TOMMY DORSEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 955 (1997) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This fifth installment in the Classics Tommy Dorsey chronology presents recordings he made with the Dorsey Orchestra and the Clambake Seven during the spring of 1937. These ensembles benefited greatly from the presence of certain outstanding players. Bunny Berigan is heard on the first three tracks, but left the band soon thereafter to form his own orchestra. He would return briefly to work for Dorsey again in 1940. Speaking of brilliant musicians with tragically alcoholic temperaments, master percussionist Dave Tough stuck with this band for what was for him a remarkable stretch of uninterrupted professional involvement. Tommy Dorsey sold a lot of records during the mid- and late '30s. One thing hasn't changed very much since then: the public's interest in singers. Dorsey employed crooner Jack Leonard and a perky, interesting chanteuse named Edythe Wright, who seems to have had fun with the lyrics to "Jammin'," sounding almost as hip as Ivie Anderson. Instrumentally, this tune lives up to its name. Wright also did well with "The Milkman's Matinee," Dorsey's apparent attempt to elbow in on Charlie Barnet's turf. Bud Freeman, Pee Wee Erwin, and Johnny Mince turn in perfectly handsome solos on this curious number originally designed as a theme song for Stan Shaw's late-night radio show on WNEW. Dorsey also wisely chose to render a number of instrumentals to vary his recorded repertoire. Continuing to contribute to the popularity of European classical melodies arranged for jazz orchestra, he served up "Liebestraum" by Franz Liszt, Felix Mendelssohn's "Spring Song," and "Blue Danube" by Johann Strauss. Other intriguing performances heard here without vocalists are the popular Gypsy tune "Dark Eyes," "Twilight in Turkey" by Raymond Scott, "Nola" by Felix Arndt, and "Satan Takes a Holiday" by Larry Clinton. A delightfully warm and kicky "Stop, Look and Listen," representing one of the jazziest items in the entire Dorsey discography, swings for a full five and a half minutes. arwulf arwulf      Tracklist :

TOMMY DORSEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 995 (1998) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This sixth installment in the Tommy Dorsey chronology opens with Paul Weston's snappy big-band orchestration of "Humoresque" by Antonin Dvorák, including a quote from Stephen Foster's "Old Folks at Home," better known as "Swanee River." For the flip side of this Victor recording, guitarist Carmen Mastren fashioned a lovely arrangement of the famous theme from Dvorák's Symphony No. 9 in E Minor and casually rechristened it "Rollin' Home." Crooner Jack Leonard is featured on the next three titles, and although "You're Precious to Me" is one of his least insipid performances on record, it pales considerably when compared with Wingy Manone's soulful version. Relief arrives in a smokin' jam on W.C. Handy's "Beale Street Blues." This marvelous traditional jam scintillates with Dave Tough's cymbal work and the incredible warmth of Bud Freeman's tenor sax solo. Six sides recorded on June 12, 1937, by the Clambake Seven sustain the friendly mood with a succession of catchy studies in small-group swing with vocals by Edythe Wright. The party culminated with "Posin'," a slaphappy stop-action novelty singalong punctuated with abbreviated instrumental breaks by several of the band's star players, including Dave Tough, who was famous for his reluctance to take drum solos. Three fine big-band instrumentals were recorded at the same session: "That Stolen Melody" by Fred Fisher, "Barcarolle" by Jacques Offenbach, and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "Hymn to the Sun." About one month later, Edythe Wright and Dorsey's Clambake Seven returned to the Victor recording studios to wax four swinging renditions of romantic Tin Pan Alley marzipans. The session concluded with two more Wright vocals backed by the big band and "Are All My Favorite Big Bands Playing or Am I Dreaming?," a hilariously bizarre pastiche of sound effects and cornball novelty licks accompanying Bud Freeman as he recites wistful lyrics in a theatrical British accent. Interestingly, this sounds a lot like a premonition of "The Wrong Idea," that ruthless send-up of big-band gimmickry that Charlie Barnet would record more than two years later during the autumn of 1939. arwulf arwulf           Tracklist + Credits :

TOMMY DORSEY AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1937, Vol. 3 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1035 (1998) FLAC (tracks), lossless

