An Anthology of Big Band Swing (1930-1955)

An Anthology of Big Band Swing (1930-1955) Artist: Various Artists
Label: Verve
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 2


UPC: 011105062923
EAN: 0011105062923
ASIN: B000003N3T


Release Date: 1993-10-26

An Anthology of Big Band Swing (1930-1955)


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Tracks:

  1. Rockin' In Rhythm - Duke Ellington
  2. The House Of David Blues - Fletcher Henderson
  3. Saratoga Drag - Luis Russell
  4. Savage Rhythm - Mills Blue Rhythm Band
  5. Chant Of The Weed - Don Redman
  6. St. Louis Blues - Dorsey Brothers
  7. Rock And Rye - Earl Hines
  8. Down South Camp Meeting - Fletcher Henderson
  9. Avalon - Jimmie Lunceford
  10. In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree - Claude Hopkins
  11. The Darktown Strutters' Ball - Tiny Bradshaw
  12. Polka Dot Rag - Noble Sissle
  13. Stompin' At The Savoy - Isham Jones
  14. Peg O' My Heart - Glenn Miller
  15. One O'Clock Jump - Count Basie
  16. Casa Loma Stomp - Casa Loma Orchestra
  17. South Rampart Street Parade - Bob Crosby
  18. Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away) - Chick Webb
  19. Dunkin' A Doughnut - Andy Kirk
  20. You Rascal, You - Louis Armstrong

Tracks:

  1. Panassie Stomp - Count Basie
  2. Transcontinental - Spud Murphy
  3. Jamaica Jam - Teddy Powell
  4. Okay For Baby - Benny Carter
  5. Blues In The Groove - Jan Savitt
  6. Murderistic - Jimmy Dorsey
  7. Swingmatism - Jay McShann
  8. Savoy - Lucky Millinder
  9. Blue River - Jack Teagarden
  10. Chicago - Muggsy Spanier
  11. Fish Market - Roy Eldridge
  12. Gambler's Blues - Stan Kenton
  13. I've Got You Under My Skin - Woody Herman
  14. Skyliner - Charlie Barnet
  15. Million Dollar Smile - Lionel Hampton
  16. Midriff - Duke Ellington
  17. Bear Mash Blues - Erskine Hawkins
  18. The Continental - Artie Shaw
  19. The Blue Room - Tommy Dorsey
  20. One O'Clock Jump - Benny Goodman

Similar Items:

  1. The Fabulous Swing Collection
  2. The Only Big Band CD You'll Ever Need
  3. Fabulous Big Band Collection
  4. Big Band Spectacular, Vols. 1-2
  5. Big Band Magic: The Sound of the Fabulous Forties

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Very good swing collection.......2006-04-01

While there was a renaissance of interest in swing in the 1990s, and while much of this was among a relatively younger --late 20s, 30s, 40s-- audience, swing CDs are increasingly out of print.
Decca and Brunswick recorded many important swing artists in the 1930s and 1940s, the period of focus in this collection.
We are fortunate that GRP has assembled a wide variety of performers on this collection. You have hot swing performers; and you also have more laid back performers such as Glen Gray's Casa Loma Orchestra.
The music on this collection swings! --Even the Glen Miller track is up-beat.
Some reviews in the discographical literature kvetch about the quality of anthologies. They always expect something more: more concentration on the major figures, more obscure tunes instead of hits. This collection definitely meets the bill; but the complainers might be disappointed that few artists are represented more than once. Count Basie is a worthy exception of course. If you liked what you heard in Ken Burns' "Jazz" series, you should get this collection. Given the shrinking amount of swing that is available these days, I would even recommend that "serious" collectors also get this one. Many of the artists here are unavailable in their own recordings.
Nearly all of the tracks are arranged in chronological order. In addition, there is a booklet of commentary that is so long, it hardly fits in the case.
My one disappointment was that there are no tracks with vocalists. For great swing with vocalists I would recommend that you pursue the Columbia (SONY) "His Great Vocalists" collections for Ellington, Basie or Goodman.

4 out of 5 stars Decent Collection.......2005-02-19

It's not quite what I'd call an Anthology, but it's certainly a good collection. Each track is an excellent song and most of the major artists are represented. Not every track is danceable, for you swing dancers out there, but there's plenty of danceable numbers, including a couple you can practice your Bal-Swing to. Enjoyable collection.

