Sophisticated Swing

Sophisticated Swing

ASIN: B00005YNPP

Track Listings

1. By Heck

2. Oh, Lady Be Good - Don Neely, Don Neely

3. Them There Eyes

4. I Double Dare You

5. Sophisticated Swing

6. I'll Never Say "Never Again" Again

7. Let's Get Together

8. Truckin'

9. Lady Is a Tramp

10. Goody Goody

11. You're a Heavenly Thing

12. If Dreams Come True

13. Sing Me a Swing Song (And Let Me Dance)

14. Wrap You're Troubles in Dreams

15. Swingin' on the Reservation

Tracks:

Sophisticated Ladies (Medley) - A Tribute to Duke Ellington:: Sophiscated Lady - Take the 'A' Train - Mood Indigo - It Don't Mean A Thing
When The Saints Go Marchin' In

Customer Reviews:

Pops Stoppers.......2007-05-06

Thank you for sending this--excellent recording. Great music, and enjoyed by all generations in our family...from 19 yrs.....to 90 yrs....We all have enjoyed it so much.....Thank you...

Average customer rating:

Mixed feelings
Your love for this superb collection will be here to stay...
He's done it again
Absolutely 'S WONDERFUL!
A beautiful 2 disc CD-another hit for Michael

The Michael Feinstein Anthology

Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Nostalgia | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Romance on Film/Romance on Broadway
Hopeless Romantics
Isn't It Romantic
Nice Work If You Can Get It: Songs by the Gershwins
Michael & George (Feinstein Sings Gershwin)

ASIN: B000065DVH
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Tracks:

Nice Work If You Can Get It
Isn't It Romantic
Swinging On A Star
Ask Me Again
Rhode Island Is Famous For You
'S Wonderful
Wonder Why
Too Marvelous For Words
Where Do You Start
Theme From The Bad And The Beautiful
Easy To Love
Alexander's Ragtime Band
Who Are You Now?
You're An Education
You Are There
Sophisticated Swing
Love Can Change The Stars
Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are
Half Of April (Most Of May)
Marianne
They Can't Take That Away From Me
I Love A Piano

Tracks:

That's Entertainment
My Favorite Year
Ten Feet Off The Ground (With Rosemary Clooney)
I Never Felt Better
Someone To Watch Over Me
Kiss Her Now
The Ugly Bug Ball
For You, For Me, Forever More
The Mole People
And So To Bed
You're All The World To Me
Old Friend
Isn't It A Pity (with Rosemary Clooney)
Pattisserie
Open Your Eyes
For Love Alone
I Won't Send Roses/Time Heals Everything
Get Out And Get Under The Moon (with Page Cavanaugh)
My Romance
Love Is Here To Stay
Violin (with Liza Minnelli)

Amazon.com

The line between evangelist and entertainer has always been somewhat indistinct. But as showcased on this 43-track, double-disc collection culled from his '87-'96 recordings for Elektra/Nonesuch/Atlantic, Michael Feinstein's dedication to spreading the gospel of the American song often blurs it beyond recognition. While the singer's pedigree for the task is impeccable (a long-term stint as Ira Gershwin's assistant and early career sponsorship by Liza Minnelli), his interpretations often succeed by playing off a tense axis of fervent emotionalism and a joyous sense of irreverence.

If his readings of romantic standards can sometimes tend toward the precious, they're often balanced here by sheer dramatic power and telling insights ("Isn't It Romantic" fairly bristles with ironic chauvinism) and a few loopy curves ("The Mole People," the Sherman Brothers' "The Ugly Bug Ball," and the previously unreleased "Rhode Island Is Famous for You"). Feinstein's dedicated song archaeology is also showcased on several gems: "Violin," a duet with Liza Minnelli; "My Favorite Year," a rejected ballad for the film of that name; the sublime "lost" Gershwin classic "Ask Me Again."

