Customer Reviews

B.G. & Big Tea in NYC

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Benny Goodman was 19 when these recordings were made. And Jack Teagarden was around 24. My favorites from the album are Indiana, Dinah, Sweet Georgia Brown, China Boy, and Somebody Loves Me. China Boy opens with a mellow trombone statement from Teagarden, and then that band starts to really swing behind him. I played this cd daily for weeks after purchasing it, and I still come back to it as one of my ALL TIME favorites. Don't miss this CD!!!!!

Teagarden was the greatest jazz trombonist, he truly could make his slide trombone swing, he was also one of the greatest blues singers, who could croon right up there with the like of Crosby and Armstrong. This CD with Benny Goodam on clarinet features plenty of prime Teagarden singing and playing. Also an added bonus is Ella Logan(Annie Ross' mother of jazz vocalese jazz group "Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross")singing "It Had To Be You" so that's where annie gets it from. Absolutly essential classic jazz from the 20's & 30's.

One cut alone, Davenport Blues, is worth the price of this CD. B.G. and Tea both solo on this Beiderbecke tune, recorded just a few years after Bix died. So soulful and sad it'll break your heart.

Put this on and sit still if you can! Glorious music that swings high and low and never loses touch with its jazz soul. Completely accessible for even the newest jazz enthusiast. Historically thrilling to comtemplate that most of these soon-to-be legendary performers were at the very beginning of their incredible careers. Simply a joy to hear.

I purchased this CD because I'm a huge Teagarden fan, initiated to his style in early 1960s by Ed Beach on NYC's WRVR-FM. And the pairing with Goodman sealed the deal. Then I listened to all the tracks and checked out the personnel: Krupa, Miller, Venuti, Red Nichols, Beiderbeck, among others. Great jazz at a great moment in jazz history (1929-34) played by the greats. On top of all this, the quality of the audio is stupendous: a lot of loving care went into preserving the sound of the 78 rpm test pressings and shellacs. Many thanks to the producers and technical mavens who preserved this musical history. But it's more than history. It's toe-tapping, foot-stomping jazz. Listen and enjoy!

This wonderful CD was later reissued on the Jazz Heritage label. As of early 2009, new and used copies still available at a much more reasonable price. Click on this: B.G. & BIG TEA IN NYC