BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1131 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

During the time covered by this CD, Benny Goodman was stricken with sciatica and had to break up his big band for a few months. When he came back, his new orchestra only retained a few of the earlier musicians. This disc has the last recordings by his original big band (which he had formed in 1934) and has two different versions of his small group; his new big band did not record until November 13. Fortunately, Benny Goodman was wise enough to retain the services of the great electric guitarist Charlie Christian, who is heard in the earlier sextet with Lionel Hampton and the later septet with trumpeter Cootie Williams, tenor saxophonist Georgie Auld, and guest pianist Count Basie. The combo tracks include "Air Mail Special" and "Boy Meets Goy," "Royal Garden Blues," "As Long As I Live," and the riff-filled "Benny's Bugle." The better big band selections include "Crazy Rhythm" and "Mister Meadowlark" (featuring Helen Forrest). Fred Astaire has a guest vocal (and a bit of tap dancing) on "Who Cares." Scott Yanow  
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 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1202 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

All of the master takes from Benny Goodman's recordings from a two-month period in early 1941 are on this CD. Helen Forrest, one of the best big band singers, has 13 vocals, including "The Mem'ry of a Rose," "This Is New," and "Oh! Look at Me Now." Trumpeter Cootie Williams, trombonist Lou McGarity, and tenor saxophonist Georgie Auld have some brief solos with the big band, Teddy Wilson plays with the orchestra (which he did not get a chance to do during the early days), and Eddie Sauter contributes some of the arrangements. Charlie Christian is showcased on "Solo Flight," while "Scarecrow" (from Buster Harding) is memorable. But the best session included is by the Benny Goodman Sextet (Williams, Auld, Christian, bassist Artie Bernstein, and drummer Jo Jones) with Count Basie guesting on piano. "Breakfast Feud," "On the Alamo," "I Found a New Baby," and "Gone With What Draft" are all gems. Recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :

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 :

GEORGE AULD – 1940-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1322 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Smooth and sometimes flashy tenor saxophonist Georgie Auld was heavily featured with Benny Goodman, Bunny Berigan, and Artie Shaw, whose band Auld attempted to front after Shaw, suffering psychological distress at finding himself mobbed by hyper-appreciative fans, retreated to Mexico in order to obtain some sort of privacy. Eight sides from January and February 1940 sound a lot like the previous Shaw orchestra; Kay Foster's vocals sweeten up five of these, while "This Is Romance," "Juke Box Jump," and "Sweet Sue" are solid, danceable big-band instrumentals. The orchestra was not a success and soon threw in the towel, partly because, unlike Shaw's previous material, these records came out on the little Varsity label rather than Victor's Bluebird imprint. Cut to the spring of 1944, and music of an entirely different sort. A "saxtet" co-led by Auld, Ben Webster, and Coleman Hawkins makes four sides for the progressive Apollo label, with Charlie Shavers, Israel Crosby, and Specs Powell in the band, among others. Hawkins naturally steers, with Webster riding shotgun. "Porgy" and "Uptown Lullaby" are languid ballads, while the exciting "Pick-Up Boys," with its off-mike vocal interjections, is perfectly matched by "Salt Peanuts," which in 1944 placed these musicians on the cutting edge of new jazz. This exquisite session makes the whole package worth having. The rest of the chronological survey shows Auld leading his orchestra in an up-to-date fashion. Five sides were recorded for Apollo only five days after the "saxtet" date, now bolstered with groovin' arrangements by Budd Johnson. The presence of Al Cohn and Howard McGhee doesn't hurt, either. Auld shows off a bit on a luxuriant "Concerto for Tenor" and steams up the place during "Taps Miller." "I Can't Get Started," bifurcated so as to fit on either side of a 10" record, is essentially Auld's homage to Coleman Hawkins. In February and March of 1945, Auld gathered together an exceptionally hot band for a brief spate of recordings issued on the Guild label. Auld's perceptive personnel choices included Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Butterfield, Freddy Webster, Trummy Young, Al Cohn, Manny Albam, Chubby Jackson, Erroll Garner, and Shadow Wilson! Patti Powers had a pretty little voice while Gordon Drake, whose droopy balladeering bordered on the soporific, served as a sort of laudanum poultice on "I Fall in Love Too Easily." Not surprisingly, the instrumentals ("Georgie Porgie," "In the Middle," and "Co-Pilot") provide more excitement and gratification. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