Sprinkled with live performances (the forum where Feinstein's talents seem most energized) and studio outtakes and featuring a lengthy print interview with the singer, the set chronicles both the pioneering efforts of one of pop music's most successful revivalists and, crucially, the cream of his beloved American songwriters, from stalwarts Gershwin, Berlin, and Porter to later legends like Herman, Styne, Lane, Martin, and Mercer. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description

The definitive collection of performances by the Grammy nominated singer features 43 tracks from 14 albums released by Elektra, Elektra Nonesuch, and Atlantic labels from 1987-1996. Plus 8 previously unreleased live tracks only available here 'Rhode Island is Famous For You', 'S Wonderful', 'Alexander's Ragtime Band', 'I Love A Piano', 'Patisserie', 'Get Out And Get Under The Moon' (with Page Cavanaugh), 'Love Is Here To Stay' & 'Violin' (with Liza Minnelli). 2 Digipacks housed in a slipcase with a booklet. Rhino Records. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Mixed feelings.......2005-10-05

This album has some GREAT songs on it; sophisticated swing being one of my favorites. However many of the other songs are too operatic and lame. I give three stars but this album is definatly worth it just for some of the better songs.

Your love for this superb collection will be here to stay..........2002-07-18

The magnificently talented Michael Feinstein has made one wonderful album after another for nearly two decades. Now that Elektra and Rhino have put together this anthology, I am blown away by the versatility and diversity in Feinstein's recorded output. Such amazing rare gems, combined with the most beloved favorites in the history of American Popular Song. Assembled with wit, intelligence, and obvious affection on the part of the record company, this set is a keeper. You'll love it!

He's done it again.......2002-07-15

Is there anything this man can't sing? This collection is so varied as to be the definitive collection of songs for any occassion.

This is perfect background music for a dinner party for a whole group but especially for two. Light, romantic and just gorgeous. You just can't go wrong when Michael Feinstein is your musical choice.

Way to go Michael, you've done it again!

Absolutely 'S WONDERFUL!.......2002-06-10

There are very few contemporary performers who can hold their own with the truly great interpreters of American popular song. Michael Feinstein is truly the ONLY performer of the "younger" generation who really understands what these songs are all about. His incredible knowledge of this music, and his enthusiasm and passion for it have fueled his career. Rhino Records has done a truly outstanding job of putting together an anthology that exemplifies why Mr. Feinstein has become so beloved by audiences around the world. The packaging is excellent, and filled with interesting photos and background information about many of the selections.

This collection not only contains all the favorites one would expect, but a neat group of surprises too. I especially love the duets with people like Liza Minnelli and Rosemary Clooney, and the various collaborative efforts with songwriters like Jule Styne and Burton Lane accompanying Michael at the piano.

This collection is a classic to be treasured. Bravo Michael!
Bravo Rhino!

A beautiful 2 disc CD-another hit for Michael.......2002-06-09

I have every CD Michael has ever made and this is by far one of the best ones because of Michael's range in singing and his wonderful singing voice. I love his duets with Rosemary Clooney and Liza Minelli. He is a wonderful performer on this double CD and am looking foward to the next CD.

Average customer rating:

Elly Ameling now more available
Delight in every note
While they last...
Treasures From a Treasure
More than fully earned praise for an exceptional singer.

Artistry of Elly Ameling (Coll)
Elly Ameling
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
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Elly Ameling ~ Schubert · Schumann - Songs
Philips and Decca Recordings, 1961-1979 (Limited Edition)
Fauré - Mélodies / Souzay · Ameling · Baldwin
The Very Best of Lucia Popp
Ave Maria--Lieder

ASIN: B00007KMSJ
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

Matthaus-Passion
Johannes-Passion
Weihnachts-Oratorium
Juditha Triumphans
Messiah
Crudel Tiranno Amor
Die Schopfung
Orlando Paladino
7 Lieder
Le Nozze Di Figaro
Exsultate, Jubilate Ch'io Mi Scordi Di Te, K505
Misera! Dove Son! K369
18 Lieder
Frauenliebe Und- Leben
11 Lieder
20 Morike-Lieder

Customer Reviews:

Elly Ameling now more available .......2007-03-07

I had a 33 rpm album of Elly Ameling singing Schubert lieder accompanied by piano and clarinet at times. It was one of my all time favorite albums so I have been disappointed that I have not been able to find it anywhere on CD.

