead
Over The Rainbow
The Man With The Mandolin
Blue Orchids
Glen Island Special
Farewell Blues

Tracks:

In The Mood
My Isle Of Golden Dreams
My Prayer
Blue Moonlight
Bluebirds In The Moonlight
Indian Summer
Johnson Rag
Careless
It's A Blue World
When You Wish Upon A Star
The Rhumba Jumps
Stardust
Rug Cutter's Swing
The Woodpecker Song
Tuxedo Junction
Danny Boy (Londonderry Air)
Imagination
Shake Down The Stars
Polka Dots And Moon Beams
Say It
April Played The Fiddle
Fools Rush In
Slow Freight
Pennsylvania 6-5000
Bugle Call Rag

Tracks:

The Nearness Of You
Mister Meadowlark
My Blue Heaven
When The Swallows Come Back To Capristrano
Blueberry Hill
Be Happy
Five O'Clock Whistle
Beat Me Daddy Eight To The Bar
Make Believe Ballroom Time
A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
Along The Santa Fe Trail
Yes, My Darling Daughter
Anvil Chorus, Pts 1 & 2
Frenesl
Ida! Sweet As Apple Cider
Song Of The Volga Boatmen
You Stepped Out Of A Dream
I Dream't I Dwelt In Harlem
Sun Valley Jump
The Spirit Is Willing
Perfidia
It's Always You
Spring Will Be So Sad (When She Comes This Year)
Boulder Bluff

Tracks:

Chattanooga Choo-Choo
The Booglie Wooglie Piggy
I Know Why (And So Do You)
You And I
Adios
The Kiss Polka
Elmer's Tune
A String Of Pearls
Moonlight Sonata
Slumber Song
(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs Of Dover
Moonlight Cocktail
Skylark
When The Roses Bloom Again
Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
American Patrol
I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo
Serenade In Blue
At Last
Caribbean Clipper
That Old Black Magic
Moonlight Becomes You
Juke Box Saturday Night

Album Description

UK budget-priced 4 CD compilation for the big band legend. Featuring 98 tracks including all his most popular tunes of the period. Includes 44 page booklet with his story, discography, session details & many rare photos. The CDs are Moonlight Serenade, In The Mood, Blueberry Hill & Chattanooga Choo Choo. Standard jewel cases houdes in a slip-box. 2001 release.

Album Details

Between 1938 and 1942 Glenn Miller led what was probably the most popular big band of the era. This 4 CD compilation features 98 tracks including Miller' most popular songs and a 44 page booklet with an extensive biography, discography, session details and rare photos.

Customer Reviews:

Best yet.......2007-05-14

This is the best collection of Glenn Miller! It doesn't sound "tinny" like so many remastered CDs. The only one you need.

I love this stuff!.......2007-03-22

I think I was born in the wrong time! I love this old stuff.

A wonderful musical document.......2007-03-12

This box-set is an wonderful musical document, and an exceptional value for the money. The 40-page booklet of bio, session & discography info makes for pleasant reading while listening. I'm going to enjoy this for a long time. The only minor disappointment was that the compiler was unable to find room for "St. Louis Blues March", a personal favorite & memorable selection from Hollywood's The Glenn Miller Story (1953) -- an excellent film, the DVD of which is also available here on Amazon.

Greatest Collection Ever!.......2007-03-12

If you love Big Band, This set is a must have.! Definitely worth the money!

The Golden Years.......2006-11-10

This CD is just wonderful. If you like Glenn Miller, this is the CD to get.

Average customer rating:

Django yes--- sound no.
The Second Most Affordable Reinhardt Collection
Bouncin' Around
Great guitar... and beyond!
More Great Django, but without Ted Kendall

Paris and London: 1937-1948, Vol. 2
Django Reinhardt
Manufacturer: Jsp Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

European Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Box Sets | Stores | Music

General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

The Classic Early Recordings in Chronological Order
Django in Rome 1949-1950
Quintette du Hot Club de France: 25 Classics 1934-1940
In Solitaire: Complete Recordings for Solo Guitar
Djangology

ASIN: B00005A7KP
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Tracks:

