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This is a well-chosen, though limited, collection, a "best of" Jimmy Dorsey primarily for those who enjoyed the pairing of Bob Eberle and Helen O'Connell on songs such as "Green Eyes," "Tangerine," and "Amapola." And these are great songs. Dorsey's last hit, "So Rare," also is among the 13 numbers. But this Dorsey brother produced a trunkful of great music over three decades, much more than just the tempo-changing collaborations of Eberle* and O'Connell. The real disappointment is the sound quality; at best, it may evoke a "nostalgic" mood for listeners (tip: reduce the bass). "So Rare," recorded in 1957, has the best sound quality on the collection. (*No, it was his brother, Ray, who sang with the Glenn Miller band.)

This album is something of a misnomer, because while Jimmy Dorsey's orchestra does play on every cut, almost every cut really highlights the vocalists, who unfortunately are not credited on the liner notes! They are probably Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell, who sang many duets with Jimmy Dorsey's orchestra, but if you are looking for an album that shows Jimmy's expertise on the clarinet and tenor sax to advantage, look elsewhere. On the other hand if you would like an album of duets by a great pair of singers of the 40's and 50's, this may be exactly what you are looking for.

I am disappointed with the liner notes, or rather I should say the absence of them, since they don't credit the individual personnel on any of the cuts. I am sure that information was available right on the record label to whomever copied these old 78's, and I wish that they had passed it along.

I am not a expert on music,i'm one of many who like it when they hear it,and i really like this one.All the old favorites which a lot of guys heard the first time when they were in the service in the 40's.The JD band was always a favorite of mine,smoooth,thier Latin beat just right,and great vocolists.
Just close your eyes,sit back and enjoy this CD and picture the well groomed and gowned female vocolists,the immaculate turned out male singers.The music on this CD will lull you into wishing you were young again.I'm glad i grew up with the big bands and this kind of music,people today don't know what they missed.

I was disappointed in the quality of the recording. The needle noise in
the recording was more prevalent than on a c.d. that I had burned from an old vinyl record.

Ignore the first track (though it's gratifying to see that Jimmy got some well-deserved recognition as late as the 1950s before his surprisingly early death) and overlook the inferior audio (as a supposedly "authorized" Dorsey recording and the most popular J. D. album on Amazon, it's a sorry commentary on the custodians of American culture that these tracks were most likely struck from commercial discs rather than tape masters). This music is a reminder that, for once in its history, all Americans appeared to agree on "good music." "Green Eyes," "Star Eyes," "Tangerine," "Amapola," "Maria Elena," "Brazil"--these are no dime-a-dozen tin-pan-alley throwaways or fog-headed "compositions" by the latest geetar-playing favorite. Which is not to say they match up with Mozart and Verdi (Puccini maybe). They may not even approach the level of the most recognized authors of the Great American Songbook--Berlin, Gershwin, Porter, etc. But the tunes plus the all-but-spectacular arrangements (put your nickel in the jukebox and in return you got not only Jimmy Dorsey but Bob Eberley and Helen O'Connell plus a double perspective (minimally) on each tune, since most were taken as ballads seque-ing into uptempo swingers (or vice versa) or featured interpolated, infectious latin rhythms. The result, in each instance, is a pop Wagnerian production in miniature, with melodies as soaring and memorable as any from La Boehme or Turandot.

You won't hear the pyrotechnical Jimmy Dorsey (perhaps a few glimpses on "Long John Silver" and "Contrasts"), for which you'll have to hunt a bit harder and longer ("Oodles of Noodles" is still considered a major challenge by most experienced clarinet and alto players, legit or otherwise). It's practically criminal that few of us had a chance to discover the Dorsey whom even the putative master of jazz improvisation, Charlie Parker, acknowledged as a primary influence.

Listening to these early 1940s recordings all but clinches it: the one instrument that no synthesizer appears to be capable of reproducing with believability is the saxophone. No wonder it continues to be the instrument most frequently associated with America's indigenous musical art form. (I wouldn't be surprised if Coltrane was a Jimmy Dorsey disciple as well.) Even if you prefer later versions (e.g. Sonny Stitt's many recordings of "Star Eyes"), listening to the originals reveals the inspiration for the ensuing lyrical outpourings on the same tunes by a whole new generation of recording artists.

(For a different take on "So Rare," check out a recent discovery from the previously "unheard" Bing Crosby: "So Rare: Treasures from the Crosby Archive.")

A lovely trip down memory lane. Most enjoyable original recordings.
Only regret is that the CD is not digitally remastered.

I bought this cd for the song :SO RARE: I enjoyed every song on the cd.

This is one of the finest Audio CD's by the great Jimmy Dorsey. It is good as background music for that special dinner, or a cocktail party evening at sunset time with friends....the time the ice-cubes begins to clink. Whenever I play it for friends, there is always great appreciation. Those in the forties and over age grouping can relax to this one. So Rare, Tangerine, Amapola and Yours, are all typical favourites. Five Stars, and highly recommended.
Reviewed by Heather Marshall Negahdar 15/11/08

Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra - Greatest Hits is yet another CD put out by Curb Records. On the bright side, people on a budget can get a nice introduction to the artistry of Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra. Unfortunately, however, the CD has really just a tiny few of the numerous hits Jimmy Dorsey scored and the sound quality isn't always perfect. The liner notes have nice artwork and there is a brief essay about Dorsey by Don Ovens.

"So Rare" starts off the CD with a fine number. The chorus never misses a beat and the big band flavor will appeal to those of us who enjoy music from the 1940s, 1950s and even the early 1960s. "So Rare" is easily a highlight of this CD; and I love that horn solo! I only wish the horn solo had been credited. "Green Eyes" has surface noise but it's still pretty enjoyable; I know I've heard that singer before but I can't quite remember his name. I think it may be Bob Eberly. Perhaps a better number than "Green Eyes" might be "Tangerine;" "Tangerine" was always a favorite of mine and the piano work especially near the beginning of this tune works very well. "Tangerine" is a most romantic number and if you like this type of music I predict you'll enjoy this very much.

"Amapola" has surface noise, too; but it doesn't really interfere with my ability to hear the lyrics clearly and the music still sounds very pleasing to my ear. "Amapola" is great music for sweethearts dancing alone late at night in their living room; "Amapola" really impresses me--it's all that good. In addition, listen for "Brazil;" "Brazil" swings and has an unforgettable melody that I always enjoy. "Brazil also features great vocals and the tempo modulations showcase Dorsey's exceptional ability to put his own stamp on a classic tune and make it shine brighter than ever before!

"All Or Nothing At All" has more great horn work in the musical arrangement; but this time the surface noise does bug me a bit. Nevertheless, "All Or Nothing At All" is yet another timeless number that Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra turn out with great finesse. The CD ends well with Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra performing "John Silver." "John Silver" is actually a tune that I am not too familiar with so for me it was a great treat to hear what was for me a relatively new number being given the Dorsey touch.

The CD has great music; but there really should be more of it. There's enough room on this disc for at least two more numbers. In addition, the surface noise detracts from the overall experience and this disappoints me somewhat although this CD is still well worth owning for fans of this musical genre. In short, this CD is a great introduction to Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra; I highly recommend this album as a solid starter CD for newcomers to the swinging sounds of Jimmy Dorsey!