Now I can just buy this excellent collection. So much music in one place! Since I confess that I am far from an expert on the rest of her records, I look forward to hearing her sing many other styles and composers.

I think it is silly to criticize her for not singing Wagner, for example, since her version of many songs, especially lieder, are nothing short of sublime. I would like to hear how many Wagnerians sing Schubert or Mozart.

I doubt if they could approach the skill and soul with which Elly Ameling sings lieder.

Delight in every note.......2006-03-10

To speak as briefly as possible about this superb collection from an equally superb singer, what can I say but that Ms Ameling possessed a voice that shone with radiant warmth and star-like shimmer? And unlike many another light lyric soprano, Elly Ameling was possessed of a very high standard of musicianship, considerable intelligence, and a sort of immediate charm that captivates the listener.

So many of her recordings have still to be released on CD, but this 5CD-set goes some way towards remedying the situation. The repertoire spans a wide variety - French mèlodies, Lieder, light-hearted "sentimental" songs, Bach, etc. - and in each piece, Ms Ameling shows that quality of pearl-like beauty. It is a beauty which is also extremely pretty - a beauty of voice that is never overbearing and over-ripe, but perfectly blossoming upon the tree of inspiration.

I recommend this set unequivocally. It truly is sheer delight.

While they last..........2005-05-17

Elly Ameling held the quiet stage for recitals of great artistry and dignity for several decades and sadly most of the enormously successful CDs of her long career output are now unavailable. For those who have little access to the documentation of this very special artist, this box set is a must. It is a compilation of many of her recordings with differing accompanists, conductors, orchestras and composers. And while not all of the choices for inclusion here would be considered her greatest moments, there are enough works that sustain the warm memories of the little Dutch hausfrau who quietly and simply paid homage to composers with her clear and intelligent musicianship and radiant voice.

Ameling was known to schedule recitals of Schubert cycles and songs and in the afterglow of her performance answer the demand for curtain calls with additional Schubert melodies: she gifted her audience with the dignity of honoring a composer's works by maintaining the focus on that composer rather than milk the audience with the usual encore applause-getting favorites. And special moments such as quietly and pensively strolling through the orchestra during the Mahler 4th symphony to arrive at front stage, unapplauded, just in time for the opening line of her singing - those simple homage to composers and collaborators made her selfless manner endearing to audiences.

Despite the fact that Ameling's voice was on the small side she was always able to muster the projection to carry her message solidly in context with an orchestra. Yes, other more famous singers have recorded Ravel's quintessentially French SHEHERAZADE, but few have the perfection of diction and aura of mystery that Ameling maintained. Whether singing with piano or orchestra, or interpreting Bach, Mozart, Handel, and Vivaldi with the same degree of involvement as Brahms and Schumann and Schubert, Elly Ameling spanned a career that engendered passionate commitment from her fans. And this boxed set is a pocket full of memories to be treasured. Buy it before this too becomes unavailable. Grady Harp, May 05

Treasures From a Treasure.......2004-09-25

Treasures from a Treasure.

Ameling, one of the world's most beloved recitalists is captured here in a 5 CD collection offering some of her most beautiful recordings of song. While we are used to her perfection in songs of Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Faure and Hahn, an added joy is her "pop" side, tackling - without a whiff of pretension, Porter, Kern, Gershwin, Ellington, et al.

What an absolute joy it is listening to this amazing artist sing these songs with an almost uncanny natural ease. There is no resorting to a "pop" voice and yet most of these pop standards songs sound as though they could have been written for her. Clean attacks, sometimes a bit of the pop technique of hanging on to a consonant longer than a classical artist normally would shows an appreciation and understanding of the style. Still, there is never once a compromise of her vocal beauty.