GEORGE AULD – 1945-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1351 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This second volume in the Classics Georgie Auld chronology presents all of his studio recordings made between May 24, 1945 and April 30, 1946. Auld's big band shared some stylistic qualities with Billy Eckstine's orchestra; both groups handled the innovations of bop with intelligence and creative precision. The first two tracks on this collection were originally issued on the Guild record label; the rest appeared on Musicraft. Georgie Auld, whose career at times paralleled that of Charlie Barnet, played soprano and alto in addition to his customary tenor saxophone; also like Barnet he was a capable vocalist. There are three examples of Auld's singing voice in this part of the chronology: he delivers a fine rendering of "I Don't Know Why" (once closely associated with Russ Columbo), a tidy take on "Route 66" that closely mimics the version recorded only six weeks earlier by Nat King Cole, and a boppish `big band update of "Honey," an attractive Richard Whiting melody dating from 1928. Nine tracks feature vocalist Lynne Stevens -- she is at her best on Ellington and Strayhorn's "Just A-Settin' and A-Rockin'" -- but the truly substantial element here is the band itself, a 17-piece ensemble working with arrangements penned by Budd Johnson, Tadd Dameron, Al Cohn, Franz Jackson and Neal Hefti. Auld also used Hugo Winterhalter's excellent arrangement of "Time on My Hands," apparently the same chart used by Count Basie in 1942. Note the presence of baritone saxophonist Serge Chaloff alongside Cohn and Auld in the reeds; that's Joe Albany and Stan Levey in the rhythm section. The vocal highlight of the whole album is Sarah Vaughan's lovely interpretation of "100 Years from Today," a Victor Young melody with words by Ned Washington published in 1933. Georgie Auld had a really fine big band from 1943-1946, and led an exceptional group during the year 1949. His early-'50s recordings sometimes involve group vocals or lounge atmosphere; by 1955 and 1956 he fronted a group known as the Hollywood All Stars, using arrangements by Billy May. Most of his music is worth the effort it takes to chase it down and soak it up. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

GEORGE AULD – 1946-1951 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1371 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Volume three in the Classics Georgie Auld chronology opens with the last four sides he cut for the Musicraft label on June 14, 1946. The 16-piece big band had Neal Hefti in the trumpet section, Auld, Al Cohn and Serge Chaloff in the reeds, and vocalist Sarah Vaughan featured on "You're Blasé." While Hefti's two original compositions are pleasantly modern sounding, the true gem from this date was Budd Johnson's rock-solid "Canyon Passage." Changes in the postwar entertainment industry resulted in the dissolution and dispersal of many big bands. Auld threw in the towel and waited about two-and-a-half years before resuming his recording career on January 17, 1949. His new band had ten pieces, including trombonist Billy Byers, pianist Jimmy Rowles and drummer Alvin Stoller. Eight sides cut for the Discovery record label on this date and on March 21 used mostly Hal Vernon arrangements; Byers scored the charts for "Hollywood Bazaar" and "Mild and Mellow." (For a 100-percent satisfying example of Auld leading a ten-piece band similar to this one, seek out You Got Me Jumpin' (Sounds of Yesteryear 6680), recorded live at the Empire in Hollywood, CA, 1949.) The next leg of the chronology consists of nine titles recorded for the Royal Roost record label on January 24, 1951 by the Georgie Auld Quintet, with trombonist Frank Rosolino, pianist Lou Levy, bassist Max Bennett and drummer Tiny Kahn, whose eccentric opus "Seh! Seh!" is group participation bop; the band shouts the song's title at regular intervals as part of the melodic line. This little-known session hatched a veritable goldmine of cruising cookers and luscious ballads; "Taps Miller" and "New Airmail Special" are particularly piquant. arwulf arwulf
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ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 965 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After an extensive series of recordings in 1937, Artie Shaw & His Orchestra did not record for seven months. When they returned to the studios, it was with a new contract for the Bluebird label. Their first Bluebird recording resulted in a giant hit with "Begin the Beguine," which immediately catapulted the orchestra to the top of the swing world. The band's personnel had become stronger -- Billie Holiday (whose lone recording with Shaw is here, "Any Old Time") and Helen Forrest joined Tony Pastor on vocals -- and such memorable charts as "Indian Love Call," "Back Bay Shuffle," a remake of "Nightmare," "Non-Stop Flight," "What Is This Thing Called Love," "Softly As in a Morning Sunrise," "Copenhagen," and "It Had to Be You" are among the highlights. All of the recordings by Artie Shaw & His Orchestra in 1938 are on this highly enjoyable disc. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1007 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

