TOMMY DORSEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1078 (1999) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tommy Dorsey presided over no less than 22 recording sessions during the year 1937. His records were popular among both jazz heads and pop music fans who expected to hear singers in front of the band. This eighth installment in the Dorsey chronology offers predominately vocal tracks garnished with three pleasant instrumentals, "Just a Simple Melody," "Little White Lies," and "Oh, Promise Me." The leader wisely bolstered his trombone's famous tonality with such capable players as Pee Wee Erwin, Bud Freeman, and Johnny Mince. Gifted percussionist Dave Tough, a troubled individual who was eventually slain by his addiction to alcohol, lasted a remarkably long time with Dorsey, finally bailing after the session of December 6th. Syrupy-voiced Jack Leonard made off with eight ballads in addition to Kern/Hammerstein's "Who?," which was given the same group vocal treatment as Dorsey's hit record, "Marie." Edythe Wright, capable of singing prettily, was at her best with humorous upbeat numbers like Yip Harburg and Harold Arlen's anti-romantic "Down with Love." The nadir of her career was reached with the incredibly racist Rodgers & Hart tune "There's a Boy in Harlem." This nasty little air paints an archaic Jim Crow portrait of a musically gifted but sloppily dressed Afro-American composer who never leaves the 'hood but whose influence pervades the music industry. With Lorenz Hart's lyrics containing a thinly veiled reference to "this person in the woodpile," the song belongs in Tin Pan Alley's sociological chamber of horrors. Its appearance in the Dorsey discography casts a sickly light upon his periodically flawed ethical sensibilities. arwulf arwulf     Tracklist : 

TOMMY DORSEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1117 (2000) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This ninth edition of the Classics Tommy Dorsey chronology opens with a splendid instrumental rendering of "Shine on Harvest Moon" but then gives way to numerous vocal performances by Jack Leonard, that grenadine-drenched crooner so favored by this bandleader in the years preceding the arrival of Frank Sinatra. Three more instrumentals, Ted Fiorito's "I Never Knew," Irving Berlin's "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning," and "What'll I Do?" allowed tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman to administer an infusion of his own special warmth. Two more sides from the same session scaled the band down to Clambake Seven specifications and featured the beautiful Edythe Wright, who seems to have been capable of singing nearly any song placed in front of her. Freeman left Dorsey to join Benny Goodman after this session. He was replaced by two tenors, Skeets Herfurt and Deane Kincaide. Dorsey still had Pee Wee Erwin and Johnny Mince and his records continued to sell in large numbers. This was largely on account of his vocalists, the best of whom during this period was without a doubt Edythe Wright. arwulf arwulf   Tracklist : 

TOMMY DORSEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1938, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1156 (2000) FLAC (tracks), lossless

The tenth installment of the Classics Tommy Dorsey chronology presents a series of Victor recordings he made during midsummer and early autumn 1938 in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. Edythe Wright was Dorsey's primary vocalist from 1935 to 1939. While some of her recorded performances are pleasantly zippy and entertaining, she sometimes had to participate in Dorsey's tightly scripted mechanical cornball routines, rhythmically chanting rhymed verse in an atmosphere almost entirely devoid of spontaneity, not to mention dignity. The stupidest, most painfully contrived Clambake Seven recording of all was "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," and Wright's duets with Skeets Herfurt are almost as obnoxious. Instrumental tracks therefore take on a comparative aspect of richly rewarding artistic merit. A high-stepping rendition of "Panama" by William H. Tyers, Hoagy Carmichael's wistful "Washboard Blues," the catchy "Copenhagen," and the soon to be famous "Boogie Woogie" were each arranged by tenor saxophonist Deane Kincaide. Other rewarding instrumentals heard here are "Carolina Moon," a bouncing oddity with eccentric modulations and a dash of boogie flavoring called "Lightly and Politely," Benny Carter's "Symphony in Riffs," and "Chinatown, My Chinatown," expertly swung by the Clambake Seven, a tight little group that sounds for all the world like a contingent from the Eddie Condon mob as they tear through a sizzling salute to "The Sheik of Araby." arwulf arwulf     Tracklist :