I like the way the songs have been arranged for her voice in that she sort of sings them clean, unaffected in the first half and then lets loose and kinda "swings" with it adding embellishments but never really changing her voice (Price, von Stade and other favorite singers of mine seem to have always added a breathy quality to much of their crossover material.)

Ameling doesn't resort to trying to "let her hair down" or get down and dirty, but rather the honest with which she approaches every one of these songs shows how much she enjoys singing them and her style is as refreshing as stumbling onto a cool spring on a sweltering summer's afternoon. A wonderful surprise.

More than fully earned praise for an exceptional singer........2003-07-15

As I had the privilige of hearing this outstanding Lied-singer during her long career in Holland and being the proud possessor of almost all her recordings, I cannot but fully agree with the professional and joyful review of Mr. Robert Holliston from Victoria, B.C. Canada.
Yes, it is unbelievable that of about the 150 recordings Mrs. Ameling made during her long career (for the greater part of course on the 'oldfashioned' LP's, as well as the innumerable Dutch live-recorded radio-concerts), so few CD's have been released.
Speaking of tradition: it was the page-turner of the Wigmore Hall in London who told Mrs. Ameling after her first recital in this hall, that she reminded him of Elisabeth Schumann. (And he certainly didn't mean her looks only!)
For those who are eager to hear her singing Ravel's Shéhérazade (just one example of stirring imagination combined with her Art of Singing) I can tell you that Philips released a 2-box CD of this work in 1999, combined with Debussy's La Damoiselle élue and a compilation of French mélodies, i.e. Debussy, Fauré, Duparc, Satie. One of the gems is Caplet's Le Corbeau et le Renard which even make children, who know the fables of La Fontaine, revel in the singing of the quarrelsome birds....
Her brilliant accompanyist is Rudolf Jansen. Let us cherish great artists in their art!

Average customer rating:

Great Introduction

Sophisticated Lady
Duke Ellington
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Orchestral Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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Ornithology
Kind of Blue
25 Greatest Hot Fives & Sevens
Saxophone Colossus
A Love Supreme

ASIN: B000003G3N
Release Date: 1996-05-21

Tracks:

Concerto For Cootie
Never No Lament
Take The 'A' Train
Just A-Settin' And A-Rockin'
I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
Chelsea Bridge
Perdido
The 'C' Jam Blues
Prelude To A Kiss
Caravan
Mood Indigo
In A Sentimental Mood
It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
Sophisticated Lady
I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
Solitude
Things Ain't What They Used To Be (Times A-Waistin')
Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
St. Louis Blues

Amazon.com

Duke Ellington was at the height of his popularity during the 1940s; at the same time, he was enjoying a creative peak and fronting one of the finest organizations he'd ever assembled, including trumpeters Cootie Williams, Ray Nance, and later Rex Stewart and Harold "Shorty" Baker, trombonists Lawrence Brown, Tricky Sam Nanton, and Tommy Dorsey, saxophonists Johnny Hodges and Ben Webster, Jimmy Blanton and Oscar Pettiford on bass, and drummers Sonny Greer and Sid Catlett. The material here includes Ellington's famous versions of "Take the 'A' Train," "Caravan," "The 'C' Jam Blues," "Mood Indigo," and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)." --John Swenson

Customer Reviews:

Great Introduction.......2001-04-22

Duke Ellington's output was so massive, and so excellent, that starting an Ellington libary can be intimidating to the novice fan. This is a great place to begin. These tracks, recorded over five incredible years, show Ellington at one the many peaks in his career. Every track is a classic, and the diversity of the styles give a glimpse of how inventive this man was. It's a well-priced way to get a toe in the water, but be warned that you won't be able to stop here.

