When Frank Sinatra left Tommy Dorsey's band and signed his first solo contract with Columbia Records in 1943, it should have been one of the biggest musical events of the year -- Sinatra had been wowing audiences since 1940 as a singer in Dorsey's band, and had developed a huge following, especially among younger women; in the space of just two years, he'd established himself as the only serious rival to the most popular singer of the period, Bing Crosby, and now he was to be working full-time as a solo act in his own right. The only problem was that Sinatra's contract was signed right in the middle of an extended recording ban -- in effect, a strike against the record companies -- by the Musicians Union; unthinkable as it might be today, with a few narrowly construed exceptions, there was virtually no commercial music recording going on in the United States for the second half of 1942, all of 1943, and much of 1944. One of those exceptions, which Sinatra also took advantage of, was that the ban only applied to instrumental musicians -- vocal-only recordings were permitted, and he did records with specially devised arrangements on which his only accompaniment was a vocal ensemble, which allowed him to get some very good (and very interesting) records out, even if they didn't necessarily represent the sound that he or his producers would have chosen. But another -- and very major -- exception that the union was willing to make was for the recording and release of V-Discs, recordings intended solely and exclusively for free distribution to soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and coast guardsmen serving in the war. It was through these sides, often derived from radio airchecks and rehearsals, that Sinatra got to see his work with an orchestral accompaniment released commercially (as well as preserved) during the two years of the recording ban. Additionally, contained on this set are numerous songs that -- because of that same recording ban -- Sinatra never did get around to recording commercially. And that's what's on this magnificent set of 53 songs on two CDs, the best and rarest of Sinatra's V-Disc sides, none of which are represented on the otherwise complete and comprehensive 12-CD The Columbia Years (1943-1952): The Complete Recordings. The emphasis, as was the case with most of Sinatra's commercial recordings of the period, is on ballads -- the exceptions are a few patriotic numbers such as "(There'll Be A) Hot Time in the Town of Berlin." But the singing -- the quiet power of that voice (actually, The Voice) and this intonation -- is so overpowering, and the content so distinctive, especially on Disc one (which covers the time of the recording ban), that this is essential listening. That is true not just for Sinatra fans but also for more generalized pop music buffs and those with memories or strong associations with the early 40s period represented -- Sinatra and company didn't skimp on the production or care that went into these recordings, and they're heart-stoppingly beautiful on that level as well. The production is superb, the clean-up job on these five-decade-old recordings having achieved gorgeous results, and the annotation by George Simon, Roy Hemming, and Will Friedwald is thorough and extremely detailed.
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"At 46, Jones' days of glory with Lunceford, Stuff Smith, and Cab Calloway must have seemed behind him when, in '55 he was booked at the Embers in New York. However, his light touch, muted trumpet and the occasional shuffle backing, proved a winning formula, with hits through to the early '60's. Those seeking a virtuosic performance may be disappointed. Recorded in '58 while signed to Capitol, this is commercial and somewhat eclectic stuff. He rarely stretches out, soloing for one chorus on most numbers, but as the liner notes say, it swings in a commercial groove and his swinging, fun style, elaborate glissandos, lip trills and vibrato inject both recordings with an infectious energy. Numbers like Gal in Calico and Colonel Bogey are full of life and though he was no Sinatra, his vocals are well worth hearing. All in all, this is a cheerful offering and provides a fine lesson on how to simply swing a tune." Ben Cummings * The Jazz Rag (October, 2014) (*) Ben Cummings has been much admired for his work with a variety of bands. Now he has stepped into the shoes of a fine British trumpeter who, like Jonah Jones, achieved mainstream popularity Kenny Ball. --------------------------------------------------------- -Swingin at the Cinema "One in a lengthy series of Capitol albums by trumpeter/vocalist