TOMMY DORSEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1237 (2002) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This 12th installment in the Classics Tommy Dorsey chronology documents the trombonist's Victor studio recordings dating from the first half of 1939. Drummer Dave Tough was back with the band for a few months and Yank Lawson was in the trumpet section for a grand two-part version of the Jelly Roll Morton/New Orleans Rhythm Kings collaborative masterpiece "Milenberg Joys." This excellent stomp was arranged by Deane Kincaide, whose charts helped to make the Dorsey band sound somewhat hipper than it ever had before. The five other instrumentals included in this part of the Dorsey chronology are "Dawn on the Desert," "Marcheta," "By the River Sainte Marie," "Tea for Two," and "Peckin' with the Penguins," a loping opus composed and arranged by Kincaide. Edythe Wright was on her way out of the Dorsey dynasty at this point, which might explain why she's only heard singing on four of the titles reissued here. The best of these is Koehler/Bloom's whimsical "Got No Time." For an interesting listening experience, compare this performance with Fats Waller's version of the same song, recorded one day later for Victor's subsidiary Bluebird label. Speaking of Waller, on the session of February 9th, goofy Skeets Herfurt tried hard to navigate the scat line from "Hold Tight (Want Some Seafood Mama)." Waller's definitive version had been waxed on January 19th and Dorsey, always on the lookout for catchy material to spice up his act, hastened to cover the song as soon as he'd heard it. Rodgers & Hart's "Blue Moon," with its brusque band vocal behind crooning Jack Leonard, gets the same treatment that had made "Marie" into a hit record. The band swings well enough but Dorsey's willingness to milk this routine must have made some listeners wonder which popular song would next become transformed into something so obviously patterned after "Marie." arwulf arwulf        Tracklist :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1936 | The Classics Chronological Series – 855 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The first 20 recordings led by Artie Shaw are reissued on this CD. The great swing clarinetist's original idea was to lead a small big band with strings in 1936. The initial session (from June 11) has four horns, a string quartet, and a four-piece rhythm section, heard at their best on "The Japanese Sandman" and "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody." By the second session, two months later, a fifth horn had been added and the lineup included tenor saxophonist Tony Pastor (who also took vocals), singer Peg Lacentra, and arranger Jerry Gray playing one of the violins. Highlights of the unusual (and short-lived) orchestra include "Sugar Foot Stomp," "Thou Swell," and "The Skeleton in the Closet." This band had a lot of potential, but unfortunately the general public preferred louder, larger, and less-subtle ensembles, so Shaw reluctantly broke up his first orchestra early in 1937. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1936-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 886 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist + Credits :

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 :