St Louis Blues
Bouncin' Around
I've Found A New Baby
Bricktop
Speevey
Minor Swing
Viper's Dream
Swingin' With Django
Paramount Stomp
Bolero
Bolero
Mabel
Mabel
My Serenade
You Rascal You
Stephen's Blues
Sugar
Sweet Georgia Brown
Tea For Two

Tracks:

Stockholm
Younger Generation
I'll See You In My Dreams
Echoes Of Spain
Out Of Nowhere
I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Naguine
Nuages
Rhythm Futur
Begin The Beguine
Blues
Coucou
Undecided
Swing 41
Nuages
Pour Vous
Fantasie Sur Une Danse Norvegienne
Vendredi
Liebesfreud
Mabel
Petits Mesonges
Les Yeux Noirs
Sweet Sue, Just You

Tracks:

Swing De Paris
Oiseaux Des Iles
All Of Me
Festival Swing
Dinette
Crepscule
Swing 42
Festival Swing 1942 (Part 2)
Belleville
Lentemente Mademoiselle
Douce Ambiance
Manoir Des Mes Reves
Oui
Cavalerie
Fleur D'Ennui
Blues Clair
Improvisation No.3 (Part 1)
Improvisation No.3 (Part 2)
Coquette
Django's Tiger
Embraceable You
Echoes Of France

Tracks:

Swingtime In Springtime
Yours And Mine
On The Sunny Side Of The Street
I Won't Dance
R Vingt Six
How High The Moon
Lover Man
Blue Lou
Blues
What Is This Thing Called Love?
Ol' Man River
Si Tu Savais
Eveline
Diminushing
Mike
Lady Be Good
Festival 48
Fantaisie
Bricktop
Just For Fun
To Each His Own (Symphonie)

Product Description

Disc 1: Paris 1937:
1. St. Louis Blues
2. Bouncin' Around
3. I've Found A New Baby
4. Bricktop
5. Speevey
6. Minor Swing
7. Viper's Dream
8. Swingin' With Django
9. Paramount Stomp
10. Bolero
11. Bolero
12. Mabel
13. Mabel
14. My Serenade
15. You Rascal You
16. Stephen's Blues
17. Sugar
18. Sweet Georgia Brown
19. Tea For Two

Disc 2: Paris 1939-1940:
1. Stockholm
2. Younger Generation
3. I'll See You In My Dreams
4. Echoes Of Spain
5. Out Of Nowhere
6. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
7. Naguine
8. Nuages
9. Rhythm Futur
10. Begin The Beguine
11. Blues
12. Coucou
13. Undecided
14. Swing 41
15. Nuages
16. Pour Vous
17. Fantaisie Sur Une Danse Norvegienne
18. Vendredi
19. Liebesfreud
20. Mabel
21. Petits Mesonges
22. Les Yeux Noirs
23. Sweet Sue-Just You

Disc 3: Paris & London 1940-1946:
1. Swing De Paris
2. Oiseaux Des Iles
3. All Of Me
4. Festival Swing
5. Dinette
6. Crepuscule
7. Swing 42
8. Festival Swing 1942 (Part 2)
9. Belleville
10. Lentement Mademoiselle
11. Douce Ambiance
12. Manoir De Mes Reves
13. Oui
14. Cavalerie
15. Fleur D'Ennui
16. Blues Clair
17. Improvisation No. 3 (Part 1)
18. Improvisation No. 3 (Part 2)
19. Coquette
20. Django's Tiger
21. Embraceable You
22. Echoes Of France

Disc 4: Paris 1946-1948:
1. Swingtime In Springtime
2. Yours And Mine
3. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
4. I Won't Dance
5. R Vingt Six
6. How High The Moon
7. Lover Man
8. Blue Lou
9. Blues
10. What Is This Thing Called Love?
11. Ol' Man River
12. Si Tu Savais
13. Eveline
14. Diminushing
15. Mike
16. Lady Be Good
17. Festival 48
18. Fantaisie
19. Bricktop
20. Just For Fun
21. To Each His Own (Symphonie)