As 1939 began, Artie Shaw had the most popular band in jazz, topping Benny Goodman and recording best-selling records for Bluebird. This CD covers a two-month period, as Shaw's band (which features tenor saxophonist Georgie Auld, Tony Pastor on vocals and tenor, drummer Buddy Rich, and singer Helen Forrest) showed that they could swing as hard as anyone. Highlights include "Lover Come Back to Me," "Carioca," "Rose Room," and "I'm Comin' Virginia," although there are also a lot of so-so Forrest vocals. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1045 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although the pressure of being a sudden celebrity and the leader of America's number one swing band was clearly getting to Artie Shaw in 1939, his band was excellent, his playing was top-notch, and his solidly selling records kept on being made. The sixth Classics CD in their Artie Shaw series (which reissues all of the master takes from the clarinetist's sessions as a leader) includes such fine numbers as "One Night Stand," "One Foot in the Gutter," "Traffic Jam," "Serenade to a Savage," and Shaw's "Moonray." The key players include Shaw, tenorman Georgie Auld, singer Helen Forrest, drummer Buddy Rich, and Tony Pastor on tenor and vocals. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939-1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1087 (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Artie Shaw reached the pinnacle of stardom in 1939, becoming a celebrity and having his band rated at the top of the swing world, at least in popularity. But Shaw did not enjoy the experience much, was under constant pressure, and in late November he left the bandstand and fled to Mexico. His band (which struggled on briefly under Georgie Auld's leadership) broke up a few months later. Running out of money, on March 3, 1940, Shaw gathered together a large studio orchestra (with a full string orchestra) and recorded six songs, including one ("Frenesi") that became a giant hit. This CD concludes with part of a second date (from May 13) with a different studio band. It would be a few months before Artie Shaw formed his third orchestra. Despite the turmoil, there are fine performances to be heard on this intriguing disc, the seventh Shaw CD put out by Classics. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1941-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1206 (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In the summer of 1941, Artie Shaw organized yet another big band, his fourth in five years. This particular ensemble was one of his most fun groups, featuring trumpeter/singer Hot Lips Page, trombonist Jack Jenney, tenor saxophonist Georgie Auld, pianist Johnny Guarnieri, drummer Dave Tough, and a full string section with some arrangements by trombonist Ray Conniff. All but the last six recordings of this big band are on this CD, including "Blues in the Night," the adventurous "Nocturne," "Take Your Shoes off, Baby," "Just Kiddin' Around," "Dusk," and the two-part "St. James Infirmary." The music alternates between swing, Hot Lips Page features, and classical-oriented works, succeeding on all levels. But shortly after Pearl Harbor, Artie Shaw called it quits again, enlisting in the navy. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1942-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1242 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lenny Bruce was a devoted fan of the Artie Shaw Gramercy Five. He also went out of his way to make fun of Georgia Gibbs, the vocalist on Artie Shaw's January 20, 1942 recording of "Absent-Minded Moon." Lenny was playing up his preference for the hipper side of Shaw, as demonstrated on "Hindustan" and every track recorded at the session which took place the following day. These remarkable sides, which sound better every time they are played back, were the last studio recordings Shaw would make before joining the navy. Composer and arranger Paul Jordan crafted a number of transitionally modern-sounding charts for this band. There are several heavies in the lineup: Dave Tough and Johnny Guarnieri worked well together under any circumstances. Georgie Auld, Ray Conniff and Max Kaminsky were fortunate to be blowing their horns alongside Hot Lips Page, a seasoned trumpeter who conveyed the lyrical potency of ten ordinary musicians. The string section provides just the right amount of lilt without injecting too much fluff. There is a gorgeous rendition of "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," with Shaw's clarinet in full blue cry and a gutsy vocal by Page. The Shaw discography, interrupted by a world war, resumes nearly three years later with Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's famous "Accentuate the Positive." Vocalist Imogene Lynn, dutifully intoning Mercer's imitation Afro-American revival lyrics, sounds a bit affected after the soulful gravity of Hot Lips Page. But it is important to place this popular hit record within historical context. By November of 1944 America needed a straight shot of optimism, and this catchy, morale-boosting number did more for the war against fascism than any number of giddy or poker-faced exercises in rhetorical patriotism. This is Artie Shaw & His Orchestra at their finest. Roy Eldridge gave the band extra punch, and the records he made with Shaw are uniformly solid, melodious and attractive. Billie Holiday, who had worked with Shaw in 1938, is invoked in Jimmy Mundy's "Lady Day." Poetically, its chord progressions seem to reference Billie's difficult life and maybe even the abusive racism she encountered while touring with Shaw at a time when black women simply did not appear with white bands. Buster Harding's "Little Jazz" is the definitive portrait of Eldridge. "Summertime" is exceptionally fine, with magical tonalities provided by Dodo Marmarosa and Barney Kessel. This special chemistry is all the more evident on two sides by the Gramercy Five. Certainly one of the best Artie Shaw reissues, and well-worth seeking out. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