Jonah Jones and his quartet (there were five in 1958 alone), this set finds Jones looking for gold by performing a dozen numbers that originally debuted in Hollywood movies. There were no hits this time around, but the LP sold fairly well. Jones, joined by pianist George Rhodes, bassist John Brown and drummer Harold Austin, uplifts such tunes as "True Love," "Colonel Bogey March," "Three Coins In the Fountain" and "Lullaby of Broadway." -I Dig Chicks! "The cover of this LP gives males three good reasons to "dig chicks." Trumpeter/vocalist Jonah Jones continues his "swinging with a shuffle" formula, performing 11 songs named after women, plus the title cut (which has one of his six vocals of the date). Jones, pianist Teddy Brannon, bassist John Brown and drummer George Foster have a good time romping on such numbers as "Mandy, Make Up Your Mind," "Tangerine," "Blue Lou," "Rosetta" and some lesser-known tunes. The overall results may be a bit lightweight and predictable, but the trumpeter gives this album enough exciting moments to make it worth getting." Both by Scott Yanow -All Music Guide
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Will the Big Bands Ever Come Back?/Recollections of the Big Band Era Over nine sessions conducted between November of 1962 and January of 1963, Ellington laid down the tracks that comprise the LP's Will the Big Bands Ever Come Back? (shelved and not issued by Reprise until 1965) and Recollections of the Big Band Era (a 1974 Atlantic compilation of further performances). Shifting away from original compositions of his own, a practice that would largely be the norm for his Reprise affairs, the focus is on customary tunes from the swing era in jazz and they range from Erskine Hawkins' "Tuxedo Junction" to Quincy Jones' "The Midnight Sun Will Never Set." In between, we also find discerning treatments of "Auld Lang Syne" and "Rhapsody in Blue." Although each cut is rather brief, averaging about three minutes a pop, the arrangements are crafty and Ellington's star soloists make the most of their various spots. Afro-Bossa Of all the Reprise material to be avowed by fans and critics alike, Afro-Bossa is the pick of the litter and it also happens to be one of the finest examples of '60s Ellingtonia. A suite of twelve pieces, much of the core material was interpolated from earlier compositions, the most famous being "Purple Gazell" which started out life as "Angelica" from the Ellington and Coltrane Impulse encounter. Despite what might be indicated by its title, the pieces heard here have little to do with a Brazilian bossa nova or an African drumming ritual, but instead there's a spicy Caribbean flavor present that gets its seasoning from various auxiliary percussion.How does one single out highlights from what is actually a quintessential bit of musical perfection? Well, if you must, there's the infectious tango riff from the saxophones that propels "Caline (Silk Lace)," with some boisterous clarinet work from Jimmy Hamilton to boot. "Tigress" boasts massed percussion and some smoky tenor from Paul Gonsalves, while the breathtaking beauty of Johnny Hodges' entrance on "Angu" recalls his similar prowess with "Isfahan" from The Far East Suite. Rounding out this classic are two tracks not released before commercially ("Resume #1" and "Resume # 2") that find Elllington, and possibly Strayhorn, working in a piano trio on medleys from the various Afro-Bossa themes. Nothing all that revelatory occurs, but it's a charming nightcap all the same. Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session While on tour abroad in the winter of 1963, Duke invited two noted European jazz violinists to a loose jam session- Stephane Grappelli and Svend Asmussen. Along with the core rhythm team of Ellington, bassist Ernie Shepard, and drummer Sam Woodyard, the rest of the group would include Ray Nance also on violin, Russell Procope on alto sax, Paul Gonsalves on tenor sax, and Buster Cooper on trombone. Included here because of space permitting and the relative time frame, Reprise never saw fit to issue the relaxed proceedings and it wouldn't be until 1976 that they finally saw release on an Atlantic set. Some of the most uncharacteristic of Ellington's work from the period, there's nonetheless some affected moments of unadulterated swing, particularly on "Limbo Jazz," which had turned up on Duke's Impulse session with Coleman Hawkins the previous summer. The Symphonic Ellington For the most part, jazz and strings have served as very unlikely bedfellows. In the entire history of the music, only a few really transcendent projects involving the two have been