Format: CD

Amazon.com

JSP's follow-up to their must-have bargain-priced box set of Django Reinhardt's early recordings is every bit as essential and fascinating for lovers of jazz guitar. Between 1937 and 1948, the world's best-known gypsy guitarist was leading some of the hottest jazz groups in Europe, with some of the most innovative arrangements imaginable. The story behind these sessions is almost as memorable as the material--somehow Reinhardt, despite being a gypsy, prospered through Nazi-occupied France while his peers either fled or perished. Due to the war, the classic lineup of the Quintet of the Hot Club of France evolved and eventually splintered into two groups--one with Stephane Grappelli on violin, another replacing him with the clarinet of Hubert Rostaing. But regardless of Reinhardt's accompaniment, the music-making heard here is nothing short of astounding. Whether swinging through standards ("All of Me," "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "Sweet Georgia Brown") or performing some of his classic originals ("Nuages," "Swing 42"), whether alone ("Improvisations," "Tea for Two") or backed by more than a dozen friends ("Festival Swing"), this is some of Reinhardt's best music. JSP's remastering and transfers on these 60-year-old 78s is the finest yet available. Essential for swing fans, guitarists, or anyone wanting to know more about the history of jazz. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Django yes--- sound no........2006-11-21

Django is my man, and I've always found these to be some of his most fetching recordings. The sound is a bit bland for my tastes, though. JSP puts out an inconsistent product at times.

The Second Most Affordable Reinhardt Collection.......2004-10-09

In my opinion, "Paris & London 1937-48" is slightly better than "Classic Early Recordings in Chronogical Order". Considering the source material, JSP did an excellent job remastering this collection.

Bouncin' Around.......2003-01-15

For someone like me who loves every note Django Reinhardt ever played this 4-CD collection and another 5-CD set also available on Amazon, "Django Reinhardt: The Classic Early Recordings in Chronological Order," are the Holy Grail. Between the two sets I can load up the CD player with 9 discs and listen to this most unbelievable of all guitar players show off for hours at a time.

There is more swing, more fun, and more incredible guitar playing on these discs than you'll ever hear anywhere else.

Even though they contain no lengthy linear notes, 'free booklets,' posters, etc., these are, without a doubt, the greatest multi-disc box sets I have ever heard.

Great guitar... and beyond!.......2002-12-05

I got "Paris and London" and JSP's other great box set, "The Classic Early Recordings in Chronological Order," at roughly the same time, and for a while I listened constantly to the "Early Recordings" and pretty much neglected this set. One reason is that the "Early Recordings" are so great that I couldn't tear myself away, but another reason is that the "Paris and London" set includes more large-ensemble recordings that have taken me a little longer to appreciate. By my taste, at least, Django is at his best in small acoustic settings (e.g., in the famous Quintet of the Hot Club of France, or even soloing or just accompanied by piano). "Paris and London" does contain a number of songs by the original Hot Club (including Stephane Grappelli), and most of those rank with the very best on the "Early Recordings" set --- but there are also a number of wartime recordings (made while Grappelli was stranded in London) that have a more standard jazz ensemble sound (featuring Hubert Rostaing on clarinet in place of Grappelli's violin), as well as a few performed with large orchestras, and at first I found those a little less appealing. My view changed a little, though, when I read in Django's biography (by his contemporary, the French music critic Charles Delaunay) that by this stage of his career Django was becoming more interested in composing and arranging than in simply playing guitar, and that he felt there were more musical possibilities in larger groups than within the limitations of the string quintet (three guitars, bass and violin). So I've been going back and listening to these large-ensemble recordings with a new ear, and I guess I can say that it's expanded my musical horizons a little. As a guitarist myself, I'm naturally partial to Django's remarkable lead guitar playing, but with the larger groups his role is more like Duke Ellington's on the piano (that is, using his guitar more as the cohesion behind the arrangements than as a lead instrument). So on these recordings you get a fuller sense of Django's overall musical vision, beyond just his virtuoso guitar playing. In any case, even if you're mainly just interested in hearing Django's guitar, you won't be disappointed, because these recordings include some of his best. Also, I see that one reviewer criticized the sound quality of this set as compared to the "Early Recordings," but I'm not sure I'd agree. That reviewer may have better equipment and a more highly-trained ear than I do, but on my equipment these recordings sound just fine --- and in some cases even more sharp and clear than the "Early Recordings." In any case, don't let that consideration deter you from purchasing this great 4-CD set. If you don't already own the "Classic Early Recordings in Chronological Order," then by all means start with that. Then, if you like that set (and who wouldn't?), don't hesitate to get this one too. They both show Django at his best, and this one in particular shows his versatility and broad musical vision.

