There are some 146 numbers featured and no less than 49 were unknown to me until now. I accept that that’s one for the “so what” department but I have loved this kind of music virtually all my life. Having now heard – and liked on the whole – this material I concede that whilst pleasant and entertaining it doesn’t rate much mention in the Great American Songbook. But though ephemeral it does provide an enjoyable time-capsule.
Despite a 35-page booklet there are no personnel listings and no recording locations. But many readers will aware that the band included at one time or another the likes of Bunny Berigan (with major contributions to both Marie and Song Of India), Zeke Zarchy, Johnny Mince, Buddy DeFranco, Buddy Rich, Louis Bellson and Dave Tough.
In conclusion this is a set that will add lustre to any collection of big band and/or swing material.
Discography
CD1: On Treasure Island; Take Me Back To My Boots And Saddle; Santa Claus Is Coming To Town; At A Little Church Affair; Don’t Give Up The Ship; Alone; If I Had Rhythm In My Nursery Rhymes; The Music Goes Round And Round; Lovely Lady; I’m Getting Sentimental Over You; A Little Rendez-vous In Honolulu; You Started Me Dreaming;You; Did I Remember; Stardust; No Regrets; On The Beach At Bali Bali; San Francisco; Close To Me; That Foolish Feeling; I’m In A Dancing Mood; There’s Frost On The Moon; May I Have The Next Romance With You; If My Heart Could Only Talk (72.00)
CD2: Marie; Song Of India; They Can’t Take That Away From Me; Dark Eyes; Twilight In Turkey; Nola; Satan Takes A Holiday;Alibi Baby; My Cabin Of Dreams;Stardust On The Moon; Have You Got Any Castles, Baby?; You And I Know; An Old Flame Never Dies; The Big Apple; In The Still Of The Night; Josephine; If It’s The Last Thing I Do; Once In A While; The Dipsy Doodle; A Little White Lighthouse; I Can Dream, Can’t I; The One I Love (Will Come Along Someday); Just A Simple Melody; You Couldn’t Be Cuter; More Than Ever (72.00)
CD3: Bewildered; Yearning (Just For You); Says My Heart; You Leave Me Breathless; I’ll Dream Tonight; I Hadn’t anyone Till You; My Walking Stick; Now It Can Be Told; Music, Maestro, Please; A Tisket, A Tasket; My Own; Stop Beatin’ Around The Mulberry Bush; You Got Me; Boogie Woogie; Stompin’ At The Stadium; You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby; This Is It; A New Moon And Old Serenade; Our Love; In The Middle Of A Dream; This Is No Dream; To You; The Lamp Is Low; All I Remember Is You; Oh You Crazy Moon (71.00)
CD4: Are You Having Fun; Indian Summer; All The Things You Are; I’ve Got My Eyes On You; Imagination; Fools Rush In; You’re Lonely And I’m Lonely; I’ll Never Smile Again; All This And Heaven Too; The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else; Trade Winds; Only Forever; Love Lies; The Call Of The Canyon; I Could Make You Care; Our Love Affair; My Echo, My Shadow, And Me; Two Dreams Met; You’ve Got Me This Way; Stardust; Oh Look At Me Now; You Might Have Belonged To Another; Do I Worry (73.00)
CD5: Dolores; Ev’rything Happens To Me; Let’s Get Away From It All; Yes, Indeed; Kiss The Boys Goodbye; This Love Of Mine; Who; I Guess I’ll Have To Dream The Rest; You And I; A Sinner Kissed An Angel; Two In Love; How About You?; What Is This Thing Called Love?; The Last Call For Love; I’ll Take Tallulah; Well Git it; Just As Though You Were There; Be Careful, It’s My Heart; Take Me; Manhattan Serenade; Daybreak; There Are Such Things; It Started All Over Again; In The Blue Of Evening; It’s Always You (76.00)
CD6: Embraceable You; Another One Of Those Things; I’ll Be Seeing You; Will You Still Be Mine; I Dream Of You (More Than You Dream I Do); Opus No 1; More And More; Sleigh Ride In July; I Should Care; A Friend Of Yours; Out Of This World; On The Atchison, Topeka, And The Santa Fe; Hong Kong Blues; Out Of Nowhere; A Door Will Open; Aren’t You Glad You’re You; The Moment I Met You; I Don’t Know Why (I Just Do); How Are Things In Glocha Morra; Until; Down By The Station; Again; The Huckle Buck; Tea For Two Cha Cha (73.00)
Dorsey (tb, ldr) with various musicians + Edyth Wright; Jack Leonard; Connie Haines; Freddie Stewart; Bonnie Lou Williams; Stuart Foster; Frank Sinatra; Jo Stafford; The Pied Pipers (v). No personnel listings or recording locations.
Acrobat ACSCD 6009