BARNEY BIGARD – 1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 896 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Barney Bigard is one of the great jazz clarinetists. Although most famous for playing in Duke Ellington's band, Bigard performed with a host of lesser bandleaders, giving a series of distinctive, lyrical performances with each. 1944 collects Bigard's performances with the Capitol International Jazzmen, Zutty Singleton's bands, and his time with Roger Kay. Although not as consistently revelatory as his playing with the Duke, these sessions show Bigard to be a master of his instrument, displaying fabulous technique and great lyricism throughout. The Classics label has done a fine job at remastering, and the excellent liner notes round off a nice package. Thomas Ward
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BARNEY BIGARD – 1944-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 930 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

1944-1945 collects Bigard's output after the clarinetist left the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Although his brief time with a band fronted by Joe Thomas is not as consistently rewarding as his stint with Ellington (what could be?), it's still historically valuable and enjoyable for fans of the clarinetist. Bigard had certainly lost none of the virtuosity of his earlier years, but the material is patchier. Nevertheless, this release will be appealing to Bigard's fans, and the Classics label has done an admirable job with the remastering and liner notes. Thomas Ward
Tracklist + Credits :

BUNNY BERIGAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1936-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 749 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

These 23 Berigan sides chronicle a time when the trumpeter was in between being a sideman and putting together his own band. After scoring several solo triumphs with Tommy Dorsey's outfit in 1937 ("Marie," "Song of India"), Berigan organized a mid-sized combo which included such standouts as tenor saxophonist George Auld, pianist Joe Bushkin, and drummer George Wettling. The heyday to come, with Buddy Rich behind the drum kit and a signature reading of "I Can't Get Started," were still about a year off. In the meantime, Berigan and company made out fine with a mix of tight arrangements and the maestro's top-notch solo work. This Classics disc features a sampling of those small group recordings ("All God's Chillun' Got Rhythm," "Swanee River"), plus some of Berigan's first sides with his big band. In spite of a few questionable transfers here and there, the disc has good sound quality throughout. Be that as it may, this installment in Classics' chronological series is still best suited for seasoned Berigan fans. Stephen Cook  
Tracklist :
1     That Foolish Feeling 2:47
Harold Adamson / Jimmy McHugh
Vocals – Art Gentry
2     Where Are You? 3:08
Harold Adamson / Jimmy McHugh
Vocals – Art Gentry    
3     In a Little Spanish Town 2:42
Sam M. Lewis / Mabel Wayne / Joe Young
4     The Goona Goo 2:50
Fred E. Ahlert / Harry Reser / Joe Young
Vocals – Art Gentry    
5     Who's Afraid of Love? 2:47
Sidney Mitchell / Lew Pollack
Vocals – Art Gentry    
6     One in a Million 2:40
Sidney Mitchell / Lew Pollack
Vocals – Art Gentry
7     Blue Lou 2:46
Irving Mills / Edgar Sampson
8     I'm Gonna Kiss Myself Goodbye 2:27
Mack Gordon
Vocals – Johnny Hauser    
9     Big Boy Blue 2:13
Dan Howell / Jack Lawrence / Peter Tinturin
Vocals – Johnny Hauser
10     Dixieland Shuffle 2:54
Bob Haggart / Gil Rodin    