More Great Django, but without Ted Kendall.......2001-10-09

I certainly agree with the other reviewers about the music here being terrific. I also favor the small ensemble work rather than the larger aggregations. After all, there's more Django in the small arrangements.

But I do have to comment on the sound quality. One of the remarkable things about the first installment of this set (the 5 CD box) is its sound. Engineer Ted Kendall did a sterling job of collecting the best quality sources and then cutting as little as possible from the output to give us the music. By contrast, this set is far less impressive. There is much less depth to the bass and the high end has been truncated a bit too in the interest of getting rid of surface noise.

Tracks:

Lover
Nola
Tennessee Waltz
Mockin' Bird Hill
How High The Moon
The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise
Whispering
Just One More Chance
Tiger Rag
In The Good Old Summertime
Meet Mister Callaghan
Lady Of Spain
My Baby's Comin' Home
Bye Bye Blues
I'm Sitting On Top Of The World
Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)
I Really Don't Want To Know
I'm A Fool To Care
Wither Thou Goest
Hummingbird

Customer Reviews:

Among the Best Ever.......2005-11-02

This has to be one of the very best retrospective albums ever produced. It spans the entire careers of the artists and includes much of their best work--from Les' experiments with multiple recording in the 1930s (on acetate, using a turntable made from an old Cadillac flywheel) through their major hits of the 1950s. The liner notes are extensive and authoritative, consisting mostly of an extended interview with Les Paul himself, describing the background to each song in sequence, how and when it was composed/recorded, the instruments used, and interesting asides as to the performances.

Not everyone will appreciate this music. It got mixed reception when it was new, and it lies far from contemporary style, but on its own terms it is superb. I first knew this music as a high school kid listening to the radio. Coming back to it five decades later, after considerable musical education and experience, most of it classical, I realize how far it went over the heads of my teen generation.

The musical skill and sensitivity Les and Mary display far surpass most popular artists of the past century. Professional guitarists and guitar makers may revere Les' legacy, but Mary deserves at least as much praise for her vocal skills. Her phrasing is wonderfully elastic, comparing with the best of Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald. Her intonation is impeccable--including her five-part harmonies and backups with herself via multiple recording. And her entrances in the multiple recordings are perfect--where Patti Page was often ragged and Doris Day feared to tread. All of the arrangements are magnificently suited to the spirit of the song and to the talent of the performers. And most of the songs have never had a more competent or imaginative presentation. "In the Good Old Summertime" is an absolute tour de force.

Some might quibble over the choices made in constructing this release. But there was only space for 20 tracks, and this selection is arguably the best possible coverage of Les and Mary's incredible range. Inevitably, within the limitations of 20 tracks, some good things muwt be left out. Those who want more should try to find the complete boxed set. I think it is useful to have Les and Mary's superior "Mockingbird Hill" and "Tennessee Waltz" versions to compare with the ones from Patti Page. I am happy to trade that comparison for any other choices which could have been made.

In all, this album deserves a space in the library of every serious music collector--both for its historical importance and for the excellence of its presentation.

Good Collection But Needs a Bit More Balance.......2005-08-06

I'm a huge fan of Les Paul and Mary Ford and I own a copy of the "Legend and the Legacy" box set, so I may be a bit biased in my review of this disc, which frankly I think is a little top heavy with the vocal works.

There are only a few instrumental tracks here, and while those are very good indeed, some of Les's best stuff was left out. Had I been compiling this disc I would have included "Brazil", "Caravan", and my all time favorite Les Paul instrumental piece "Little Rock Getaway", in which Les cuts loose with just about everything in his arsenal. Like "Lover", it's a very interesting and complex arrangement that's a joy to hear.