Average customer rating:

My Dream Is April
Writer Breaks Out
Close but no cigar
Stunning debut...
Amazing

My Dream is You
April Barrows
Manufacturer: Mellotone Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Swing Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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All You Need Is The Girl
Got You on My Mind
Dreamland
Half the Perfect World
Careless Love

ASIN: B000005NIP
Release Date: 1996-08-01

Tracks:

My Dream Is You
Someone Else's Arms
Lost in a Blue Note
I'm Beginning to See the Light
Mr. Moon
She's Got You
Room in My Heart
Jumping into Spring
I Wanna Turn Out My Light
Burning the Toast
Old Stuffed Sofa
Where the Blue Begins

Customer Reviews:

My Dream Is April.......2006-06-08

April Barrows has the sweetest voice. She reminds me of Doris Day.It looks like she has paid her dues and should have hit world wide fame by now.
It is wonderful to have a great artist that is still alive to give us new and fresh material. I am trying to find her first cd and will not give up untill I do.
Buy this cd and spread the word!!

Writer Breaks Out.......2005-06-26

To the author of the review who suggested "Swing" by Suzy Boguss... well, yeah! April Barrows WROTE those songs! Anyway, its great to hear her own interpretations. Fans of Madelaine Peyroux and Norah Jones' jazz work won't be disappointed to pick this one up, too.

Close but no cigar.......2005-05-11

I listened to this CD with high hopes, because I love this style of music. However, I was disappointed to find that several of the best songs come straight from Suzy Bogguss' album "Swing" (My Dream Is You, Jumpin' Into Spring, Burning the Toast), and Bogguss does a much better job with the material. I find that I DO like the instrumentals in "I'm Beginning to See the Light", and Barrows does an adequate job with the rest of the albums content. She seems to lack that "smokey" quality, though, that makes the singers of this genre so great. My advice is to listen to a few tracks from Bogguss' "Swing" before you buy this album, then decide.

Stunning debut..........2002-07-08

I had to break down and buy this CD after hearing so many nice things about it. Good thing, too!

For her debut album, April Barrows has created a wonderful disc that one would normally associate with an established recording star far along the path of fame and fortune. She possesses a surprising maturity not only in writing and vocalizing, but in song selection as well.

There are so many good numbers on here that it is tricky to pick out which are the best. I have several instant favorites, among them the two Moon songs, "Mr. Moon" and "I Wanna Turn Out My Light". Others that jump out are "An Old Stuffed Sofa", "Someone Else's Arms", "Lost in a Blue Note", and "Jumping into Spring". But I think if I were forced to choose only one favorite here, it would have to be the fun little number, "Burning the Toast".

All of the songs (most written by April), have a classic jazz style, calling to mind the best of female jazz vocalists from both the classic period (1930s - early 1950s), and the "new school" period with today's artists such as Karin Allyson, Rebecca Kilgore, Tierney Sutton, and others. Many of her songs have a wonderful sense of whimsy, and you know that April is giving each offering to us with a wink and a smile. Both "Burning the Toast" and "An Old Stuffed Sofa", along with the two Moon songs, deliver this whimsical sense in spades.

The artists backing April's songs fit nicely with her style, and both the band and the singer are not afraid to get out of each other's way when they need to. There's a good clarinet player, too, which is always nice to hear.

In short, the CD is a joy to listen to.

By all means, if you're a fan of intimate jazz vocalists, you should purchase this disc just as fast as mouse clicks will allow. I plan to do the same with her second album, "All You Need Is The Girl".

Amazing.......2002-01-23

I must have purchased this cd shortly after it came out -- one of those stab in the dark things that just seems to work out. Now her song "My Dream Is You," will be the first song that I dance to with my new husband in June 2002. This music is timeless, and I'm ordering a second copy right now, along with her new cd. Enjoy!