11     Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love) 3:10
Cole Porter
12     You Can't Run Away from Love Tonight 3:00
Al Dubin / Harry Warren
Vocals – Carol McKay
13     'Cause My Baby Says It's So 2:48
Al Dubin / Harry Warren
Vocals – Bunny Berigan
14     Carelessly 3:06
Norman Ellis / Nick A. Kenny
Vocals – Carol McKay
15     All Dark People Are Light on Their Feet 2:22
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
Vocals – Ford Leary    
16     The First Time I Saw You 2:16
Allie Wrubel
Vocals – Ford Leary    
17     Love Is a Merry-Go-Round 3:00
Rube Bloom / Johnny Mercer
Vocals – Sue Mitchell     
18     The Image of You 2:50
Fred E. Ahlert / Joe Young
Vocals – Sue Mitchell     
19     I'm Happy, Darling, Dancing With You 2:59
Fred E. Ahlert / Joe Young
Vocals – Sue Mitchell
20     Swanee River 2:20
Stephen Foster
21     All God's Chillun Got Rhythm 2:20
Walter Jurmann / Gus Kahn / Bronislaw Kaper
Vocals – Ruth Bradley
22     The Lady from Fifth Avenue 2:26
Teddy Powell / Walter Samuels / Leonard Whitcup
Vocals – Ruth Bradley
23     Let's Have Another Cigarette 2:39
Herbert Magidson / Allie Wrubel
Vocals – Ruth Bradley

BUNNY BERIGAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 766 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

1937 was the year Bunny Berigan went out on his own as a bandleader. He had cut his teeth with Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman, before paving the way to his own big band career with some small group sessions in 1936. On the heels of several if these combo dates, Berigan teamed up with such stellar players as tenor saxophonist George Auld, trombonist Sonny Lee, drummer George Wettling, and clarinetist Joe Dixon to begin one of the more overlooked swing outfits of the late '30s. While not always on par with such highly original groups as those led by Ellington, Lunceford, and Goodmam, Berigan's band did deliver over 100 quality sides for RCA between 1937-1939. This Classics roundup focuses on that monumental first year, with such highlights as "I Can't Get Started," "Frankie and Johnny," "Mahogany Hall Stomp," and "Black Bottom." For fans looking to follow Berigan's chronological trail, do yourself a favor and start out of sequence with this collection. Stephen Cook  
Tracklist :
1     Roses in December 3:10
George Jessel / Herbert Magidson / Ben Oakland
2     Mother Goose 3:01
Shank
3     Frankie and Johnny 2:45
Traditional
4     Mahogany Hall Stomp 2:29
Spencer Williams
5     Let 'Er Go 3:17
Larry Clinton    
6     Turn on That Red-Hot Heat (Burn Your Blues Away) 3:19
Louis Alter / Paul Francis Webster
7     I Can't Get Started 4:40
Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin    
8     The Prisoner's Song 4:06
Guy Massey    
9     Why Talk About Love? 2:48
Sidney Mitchell / Lew Pollack
10     Caravan 3:27
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Juan Tizol
11     A Study in Brown 3:04
Larry Clinton
12     Sweet Varsity Sue 2:30
Sam M. Lewis / Charles Tobias
13     Gee, But It's Great to Meet a Friend 2:24
Fred Fisher
14     Ebb Tide 3:05
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin    
15     Have You Ever Been in Heaven? 3:07
Jack Lawrence / Peter Tinturin
16     Mama, I Wanna Make Rhythm 2:45
Richard Byron / Jerome Jerome / Walter Kent
17     I'd Love to Play a Love Scene (Opposite You) 2:50
18     I Want a New Romance 3:01
Burton Lane
19     Miles Apart 2:50
Mack David    
20     A Strange Loneliness 2:54
Johnny Burke / Sammy Mysels    
21     In a Little Spanish Town 3:10
Sam M. Lewis / Mabel Wayne / Joe Young
22     Black Bottom 3:19
Lew Brown / Buddy DeSylva / Ray Henderson