 The seventh installment in the Classics Tommy Dorsey chronology opens with four love songs swung by the Clambake Seven and sung by Edythe Wright. On the bluesy and slightly dissonant "After You," the leader plays his trombone using a trumpet mouthpiece, creating a sound somewhat similar to what Jack Teagarden would achieve on his "Glass Blues" of 1944 using nothing more than a trombone mouthpiece and a water glass. Bud Freeman's solo on this track is nothing short of marvelous. A light smattering of instrumentals include a majestic and swinging version of Cole Porter's "Night and Day" arranged by Paul Weston, Jerome Kern's "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "Canadian Capers," and Hoagy Carmichael's "I May Be Wrong, But I Think You're Wonderful." Most of the selections feature pert or sentimental vocals. The goofiest track is "The Big Apple," a slaphappy Clambake Seven call and response number describing a "new dance" combining characteristics of nearly every popular step of the day. The band carefully recites "my my, yes yes," a phrase lifted directly from Fats Waller. This segment of the Dorsey chronology closes with a weirdly out of step remnant from vaudeville days. Back in 1902 a guy by the name of Fred Fisher came up with a barrelhouse rag bearing the dubious title "If the Man in the Moon Were a Coon." This Jim Crow novelty was published by Chicago's Will Rossiter, a shrewd businessman destined to succeed in 1917 with Shelton Brooks' famous proto-jazz hit, "The Darktown Strutter's Ball." The fact that Tommy Dorsey thought it was OK to record Fisher's "Coon" song in 1937 with Jack Leonard merrily enunciating the words speaks volumes about the state of U.S. culture and ethics during the 20th century. The tune itself, which sounds a little like Tony Jackson's "Pretty Baby," is very catchy and lends itself to full throttle jamming. Bud Freeman runs fiendish riffs up and down the tenor and Johnny Mince's clarinet percolates while Gene Traxler slaps his bass. It's one of this group's hottest records. If only they'd omitted the lyrics. arwulf arwulf    Tracklist :

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 :

GLENN MILLER AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1935-1938 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1377 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is the first volume in the Classics Glenn Miller chronology. It presents his earliest sessions as a leader, beginning with a very handsome session for Columbia that took place on April 25, 1935. The presence of trumpeter Bunny Berigan, clarinetist Johnny Mince, tenor saxophonist Eddie Miller, pianist Claude Thornhill, a well-behaved string quartet, and Miller's own buttery sounding trombone make this a surprisingly charming little date. The first two titles have vocals by Smith Ballew. "In a Little Spanish Town" and the excellent "Solo Hop" are swinging instrumentals propelled by drummer Ray Bauduc; these very danceable stomps clearly prefigure Glenn Miller's later achievements as a successful purveyor of big-band swing music. The second date in Miller's complete chronological recordings took place on March 22, 1937. Recorded for the Decca label, these tracks have all the qualities that would distinguish Glenn Miller's band during its wartime heyday. Without downplaying vocalists Doris Kerr, Jack Lathrop, and the Tune Twisters, let it be said that the instrumentals "Peg O' My Heart" and "I'm Sitting on Top of the World" are the cream of the crop. Miller's tenure with Brunswick records began on June 9, 1937 with four more exceptionally fine instrumental dance numbers. Over the next 11 months, Miller would feature a steady stream of good vocalists (Kathleen Lane, Gail Reese, and Ray Eberle) while fortifying the band with outstanding musicians like Dick McDonough, Charlie Spivak, Sterling Bose, Pee Wee Erwin, Hal McIntyre, Irving Fazola, and Tex Beneke. Even as Glenn Miller's later recordings seem always to attract more attention, these early sides illustrate what a solid leader, arranger, and soloist he was fairly early on in the game, before he became one of the most popular bandleaders in the country. arwulf arwulf   Tracklist :