5 out of 5 stars A Memorable Collection, But Not Really For the Casual Fan.......2004-06-28

Strictly speaking, "swing" designates a style of performance in which the emphasis falls on the offbeat. Even so the term "big band swing" is a flexible one, and if your ideas about it center on the style of The Glenn Miller Orchestra you will likely be disappointed with this double disk collection, which ranges in tone from the strict tempos of the Deco era to the bop-inflected sounds popular in post-World War II America.

In the big band era, most popular ballrooms and dance clubs had a "house orchestra," and each strove to create a specific style that would set them apart in the highly competitive world of big band music--and overall this collection does a superior job of capturing both the broad differences and subtle nuances that made each band distinctly different from the rest, as well as giving the listener an overview of the form as it changed over time. Consequently, the selections here are not often the most popular, but rather most indicative.

The emphasis here is really more upon lesser known bands and then-popular but now forgotten releases, including such one-hit wonders as Casa Loma Orchestra, a house band that reached a brief popularity with the "Casa Loma Stomp." Even so, there are famous names aplenty, such as Duke Ellington, The Dorsey Brothers, Count Basie, Chick Webb, Louis Armstrong, Woody Herman, Bennie Goodman, Artie Shaw--and yes, even the inescapable and to my mind slightly overrated Glenn Miller, to name but the most obvious.

Hardcore fans are likely to regret the absence of certain artists and certain tunes--my own complaint is that Cab Calloway is absent from the collection, and it is unfortunate that Artie Shaw is represented by "The Continental" instead of "Begin the Beguine." It is also true that the sound quality, particularly re recordings from the early 1930s, is sometimes problematic; this, however, is inevitable, for early recording techniques were a far cry from current standards. Even so, you'd have to go some to find a collection that so effectively captures the wide array of styles seen in big band music over the course of 25 years of popularity.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

5 out of 5 stars Swing, swing, swing.......2003-12-13

This is a nice anthologie which is not typical for it features lsser known bands and lesser known songs. It has Don Redman's classic Chant Of The Weed, a RARE Spud Murphey & His Orchestra track! This cd is pure swing at it's best. My wife & I are swing dancers and there is palnty here for lindy hopping, shag, balboa, and jitterbug. Fun msuic for dancing or listening. A great place to start and the 1st disc gives you a nice sampling of where swings roots come from...

5 out of 5 stars Well, almost all of us agree.......2002-11-07

This is a glorious collection. The cover art is indeed repugnant. And some of the recordings are a little hissy. But the performers sound pretty mean to me.

A good anthology covers the big numbers (though maybe not the biggest) and also uncovers mistakenly overlooked items. This does a good job on that, for the relative novice. And it also moderates between up-tempo and more relaxed performances, so it's not just constant swing. Another tip o' the hat--well-chosen selections. I had never heard of Lucky Millinder when I bought this, nor The Mills Blue Rhythm Band, nor the Casa Loma Orchestra. Those cuts alone made it worth the price--this stuff swings! And I found some new bands to investigate as well....never enough CDs on the shelf!

Music Album:

  1. An Anthology of Big Band Swing (1930-1955) ~ Various Artists
  2. Out of Ford City ~ Tumbleweed Junction
  3. El Naval ~ Mus
  4. Petting Zoo ~ Residents
  5. Hoffnungslos Selbstbewubt ~ Wolfgang Ambros
  6. Flower: Natural & Acoustic Girls ~ Various Artists
  7. The Hit Years-Live ~ Chicago
  8. More Hot Rocks: Big Hits & Fazed Cookies ~ The Rolling Stones
  9. Blue Paradise: Drivin' to the Summer Ocean! ~ Various Artists
  10. Caught in the Act

Music Album

Music Album

Music

Short Stories ~ Bob Berg

The Journey/Classical Gas ~ Tommy Emmanuel

Phantoms ~ Virginia Mayhew

Don't Prey for Me ~ Little Angels

Mechmetio ~ Cosmic Voices of Bulgaria

Psycho-Semitic ~ Hasidic New Wave

Naquele Verbo Agora ~ Vander Lee

I Saw Hanukkah Harry Beat Up Santa ~ Various Artists

Hyper Best: 20th Anniversary ~ Action

Sensitive ~ Various Artists