RED NORVO AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1936-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1123 (2000) FLAC (tracks), lossless

The first two selections on this chronological reissue of Red Norvo's early recordings has the xylophonist jamming "I Got Rhythm" and "Lady Be Good" in an octet in early 1936. Otherwise he is featured with his 12 to 13 piece big band on 21 selections, 13 of which have vocals by his wife Mildred Bailey (including "A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid," "It's Love I'm After," "Smoke Dreams," and "Slummin' on Park Avenue"). The instrumentals are highlighted by "I Know That You Know," "Remember" (famous for trumpeter Stew Pletcher's odd solo), "I Would Do Anything for You," and "Jiving the Jeep." Eddie Sauter's arrangements and Norvo's xylophone gave the big band its own unique musical personality. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

RED NORVO AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1157 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In this segment of the Red Norvo story, the xylophonist's collaborations with his wife, Mildred Bailey, predominate. This was a fine jazz orchestra with excellent soloists. One great and glowing jewel in the band was clarinetist Hank D'Amico, and Norvo's sparkling percussive passages are always a delight. Each of the five instrumental tracks resound with that fascinating combination of xylophone and big band, tidy brass over solidly arranged reeds, and -- beginning in January of 1938 -- precision drumming by George Wettling, that mainstay of Eddie Condon and his Commodore jam bands. With 16 out of 24 tracks serving as features for Bailey's pleasant vocals, this package will satisfy anyone who has a taste for her style and personality. As always, most of her material deals with romance or heartbreak. She sounds quite pleasant during a handsome treatment of George Gershwin's "Love Is Here to Stay," but if you scratch beneath the surface of Tin Pan Alley, things don't always look so rosy. Johnny Mercer's catchy "Weekend of a Private Secretary" seems at first like a cute description of a naughty vacation, but the lyrics, penned by Nebraska native Bernie Hanighen, reveal the mottled underbelly of old-fashioned North American bigotry. As Bailey shrewdly pronounces the phrase "Cuban gent," the song quickly evolves into a flippant essay on Caucasian infatuation with The Exotic Other. Ultimately, she presents a crude list of social stereotypes that a working girl would be likely to encounter while seeking out male companionship. These include a slicker, a hick, a Reuben -- this was originally a carnival or circus term for a rustic rube -- and even that time-honored American racial epithet, "darky." The band is tight, maracas and all, and Norvo's xylophone sounds great surrounded by Caribbean rhythm effects, but rancid social undercurrents leave an odd taste in the mouth. Further ethical/ethnic discomfiture may be experienced while listening to "There's a Boy in Harlem," which must be the most racist opus ever contrived by the otherwise admirable songwriting team of Rodgers & Hart. While accurately admitting that "all the writers copy" an unidentified Afro-American composer, lyricist Larry Hart describes the "boy" as sloppily dressed (!) and even paraphrases a nasty figure of speech by referring to him as "this person in the woodpile." The fact that "Mr. and Mrs. Swing" elected to record these vulgar songs speaks volumes about the prevailing social climate during the 1930s and momentarily sheds an unseemly light on their respective careers. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

MILDRED BAILEY – 1940-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1279 (2003) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Volume seven in the Classics Chronological survey of recordings originally released under the name of Mildred Bailey compiles what appear to be all of the titles produced between April 2, 1940 and February 12, 1942. During this period the singer performed with bands led by Alec Wilder and Harry Sosnick, and may be heard harmonizing with the Delta Rhythm Boys on "Jenny" and "When That Man Is Dead and Gone." Even as she spent part of her time bobbing around on the surface of Wilder's chamber pop ensemble (fortified with a flute, no less than three bass clarinets and Mitch Miller's oboe, and English horn), Mildred Bailey continued to interact with the some of the top jazz musicians on the scene at that time. This album's enclosed session discography indicates the presence of drummer Kenny Clarke, pianists Herman Chittison, Billy Kyle, and Teddy Wilson, and trumpeters Billy Butterfield and Roy "Little Jazz" Eldridge. The hipper arrangements were scored by Eddie Sauter, famous for his work with Benny Goodman and Mildred Bailey's ex-husband Red Norvo. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

MILDRED BAILEY – 1945-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1337 (2003) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

As she neared the end of her recording career, Mildred Bailey suffered from a steadily shrinking voice, but her interpretive powers were undiminished. The Classics volume 1945-1947 proves that point with a program of 25 performances backed by orchestras including Eddie Sauter's and Ted Dale's, and sidemen including vibraphonist Red Norvo (Mr. Swing to her Mrs. Swing), pianist Ellis Larkins, clarinetist Hank d'Amico, and trumpeter Dick Vance. Bailey reflects on her long professional life with a raft of melancholy standards -- "Lover, Come Back to Me," "These Foolish Things," and a tender "Can't We Be Friends?" John Bush  
Tracklist + Credits :

BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1940-1941 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1154 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second Benny Goodman & His Orchestra (the one he organized after taking a few months off to partly recover from sciatica) is heard on this CD during their first recordings. Cootie Williams and Jimmy Maxwell are in the trumpet section, trombonist Lou McGarity and tenor saxophonist Georgie Auld have solo space, bassist Artie Bernstein drives the rhythm section, and Helen Forrest takes some fine vocals. Eddie Sauter's often-radical arrangements (including "Benny Rides Again," "Taking a Chance on Love," "Superman," and "Moonlight on the Ganges") really challenge the clarinetist and are quite often classic. In addition, an excellent small-group date with Williams, Auld, pianist Ken Kersey, and Charlie Christian includes "Breakfast Feud," "I Can't Give You Anything but Love," and "Gilly." Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1941, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1236 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD in Classics' extensive Benny Goodman series starts out with the last Sextet date to feature Charlie Christian, including two songs ("Blues In B" and "Waitin" For Benny") performed by the band without Goodman during a rehearsal that was taped by an alert engineer. Otherwise, this CD consists of big band performances from Goodman's still-mighty orchestra, featuring trumpeters Cootie Williams (showcased on "Fiesta In Blue") and Jimmy Maxwell, trombonist Lou McGarity, and Georgie Auld on tenor. Helen Forrest has seven excellent vocals including "When The Sun Comes Out" and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," and there are diverse arrangements by the likes of Eddie Sauter, Jimmy Mundy, Edgar Sampson, and Margie Gibson. Several of these numbers are rarely reissued despite their high quality, so it is a pleasure to hear the complete sessions in chronological order by this memorable big band. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist :