 |
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Hollywood Swing & Jazz (Rhino)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson
Among the many cool things Rhino Records does for jazz fans is the MGM series of recordings from musical films of the golden era. There are many of those CDs available now, and most of them are excellent. This one, however, tops them all. The tracks list (included below) is enough to make any jazz or nostalgia buff salivate. Spread over two CDs, Hollywood Swing & Jazz is a trip down memory lane that you just have to take. You hear Bojangles sing and tap-dance, Count Basie define cool, Duke Ellington define class, and best of all, you hear just about everyone present define entertainment. It's not all the expected stuff, either. Someone obviously spent some time listening to tapes in some of the dustier boxes before they chose the tracks. Maybe you aren't surprised by Louis Armstrong's "Jeepers Creepers," but were you really expecting The Mills Brothers' "Congo Fever (Jungle Fever)?" Be honest, now. No, you weren't. Disc 1 is feel-good, disc 2 is largely thinking material, both discs are absolutely indispensable. And it comes with a highly entertaining 32-page booklet. You know there's more where this came from, and I, for one, can't wait for the next installment.
TRACK LIST:
Disc One:
Living In A Great Big Way - Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Thomas "Fats" Waller & Jeni Le Gon * Congo Fever (Jungle Fever) - The Mills Brothers * Let That Be A Lesson To You - Johnnie "Scat" Davis, Frances Langford & Benny Goodman & His Orchestra * I've Got A Heartful Of Music - The Benny Goodman Quartet * You're An Education - The Three Symphonettes With Freddie Rich & His Orchestra * All God's Chillun Got Rhythm - Ivie Anderson, Benny & The Chrinoline Choir with Duke Ellington & His Orchestra * Jeepers Creepers - Louis Armstrong * Nightmare - Artie Shaw & His Orchestra * Traffic Jam - Artie Shaw & His Orchestra * Blues In The Night - Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra * You've Got To Know How To Dance - Six Hits And A Miss with the Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra Buds Won't Bud - Ethel Waters * Medley: Things Ain't What They Used To Be; Going Up - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra * Shine - Buck & Bubbles (Ford Buck & John W. Bubbles) & The Hall Johnson Choir * Mrs. Whiffen - Mel Torme, Marcy McGuire & Grace Hartman * One O'Clock Jump - Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra * Body And Soul - The Hazel Scott Trio * Toot Suite - Harry James & His Orchestra * Hong Kong Blues - Hoagy Carmichael * Baltimore Oriole - Hoagy Carmichael * Please Don't Say No - The King Sisters * Jammin' The Blues - Lester Young & Buck Clayton with Harry "Sweets" Edison * On The Sunny Side Of The Street - Marie Bryant with Lester Young & Buck Clayton and Harry "Sweets" Edison * It's You Or No One - Doris Day with The Page Cavanaugh Trio * You Do Something To Me - Lena Horne * I'll Get By - Lena Horne
Disc Two:
Medley: Do, Do, Do; Bidin' My Time; I've Got A Crush On You; Love Is Here To Stay - Benny Carter & His Orchestra * Ain't Misbehavin' - Louis Armstrong & His All-Stars with Jack Teagarden * Hold Me Close To You - Billy Eckstine * Taking A Chance On Love - Dorothy Dandridge * My Flaming Heart - Nat "King" Cole * Now You Has Jazz - Bing Crosby & Louis Armstrong * I Love You, Samantha - Bing Crosby & Louis Armstrong * I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good - Julie Wilson with Ray Anthony & His Orchestra * Improvisation (Source #1) - Andre Previn Trio * Red Drum Blues - Andre Previn Trio * Improvisation (Source #2) - Andre Previn Trio * Coffee Time - Carmen Mcrae with the Andre Previn Trio * Spaghetti Fantasy - Russ Freeman * Alarm Clock - Russ Freeman, Bill Perkins, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Art Farmer, Bob Enevoldson, Buddy Clark & Dave Bailey * Should I? - Andre Previn Trio * Things Are Looking Down - Russ Freeman, Bill Perkins, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Art Farmer, Bob Enevoldson, Buddy Clark & Dave Bailey * Bread And Wine - Russ Freeman, Bill Perkins, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Art Farmer, Bob Enevoldson, Buddy Clark & Dave Bailey * God Bless The Child - Pearl Bailey * Don't Blame Me - Leslie Uggams * Sunday In New York - Mel Torme * The Girl From Ipanema - Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto * Skol Sister - Count Basie & His Orchestra * Goof Proof - Count Basie & His Orchestra * Lottie - Count Basie & His Orchestra * I Got Rhythm - Louis Armstrong
© 2000 - DJ Johnson