Sophisticated Swing: The EmArcy Small Group Sessions

Average customer rating:

What jazz is all about.
Tight, classy,swinging bebop unit of the fifties

Sophisticated Swing: The EmArcy Small Group Sessions
Cannonball Adderley
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo | Jazz | Styles | Music
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Julian Cannonball Adderley
Dizzy's Business
Blue Spring
The Quintet Plus
Goin' Up

ASIN: B0000046ZY
Release Date: 1995-09-26

Tracks:

Bimini
Sermonette
Hoppin' John
Hayseed
Rattler's Groove
Jackleg
Room #251
The Fat Man
Yesterdays
Sam's Tune
Sam's Tune
The Nearness Of You
Spectacular
Miss Jackie's Delight
Tribute To Brownie
Cobbweb
18th Century Ballroom
Lover Man
A Foggy Day
Hoppin' John
Jeannie

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The Way You Look Tonight
Porky
Another Kind Of Soul
Spring Is Here
That Funky Train
Edie McLin
Our Delight
Jubilation
What's New?
Straight, No Chaser
If I Love Again
I'll Remember April
Fuller Bop Man
Fuller Bop Man
Stay On It

Customer Reviews:

What jazz is all about........2004-01-20

I love many types of jazz, from raging European free music to contemporary post-bop to early swing and most things in between. But to my ears, you'll find the real essence of jazz on these two wonderful discs: short, _melodic_, enormously catchy tunes filled with great hooks and played with a masterful combination of elegant grace and hard-swinging soulful swagger.

Most of the tunes run in the three-minute range, so the solos are long enough to let the musicians say something individual, but you don't have to deal with the extended workouts found on many later jazz albums that tend to highlight players' failings as much as their strengths. I've heard a lot of later Cannonball, but for my money, this is some of his best material as a leader (though don't miss the classic Somethin' Else on Blue Note, featuring Miles Davis).

Fun, beautiful music--what more do you need?

Tight, classy,swinging bebop unit of the fifties.......1999-01-18

This fine re-issue celebrates the complete output of the first Cannonball Adderley Quintet co led by brother Nat. Four LP's in total - To the Ivy League, Sophisticated Swing, Cannonball Adderley Enroute and Cannonballs Sharpshooters. Supporting players include Junior Mance(pno) Sam Jones or Al McKibbon (Bs) and Specs Wright or Jimmy Cobb (dms). Cannonball's greatest moments may have been with Miles Davis on SOMETHING ELSE(BLUE NOTE) or MILESTONES and KIND OF BLUE(Columbia) but on this re-issue his punchy attack, fabulous swing, and distinctive sound are a real treat. If there's one thing that's memorable about this music it's the damn swagger, the sense of joie de vivre that this group had. It may be not as distinguished as the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet (there's no Parisienne Thoroughfare here)but it's in the same ball park. The supporting musicians are perfectly suited to this approach and if Jimmy Cobb and Cannonball wanted a night off from Miles' intensity at the time, this is the music I'd imagine they'd play for fun. There are 36 tracks(repeat 36 tracks) some as long as nine minutes all brilliantly remastered and this represents real musical value for money. Although the uptempo numbers tend to follow a format of Horn Chorus of the main theme, alto solo, cornet solo, piano solo, bass solo, drum break(maybe)horn chorus of the main theme, coda and out, there are tracks which just feature Cannonball (he brings to the ballad What's New an appropriate sardonic humour which exactly fits the lyric as interpreted by say Peggy Lee)but some of the arrangements are by genius Ernie Wilkins and there are some wonderful surprises like the medium tempo romp of Straight No Chaser which has a brilliant alto solo and a truly soulful beautifully expressed cornet solo by Nat, as if he's saying on the horn "Monk - I Love You." In summary, there's not a dud track on this double CD issue; the swagger and panache of a player completely in control of his art and craft is evident in every note Cannonball plays; brother Nat is a joy, and all supporting players hang in there with aplomb. One of my best buys of 1998.