FRANKIE TRUMBAUER AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1936-1946 | The Chronogical Classics – 1331 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Despite the fact that, compared to his contemporaries like Jack Teagarden and Artie Shaw, there are relatively few Frankie Trumbauer recordings as a leader, this period, from the mid-'30s to the mid-'40s, is arguably his most satisfying. Here with the Three Ts (Trumbauer with Jack and Charlie Teagarden) and leading a few bands with Shaw, Pee Wee Erwin, Carl Kress, Matty Matlock, John Kiefer, Bob Haggart, and more as sidemen, Trumbauer laid down some of his most memorable sessions, recording tunes such as "'S Wonderful," "Ain't Misbehavin'," "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance," and 18 more. Along with Teagarden's stunning vocal style, reaching its peak during these years, and the deep swinging blues approach, these sides have been ignored for far too long under Trumbauer's signature.
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HAZEL SCOTT – 1939-1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1308 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A brilliant pianist who also had a warm singing voice, Hazel Scott gained some recognition in the early '40s for her swinging versions of classical themes. This valuable CD has all of her early recordings through May 1945, most of which have been rarely reissued. Scott is first heard on four songs with a pickup group organized by Leonard Feather called the Sextet of the Rhythm Club of London. While that unit features clarinetist Danny Polo and altoist Pete Brown, the next 16 selections (four of which are V-discs) put the spotlight entirely on Scott, who is backed by either J.C. Heard or Sid Catlett on drums. She shows off both her technique and her creativity on six classical works, swing standards, and a couple basic blues originals, singing on "People Will Say We're in Love" and "C Jam Blues." The final four numbers are quite a bit different as Scott is showcased as a fairly straight and sophisticated singer with orchestras conducted by Toots Camarata. Overall, this CD is highly recommended, reminding today's listeners how talented a pianist Scott was in her early days. Scott Yanow
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BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1934-1935 | The Classics Chronological Series – 744 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 With the exception of the final two titles, all of the music on this CD is from 1934, a period when Benny Goodman first formed his big band and appeared regularly on the Let's Dance radio series. Still virtually unknown to the general public, Goodman at 25 was ready for stardom, but the world was not quite yet ready for swing. The first four selections are from a fascinating combo date with the great tenor Coleman Hawkins and Mildred Bailey (who has vocals on three songs, including "Ol' Pappy" and "Emaline"). Another small-group session that features trombonist/singer Jack Teagarden and pianist Teddy Wilson precedes the Goodman Music Hall Orchestra's recordings for Columbia. The band is heard gradually developing their musical identity despite the lack of any major soloists other than the leader and (starting in November 1934) trumpeter Pee Wee Erwin. Helen Ward takes three vocals, and with "The Dixieland Band" in January 1935, the Goodman sound was almost together. Scott Yanow
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BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1935 | The Classics Chronological Series – 769 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD traces the evolution of Benny Goodman's orchestra from the beginning of 1935 when they were comparatively unknown to the beginning of July when they were on the brink of success, even though Benny Goodman was no longer appearing on the Let's Dance radio series and was about to embark on a risky cross-country trip. Singer Helen Ward, drummer Gene Krupa, and trumpeter Pee Wee Erwin were the key voices (along with the clarinetist/leader) at the beginning of the year, but by the time the band recorded the last eight numbers on this disc, Bunny Berigan was Benny Goodman's star trumpeter. His solos on "King Porter Stomp" and "Sometimes I'm Happy" (along with Fletcher Henderson's swinging arrangements) would make Goodman a major star. Berigan also has hot spots on "Blue Skies" and "Jingle Bells." Swing was almost ready to catch on big. Scott Yanow
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BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1935-1936 | The Classics Chronological Series – 789 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After a historic up-and-down, cross-country trip to Los Angeles, Benny Goodman & His Orchestra became a sensation, launching the swing era. This set has the first selections by the Benny Goodman Trio (featuring the clarinetist with pianist Teddy Wilson and drummer Gene Krupa) and the initial big band recordings after Benny Goodman was crowned the king of swing, including his closing theme song, "Goodbye," "When Buddha Smiles," "Stompin' at the Savoy," and "Goody Goody" (Helen Ward's biggest hit). The next few years found Benny Goodman at the top of the music world. Scott Yanow
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BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1936 | The Classics Chronological Series – 817 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Here's a chronological survey of studio recordings made by Benny Goodman with his trio and orchestra for the Victor label during the spring and summer of 1936 in New York, Chicago, and Hollywood. Riding on solid arrangements by Horace Henderson ("Walk, Jennie, Walk"), Fletcher Henderson ("Remember," "I Would Do Anything for You," "I've Found a New Baby," "You Turned the Tables on Me," and "Down South Camp Meeting"), Spud Murphy, and Jimmy Mundy, it's obvious why this big band went over so well. Mundy's arrangements of Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" and his own "House Hop" dramatically demonstrate the Goodman orchestra's famously fine approach to making music for slow dancers and jitterbugs alike. Two trio sessions with Teddy Wilson and Gene Krupa produced ripping hot versions of "China Boy" and "Nobody's Sweetheart," a rock-solid "Oh, Lady Be Good," a gorgeous and reflective "More Than You Know," and a pair of pretty love songs sung by Helen Ward, who also pipes up on five of the big-band tracks. At this point in the Goodman orchestra's evolution, the influence of Fletcher Henderson was strongly felt. Today, decades after his demise, Henderson is finally acknowledged as the concealed genius behind some of Benny Goodman's very best recorded performances. arwulf arwulf
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