BUNNY BERIGAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 785 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Trees 3:17
Rasbach / Arranged By – Abe Osser
2    Russian Lullaby     3:04
Berlin
3    Can't Help Lovin' That Man     2:35
Kern / Hammerstein
4    Piano Tuner Man 3:31
Rose / Duke
Vocals – Gail Reese
5    Heigh-Ho (The Dwarfs' Marching Song) 2:43
Churchill / Morey
Vocals – Gail Reese
6    A Serenade To The Stars 3:14
Adamson / McHugh
Vocals – Gail Reese
7    Outside Of Paradise 2:57
Tinturin / Lawrence
Vocals – Gail Reese
8    Down Stream 3:20
Lawrence / Nieson / Milton
Vocals – Gail Reese
9    Sophisticated Swing 3:30
Hudson / Parish
Vocals – Gail Reese
10    Caravan Lovelight In The Starlight 3:04
Freed / Hollander
Vocals – Gail Reese
11    Rinka Tinka Man 3:15
Shelton
Vocals – Gail Reese
12    An Old Straw Hat 3:16
Gordon / Revel
Vocals – Gail Reese
13    I Dance Alone 2:45
Kessler / Sillman
Vocals – Gail Reese
14    Never Felt Better, Never Had Less 3:13
Baer / Heff
Vocals – Ruth Gaylor
15    I've Got A Guy 3:01
Sunshine
Vocals – Ruth Gaylor
16    Moonshine Over Kentucky 3:00
Mitchell / Pollack
Vocals – Ruth Gaylor
17    Round The Old Deserted Farm 3:21
Robison
Vocals – Ruth Gaylor
18    Azure     3:15
Duke Ellington
19    Somewhere With Somebody Else 2:55
Leslie / Burke
Vocals – Dick Wharton
20    It's The Little Things That Count 3:23
Gillespie / Simmons
Vocals – Ruth Gaylor
21    Wacky Dust 2:52
Adams / Levant
Vocals – Ruth Gaylor
22    The Wearin' Of The Green 3:31
Arranged By – Joe Lippman
Credits :    
Bass – Hank Wayland
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Joe Dixon, Mike Doty
Drums – Dave Tough (tracks: 4 to 13), George Wettling (tracks: 1 to 3), Johnny Blowers (tracks: 14 to 22)
Guitar – Dick Wharton (tracks: 14 to 22), Tom Morgan (5) (tracks: 1 to 13)
Piano – Fulton McGrath (tracks: 4 to 7), C. Graham Forbes (tracks: 8 to 13), Joe Bushkin (tracks: 19 to 22), Joe Lippman* (tracks: 1 to 3, 14 to 18)
Tenor Saxophone – Clyde Rounds, George Auld
Trombone – Al George (tracks: 1 to 18), Nat Lobovsky (tracks: 14 to 22), Ray Conniff (tracks: 19 to 22), Sonny Lee (tracks: 1 to 13)
Trumpet – Bunny Berigan, Irving Goodman, Steve Lipkins