produced, most notably Focus from Stan Getz and Charlie Parker With Strings. Too long taken for granted, the pieces that comprise The Symphonic Ellington are wholly successful ventures in the "jazz and strings" bag that were recorded at various dates during Ellington's 1963 European sojourn.Up first are the three movements of the work "Night Creature." Described by Ellington as an effort to help "make the symphony swing," he manages to do just that and there's no hint of the vapid or saccharine quality that so often seems to stifle similar-minded affairs. "Non-Violent Integration" and "La Scala, She Too Pretty To Be Blue" are oddly inconclusive, but the closing "Harlem" proves to be a stunning tour-de-force. Programmatic in nature, the piece moves through various moods and tempos, highlights some inspired soloists, and tells a story while flawlessly conjoining both the full Ellington band and the Paris Symphony Orchestra. Bravo! Ellington '65 & Ellington '66 The commercial sensibilities that were undeniably part of the project involving swing-era standards takes on a perplexing twist with the next two Reprise dates. Similar to the albums Count Basie was pumping out for Reprise at the same time, the fare was simply pop songs of the day, although the strength of Ellington and Strayhorn's charts manage to steer both albums away from being irrelevant failures. And amidst guileful arrangements of Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" and the Beatles' "All My Lovin'" we do get "Satin Doll," "A Beautiful Friendship," and "Elllington '66." Mary Poppins In between the sessions for the previous pop-oriented albums, someone at Disney approached Ellington about unleashing his creative juices on Bobby Sherman's score for the upcoming movie, Mary Poppins. If there was ever a gentleman capable of what seems like a totally ludicrous task it was obviously Duke. The opening strains of "A Spoonful of Sugar" find Johnny Hodges as giddy as a school boy and soon the sheer novelty of the assignment is forgotten and replaced by joy of yet another authoritative Ellington and Strayhorn collaboration. A silk purse from a sow's ear, as it were. Concert in the Virgin Island Deceptively packaged, Concert in the Virgin Islands is merely an unadorned assemblage of various 1965 studio dates that would embrace Ellington's final endeavors for Reprise as a leader and getting away from other composer's material, it's back to Ellintgton-penned charts. The four pieces that make up the "Virgin Islands Suite" collectively feature the clarinet of Jimmy Hamilton, the violin work of Ray Nance and some high-register trumpet blowing from Cat Anderson. Other highlights include a Hodges spot on "Big Fat Alice's Blues" and lush Gonsalves on "Chelsea Bridge." All-in-all, a convivial and resolute final chapter to this appealing slice of Ellington.As with all Mosaic products, this five-disc boxed set is produced as a limited edition and while usually obtainable only through mail order, Warner Brothers will actually furnish select retailers with a small number of copies during its first year of availability. Expertly recorded at such studios as Universal Sound in Chicago and Fine Studios in New York, these recordings feature some of the finest Ellington in terms of sonic quality up to this point in his career. Adding to the overall package, the enclosed booklet features photos, a full discography, and commentary by Ellington biographer Mark Tucker. All recordings are available solely through Mosaic Records, 35 Melrose Place, Stamford, CT 06902, (203) 327-7111. Please check their website at www.mosaicrecords.com for more information.CollectivePersonnelCollective Duke Ellington- piano & arranger; Billy Strayhorn- piano & arranger; Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Roy Burrowes, Ray Nance, Eddie Preston, Bill Berry, Rolf Ericson, Herbie Jones, Nat Woodard, Mercer Ellington, Howard McGhee, Richard Williams- trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Chuck Connors, Buster Cooper- trombone; Johnny Hodges- alto sax; Russell Procope- clarinet & alto sax; Jimmy Hamilton- clarinet & tenor sax; Paul Gonsalves- tenor sax; Harry Carney- baritone sax, clarinet, & bass clarinet; Stephane Grappelli, Ray Nance- violin; Svend Asmussen- viola; Ernie Shepard, Major Holley, Peck Morrison, John Lamb- bass; Sam Woodyard- drums; The Paris Symphony Orchestra, The Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, The Stockholm Symphony Orchestra, The La Scala Symphony OrchestraTrack Information:103 performances, including two previously unissued cuts.
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