Sophisticated Swing: Best of the Big Bands, Vol. 2

Average customer rating:

A outstanding album from an all-too-much-abused band
One of the best dance band recordings you'll find anywhere.
try it..you'll love the big band sound
The Greatest Dance Band

Sophisticated Swing: Best of the Big Bands, Vol. 2
Les & Larry Elgart
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Lounge | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Best of the Big Bands, Vol. 1
Les & Larry Elgart/Les Elgart on Tour
Sound Ideas/Half Satin & Half Latin
The Elgart Touch/For Dancers Also
Swing Slow/Della Della Cha-Cha-Cha

ASIN: B00000287R
Release Date: 1992-05-19

Tracks:

Sophisticated Swing
(The Gang That Sang) Heart Of My Heart
Bendix Bounce
Soon
The Weasel Pops Off
Geronimo
I Never Knew
Why Don't You Fall In Love With Me
Comin' Through The Scotch
Sophisticated Lady
The Turtle Walk
Easy Pickin'
Time To Go
Big Man On Campus
Senior Hop
My Heart Belongs To Daddy
Varsity Drag
Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart

Customer Reviews:

A outstanding album from an all-too-much-abused band.......2005-05-16

Though jazz snobs may dismiss the Elgart Brothers for what one writer has called (and I'm paraphrasing) "the tired-businessman's bounce", they got off with a bang with this superb maiden Columbia effort. Here they established their unique sound: the sharp sax staccato, the soft unmuted horns, the piano-less rhythm section with its close-miked guitar. Unsurprisingly the Elgarts attributed no small part of their success to Glenn Miller, and really this band is an offshoot, for though Miller was getting impatient with big-band music before his untimely death, and it's hard to imagine him playing arrangements quite like these, the Miller sound is definitely there, haunting, dreamy, always under the surface, even without the clarinet lead.

What opens one's ears are the four previously unissued tracks, several demos likely recorded before the "Sophisticated Swing" takes, in a Brooklyn ballroom -- and with a piano (Will "The Expert" Friedwald's booklet discussion is typically unclear). The piano adds little, and the Elgarts were wise to discard it, but then these spine-tingling charts didn't need help, like George Williams's "Easy Pickin'" and especially "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," which turns that tiresome song about forbidden love into an electrifying zap. Alas the Elgarts never did swing enough. Had they credibly done so this band could have ranked with the greatest jazz ensembles instead of ultimately being reduced to the hackneyed two-left-footed fake-disco arrangements of "Hooked on Swing." But this is tremendous swing -- and jazz -- however you slice it.

Peculiar programming note: This album also includes two tracks from their later album "Band of the Year" -- but not their most famous song of all, the "Bandstand Boogie." Then again the whole "Best of the Big Bands" series was plagued with such non-sequiturs. One hopes Sony BMG gets around to the first-class reissues this band deserves, not just continuing to palm them off as licensed product. (The current Collectables double-album leaves out the six extra tracks.) Further peculiar programming note: the "ace" CBS engineer Larry Keyes omits the first note of the title tune; given his stellar career he probably never noticed.

One of the best dance band recordings you'll find anywhere........1998-12-20

The Elgart Band played with a bouncy style and a rich, punctuated sound that became definitive of the "fifties". Charlie Albertine's arrangements are, as always, clear, sensual, and fun. The production and sound of the recordings (produced by George Avakian and engineered by Fred Plaud in the legendary CBS 30th Street church studio) are superb. Even though this particular CD - which was the band's first LP for Columbia - is monoraul, when you put it on you'll feel like the band is right there in your living room. A great experience for anyone who enjoys the sound of swing.

try it..you'll love the big band sound.......1998-11-22

been an elgart fan since "zing was a single" very good cd. for non-electronic fans!

The Greatest Dance Band.......1998-10-20

Many critics consider Les Elgart's band to be the best dance band of the big band era.

Arriving on the big band scene near the close of the era (1950's), the Elgart sound swept the American dance scene.

The unique blending of base sax and trombone, along with use of the guitar for rythym, was a new innovation. The chords,frequently minor, produce almost painfully beautiful musical responses on the part of the listener.

This smooth, and happy swing album is sure to please the new swing generation.