BUNNY BERIGAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 815 (1995) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Here's the Berigan band arguably at its peak, taking the music of Bix Beiderbecke to the next level, almost making these sides a case study in "what would Bix have sounded like had he lived and worked with a big band"? Although sides like "The Pied Piper" and "Ten Easy Lessons' feature vocals by Ruth Gaylor (herself a knockoff of Benny Goodman vocalist Helen Ward), instrumentals like "Jelly Roll Blues," "In a Mist," and "Livery Stable Blues," stress the Bix connection and bring these tunes into the big band age. On all but four tracks, the drumming chores are handled by a young Buddy Rich, swinging the band for all he's worth. Cub Koda
Tracklist :
1    The Pied Piper 3:30
Bernard Arnold / Jack Gould
2     Tonight Will Live 3:04
Agustín Lara / Ned Washington
3     (A Sky of Blue and You) And So Forth 3:02
Joseph M. Davis / Howard Johnson
4     (How to Make Love in) Ten Easy Lessons 3:25
George Bailey / Mark Fisher
5     When a Prince of a Fella Meets Cinderella 3:21
James Van Heusen
6     Livery Stable Blues 3:24
Marvin Lee / Ray Lopez / Alcide "Yellow" Nunez
7     Let This Be a Warning to You 3:02
Mack David
8     Why Doesn't Somebody Tell Me These Things? 2:50
Jim Eaton / Terry Shand
9     High Society 2:43
Walter Melrose / Porter Steele
10     Father, Dear Father 2:47
Dacosta / McCarthy
11     Simple and Sweet 3:12
Abel Baer / Green Baer / Bud Green
12     Button, Button (Who's Got the Button?) 2:41    
13     I Won't Tell a Soul (I Love You) 3:10
Hughie Charles / Ross Parker
14     Rockin' Rollers' Jubilee 2:30
Joe Davis    
15     Sobbin' Blues 3:18
Vic Berton / Victor Burton / Art Kassel
16     I Cried for You 3:15
Gus Arnheim / Arthur Freed / Abe Lyman
17     Jelly Roll Blues 3:21
Jelly Roll Morton
18     'Deed I Do 2:49
Walter Hirsch / Fred Rose
19     In a Mist 3:07
Bix Beiderbecke
20     Flashes 2:47
Bix Beiderbecke
21     Davenport Blues 3:17
Bix Beiderbecke    
22     Candlelights 3:10
Bix Beiderbecke

BUNNY BERIGAN – 1938-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 844 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After the banner years of 1937-1938, Bunny Berigan's output took a serious downturn. Due to his alcoholism and bad management decisions, he had to break up his band and rejoin Tommy Dorsey's group in order to make a living. Berigan did rebound long enough to form his last band, which only survived until he passed away in 1942 at the age of 33. This Classics disc -- the last of several charting Berigan's career -- takes in the 1940-1942 last stand, along with a few sides from 1938. While there are some quality songs here, the majority of the disc is disappointing, especially alongside earlier triumphs like "I Can't Get Started" and Berigan's Ellington and Bix Beiderbecke covers. Stalwarts like tenor saxophonist George Auld, drummer Buddy Rich, and trombonist Ray Conniff add some spark, but for the most part the tunes lumber along. Best left for completists. Stephen Cook
Tracklist :
1     In the Dark 2:43
Bix Beiderbecke
2     Walkin' the Dog 3:03
Shelton Brooks
3     Patty Cake, Patty Cake (Baker Man) 3:27
J.C. Johnson / Andy Razaf / Fats Waller     
4     Jazz Me Blues 3:12
Tom Delaney    
5     Ya Had It Comin' to Ya 3:24
Alan Jay Lerner / Ben Oakland
6     There'll Be Some Changes Made 3:01
Billy Higgins / W. Benton Overstreet    
7     Little Gate's Special 3:02
Ray Conniff
8     Gangbusters' Holiday 3:17
Ray Conniff    
9     Peg O' My Heart 2:54
Alfred Bryan / Fred Fisher
10     Night Song 3:02
Juan Tizol    
11     Ain't She Sweet 2:35
Milton Ager / Jack Yellen
12     Ay Ay Ay 3:25    
Perez / Freire   
13     I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) 3:12
Duke Ellington / Paul Francis Webster
14     The White Cliffs of Dover 3:29
Nat Burton / Walter Kent    
15     'Tis Autumn 3:18
Henry Nemo    
16     Two in Love 2:32
Spencer Williams    
17     Skylark 2:44
Hoagy Carmichael / Johnny Mercer    
18     My Little Cousin 2:50
Steve Prizant / Arthur Schwartz    
19     Somebody Else Is Taking My Place 2:26
Bob Ellsworth / Richard Howard / Russ Morgan    
20     Me and My Melinda 3:10
Irving Berlin