JACK TEAGARDEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1934-1939 | The Classics Chronological Series – 729 (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Shortly before selling his soul to Paul Whiteman for five long years, trombonist Weldon Leo "Jack" Teagarden and his orchestra made three beautiful recordings that still sound uncommonly cool, honest, and authentic. This session, which took place in New York on September 18, 1934, closes out Teagarden's early years as a bandleader. The instrumental "Junk Man" is a relaxed blues ambulation of remarkable depth and subtlety, featuring string harpist Casper Reardon who swung easily in a style similar to that of Robert Maxwell. Flanked by Benny Goodman and Frankie Trumbauer, Jack's brother Charlie Teagarden blew some of his best trumpet on record. Texas crooner Mr. T sang on two of the three records made that day, handsomely drawling the words to "Stars Fell on Alabama," as if lyricist Frank Perkins had devised them just for him. Years passed. The minute his contract with Whiteman expired, Teagarden resumed making records under his own name for the Brunswick label on April 14, 1939, collaborating with trumpeter Charlie Spivak in leading a 15-piece orchestra that operated in a sort of Dorsey/Goodman/Barnet groove, with lush harmonies emanating from the trombone section. Present in this band were arranger Fred Van Eps, Jr. and saxophonist John Van Eps, sons of legendary early 20th century ragtime banjoist Fred Van Eps and brothers of jazz guitar wizard George Van Eps. The other important participant here was the great Ernie Caceres, heard playing clarinet and tenor sax in addition to his customary baritone. "Persian Rug," which first entered the jazz repertoire back in 1928 as a sort of chamber jazz oddity by Fats Waller and the Louisiana Sugar Babes, here becomes a punchy big-band workout. Teagarden's vocals are invariably warm and delightful, and there are only occasional incursions by conventional big-band singers Jeanie Arnold and Linda Keene. Of the four remaining instrumentals, "Pickin' for Patsy" is a relatively modernistic feature for guitarist Allan Reuss, "Undertow" a soothing nocturne for jazz orchestra, "Blues to the Dole" a laid-back big-band embodiment of Teagarden's personality and most excitingly, a full ensemble arrangement of Willie "The Lion" Smith's masterpiece, "Rippling Waters." arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1    Junk Man    3:04
 Frank Loesser / George W. Meyer
2    Stars Fell On Alabama 3:00
 Mitchell Parish / Frank Perkins
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
3    Your Guess Is As Good As Mine 2:45
 Al Goodhart / Al Hoffman / Maurice Sigler
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
4    Persian Rug 2:19
 Gus Kahn / Neil Moret
Arranged By – Red Bone
5    The Sheik Of Araby 2:37
 Harry Beasley Smith / Ted Snyder / Francis Wheeler
Vocals – Jack Teagarden, Meredith Blake
6    Class Will Tell 2:37
 Joe Burke / Edgar Leslie
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
7    If It's Good (Then I Want It) 2:51
 Walter Hirsch / Gerald Marks
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
8    Cinderella, Stay In My Arms 2:50
 Michael Carr / Jimmy Kennedy
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
9    I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues 2:40
 Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
10    That's Right - I'm Wrong 2:22
 Stanley Adams / Hoagy Carmichael
Vocals – Jean Arnold
11    Yankee Doodle 2:54
 Traditional
Arranged By – Fred van Eps Jr.
Vocals – Jean Arnold
12    White Sails (Beneath A Silver Moon) 3:13
Archer / Kenny
Vocals – Linda Keene
13    Octoroon 3:23
 Harry Warren
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
14    Pickin' For Patsy    2:39
 Allan Reuss / Jack Teagarden
15    Undertow    3:20
 Edgar Battle / Glenn Miller
16    Especially For You 2:57
 Orrin Tucker
Vocals – Linda Keene
17    You Know (Just As Well As I Know) 2:47
 Joe King
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
18    You're The Moment In My Life 2:48
 Henry Nemo
Vocals – Linda Keene
19    The Little Man Who Wasn't There 2:43
 Harold Adamson / Bernie Hanighen
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
20    Puttin' And Takin' 3:00
 Gene DePaul / Al Jacobs
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
21    I Swung The Election 2:31
 Glenn Miller / Jack Teagarden
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
22    Blues To The Dole    2:48
 Edgar Battle / Franz Jackson
23    Aunt Hagar's Blues 2:45
 Tim Brymn / W.C. Handy
Vocals – Jack Teagarden
24    Rippling Waters    2:30
 Willie "The Lion" Smith
Credits :    
Bass [String Bass] – Art Miller
Clarinet – Benny Goodman (tracks: 1 to 3)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Art St. John (tracks: 4 to 24), Clint Garvin (tracks: 4 to 24)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Hub Lytle (tracks: 4 to 24), John Van Eps (tracks: 4 to 24)
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Ernie Caceres (tracks: 4 to 24)
Drums – Cubby Teagarden (tracks: 4 to 24), Herb Quigley (tracks: 1 to 3)
Guitar – Allan Reuss (tracks: 4 to 24)
Harp – Casper Reardon (tracks: 1 to 3)
Piano – John Anderson (tracks: 4 to 24), Terry Shand (tracks: 1 to 3)
Saxophone [C Melody] – Frankie Trumbauer (tracks: 1 to 3)
Trombone – Charles McCamish (tracks: 7 to 24), Jack Teagarden, Jose Gutierrez (tracks: 4 to 24), Mark Bennett (tracks: 4 to 24), Red Bone (tracks: 4 to 6)
Trumpet – Alec Fila (tracks: 4 to 6), Charlie Spivak (tracks: 4 to 24), Charlie Teagarden (tracks: 1 to 3), Carl Garvin (tracks: 4 to 24), Lee Castle (tracks: 7 to 24)