Tracks:

Wade In The Water - Eva Cassidy
Blue, Blue World - Roomful Of Blues
Never Make Your Move Too Soon - Chuck Brown
Hallelujah I Love Him So - Rita Coolidge
Teardrops From My Eyes - Toni Lynn Washington
Backseat Blues - Roomful Of Blues
Temporary Lovin - Tyrone Davis
My Baby Just Cares For Me - Johnny Ferreira & The Swing Machine
Stop What You're Doing - Long John Hunter
All Night Long - NiteCry
Stop Thinking Take (Start Thinking Give) - Darrell Nulisch
Talk To Me - Kelley Hunt
Cuppa Joe - Bellevue Cadillac
Hit The Road Jack - Omar & The Howlers

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful music for dancing or simply for listening........2001-12-20

Numbers by various artists all superb musicians who
play captivating background for vocalists with pleasing
sound, good range, volume aplenty, and the ability to
sustain a note.

It is music that is perfect for swing, especially the
slower seductive west coast swing style. But there is
music here that is perfect for the ChaCha as well.

I'm still awaiting my order but was fortunate in being
able to tape the numbers from a borrowed disc.

Sophisticated Swing Vol. 1.......2000-08-13

West Coast Swing dancers will really enjoy dancing to the songs on this CD. It's a great compilation.

Smooth, Danceable, Blues.......2000-03-30

This is a very nice, but quite bluesy selection of slow- to mid-tempo tunes. All the songs are relatively simple with a clean back beat so this is particularly good for beginning dancers.

Sophisticated Lady (Duke's Greatest Hits)

Average customer rating:

Sophisticated Lady (Duke's Greatest Hits)
Duke Ellington
Manufacturer: Classic Jazz
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Sophisticated Lady
Harlem Speaks
In a Sentimental Mood
Merry-Go-Round
Echoes of Harlem
Caravan
Diminuendo in Blue
Crescendo in Blue
I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
Prelude to a Kiss
Solitude
Concerto for Cootie
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Cotton Tail
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
Take the "A" Train

Average customer rating:

A "Great-for-Dancing" Band
Elgart's Sweet Swing

Sophisticated Swing/Just One More Dance
Les Elgart
Manufacturer: Collectables
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Lounge | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Swing Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Instrumental Pop & Lounge | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Great Sound of Les Elgart/It's De-Lovely
The Band With That Sound/Designs for Dancing
Best of the Big Bands, Vol. 1
The Elgart Touch/For Dancers Also
Les & Larry Elgart/Les Elgart on Tour

ASIN: B00004UENS
Release Date: 2000-08-15

Tracks:

Sophisticated Swing
The Gang That Sang Heart Of My Heart
Bendix Bounce
Soon
The Weasel Pops Off
Geronimo
I Never Knew
(As Long As You're Not In Love With Anyone Else) Why Don't You Fall In Love With Me?
Comin' Thru The Scotch
Sophisticated Lady
The Turtle Walk
Time To Go
Meet Me Tonight In Dreamland
Cuddle Up A Little Closer
I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)
Darn That Dream
When Day Is Done
I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire
Night And Day
Star Dust
Dream
I'll Be Seeing You
For Me And My Gal
I'll See You In My Dreams/Goodnight, Sweetheart

Customer Reviews:

A "Great-for-Dancing" Band.......2004-02-10

Though not as romantic as Glenn Miller or Ray Anthony, Les Elgart
found a welcome niche for those of us who danced the romantic way
in the '50s and '60s. His unique sound was simply fun to dance to. This album starts the whole thing off. I still remember swirling a date around to "Sophisticated Swing". Listening to these songs really brings back good memories.

Elgart's Sweet Swing.......2000-11-15

This reissued Les Elgart music, on CD,is a sweetheart, with the accent on "sweet." The second half, "Just One More Dance." is typically Elgart and I recommend it to his fans and any other who like sweet swing. The first half, "Sophisticated Swing," is a mix of Elgart's bouncy, octave-changing style using folk music, 50's dance hits and such classics as Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady." This CD is truly a classic of Les Elgart's style and arranging. Highly recommended!

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