I'm also a little puzzled as to why some of Mary Ford's best vocal work was left off this disc. I would have gladly traded her cover version of "Tennessee Waltz" for "Cryin'", a song that I consider to be one of the most beautiful things she's ever sung. "Dry My Tears", a song with which Mary Ford and Les Paul and closely identified, was also left out. That aside, I am thankful that the powers that be saw fit to include an edition of Les and Mary's radio program that features "Avalon", "Where or When", and "I'll See You in my Dreams", three songs that I would love to have heard in full on the box set.

All in all, I think this is a fairly good collection, albeit a bit heavy on the vocal hits and not nearly representative enough of Les Paul's extraordinary guitar talent. Until you're fortunate enough to find the box set, this collection will have to do.

A great overview of Les Paul & Mary Ford's hits.......2005-06-18

Released in 1992 as a single disc distillation of the hard to find "The Legend and The Legacy" boxed set, this CD, although it has some instrumental work, it focuses more on his hits with his wife at the time these were recorded, Mary Ford including the huge hits "Mockin' Bird Hill," "Tennessee Waltz," "How High The Moon," "Bye Bye Blues," "In The Good Old Summertime," "Tiger Rag," and, among others, one of my personal favorites, the spiritual "Vaya Con Dios" which is translated to "May God Be With You." Les's production techniques are ever present on this disc, but what makes this disc worthwhile is Les's guitar and Mary's singing with the music being a great mixture of many kinds of music that is hard to describe other than Les Paul music and as another reviewer mentioned, it is very comparable to Chet Atkins, another one of my favorite guitarists. BTW, this disc has been reissued recently with 3 bonus tracks added but as long as this pressing of it is still available, pick it up while you can, as it is cheaper than the new reissue, released to celebrate his 90th birthday. For those who prefer his instrumental work over his duets with Mary Ford, the disc to start with is the ASV Living Era compilation "How High The Moon," but this is still a great companion to the ASV disc. For those who are wanting more and can't find the boxed set, Collectables reissued the original albums in twofers.

A breath of fresh air for the early 1950's pop scene..........2005-03-11

If you think about it pop singing hit an all time low after the swing era ended and you had 2nd rate singers singing about doggies in the window, and music music music!!! So it must have been refreshing to hear something different, and "How High Tho Moon" certianly was that. Paul's guitar was overdubbed as well as Ford's sensious voice. For some outer space style, ahead of it's time space-age msuic, with a tocuh of rockabilly, and even vaudevillian style playing. In fact most of thier hits were from 1920's sings like Tiger Rag, & In The Good Old Summertime. Thier formula worked over and over again. It is a unique mixture of hillbilly jazz meets esquivel style wackiness. This cd captures thier hits and the formula taht made them stars. And today these guys should be celebrated in the "lounge revival" music era. A great cd, and it's really all the Paul & Ford you need.

Technically accomplished guitar playing, slick production.......2004-07-30

Besides being a fantastic guitarist, Les Paul is also an accomplished engineer and inventor. This album does not showcase Les Paul the guitarist so much as it does Les Paul the producer. Many recording and mixing tricks are featured here, including his interesting trick of playing several licks, playing them back at different speeds, and mixing them together in such a way that they're all in the same key. These recordings sound wild and futuristic today; it's hard for me to imagine how they must have sounded fifty years ago.

Some songs here (notably "Lover" and "How High the Moon") are great, but at least as many are disappointing. Also, Les Paul's highly sped up guitar tracks can wear on the ears after a while - they're on nearly every track. In short, this album is essential listening for anyone interested in great guitar plaing and fancy production, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it holds up well to repeated listening.

Music:

Music

music

Recommended Music:

I Need to Know [Import]

actoractressgallery.com Music: A Little Tango in Her Blood

Knot the Thought that Counts

Music: The Golden Voices of the 3 Tenors [Box set]

House Energy: Megamix [Import]

Heroes [Import]

Island Music [CD-single] [Import]

Hello Lisa

Heaven - Hi Hel-lo

link-web.net Music Review: A Gottschalk Festival

Legendary Big Bands [Import]

Jazz Matinee

El Duelo del Siglo

Amy Beach: Violin Sonata, etc.

This Is Me...Then