Customer Reviews

Bix Beiderbecke, Volume I: Singin' The Blues

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One of the other reviews commented how this disc had no surface noise? Well, they're right. The noise reduction (sounds like an older analog process) removed enough of the upper frequencies that the label chose to add echo after the fact to cover up their handiwork. So, "Blue River" is a brilliant performance . . . but it appears here in mediocre sound. For my money, the best sounding set out there NOT on Mosaic is the 2-cd 'Jazz Tribune Vol 48' on RCA (a US release).

There is a WORSE sounding Beiderbecke cd out there, with Orrin Keepnews' name on it yet. BUT . . . that's another story.

In addition to being among the most influential and beautiful jazz sides ever recorded, the original Okeh 78s were exceptionally well-recorded for their day, as any collector lucky enough to own one will tell you. Digital remastering was in its early days when Columbia issued this and its companion Bix disc, and it shows; the sound is flat, with the brilliance of the highs all but gone. It's shameful that Sony/BMG, which now owns nearly EVERYTHING Bix recorded, including the Columbia and Victor Whiteman sides, has not done justice to Bix by releasing the beautiful boxed set that collectors worldwide would welcome. In the meantime, the best restorations thus far are the "Bix Restored" sets, and that's where you should begin if you have interest in Bix or the best of late 20s jazz in general.

he really was a genius. his solo in 'singing the blues', and the climax of 'riverboat shuffle' are some of the most beautiful things i've ever heard, which is saying a lot. the absolutely pure sound that he got from the horn comes across clearly in these disc recordings.

Beiderbecke and Armstrong were the two giants of the horn in the '20s. Bix died too soon to have any great influence on other hornmen, but his music would live on in the "cool school" and "west coast" jazz of the '50s. His use of the whole tone scale, 9th and 13th notes and other improvisational skills would become part of the jazz scene in later years. This CD is a compilation of some of his greatest work. Singin the Blues and I'm Comin' Virginia are the first two jazz ballads recorded.

I've had this CD for a couple years now. I never tire of it. No matter what the circumstances of my life, I can't help but smile when I play this CD. If I'm feeling down Bix lifts me up. If I feeling good Bix helps me celebrate. I can think of no better recommendation.

Currently, this is the best-selling Bix disc on Amazon. Don't even consider "The Art of B. B.," which is 2nd. It's a glossy import with gross errors in the song listings, revealing that the album's producers had no interest in or knowledge of music of Bix Beiderbecke. This Columbia anthology is well worth the extra dollars, produced by scholars with expertise, respect, and love concerning the music of Davenport, Iowa's legendary jazz man. The import, on the other hand, would hold potential value only to a specialist interested in importing the tunes to computer, correcting the titles, and then disposing of the album (for good). Placed in the hands of a novice, it could inflict irreparable damage.

My teenage music passion was early jazz, and one LP I absolutely wore out (playing it on a portable player with the type of needle that looked like a sharpened pencil lead) was the George Avakian production The Bix Beiderbecke Story Volume 2: Bix and Tram. I still have it, but trying to listen to it is painful, given the pops and skips it accumulated during those thousands of playbacks.

I serendipitously discovered the availability of this album on CD, and when it came it was a moving experience to hear "Singin' the Blues" in all its remastered beauty. Recorded between February and September of 1927, this album offers a good overview of the Bix and Tram recordings, some of the best of Twenties jazz, from small ensemble "dixieland" jazz to some of the larger orchestral arrangements for occasions when the guys put on their tuxedos and played posh places.

The best of this album are the aforementioned "Singin' the Blues," with perhaps Bix's most famous solo, each note perfect and achingly beautiful, "I'm Coming Virginia," "Ostrick Walk," "Clarinet Marmalade," and "Riverboat Shuffle" which feature this group of virtuosos at the top of their form. Also included are two Bix, Tram, and Eddie cuts and "In A Mist." Although "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," may seem a bit hackneyed at first hearing, it's important to remember that that is the case only because their style and arrangement has been copied by every dixieland group on the planet since.

Some great Bix & Tram classics are not included in this grouping, but are available as downloads from The Complete Bix Beiderbecke and Frank Trumbauer Collection, which also includes some fluffy pop songs of the era, valuable just for the flashes of Bix's magic, and some interesting later pieces in a clearly "swing" style which suggest what might have been had Bix lived longer.

These guys were cool before the word was invented. Louis Armstrong said about Bix, "Those pretty notes went right through me." Me, too, Louie. They still do.

Let me first say this... if you want to listen to Bix Beiderbecke's short stint with the Frankie Trumbauer Orchestra on CD, you have two choices: the JSP box set, and two Columbia CD's from the early '90s (this, and Volume 2) . The JSP set does give you more tracks, but all the essential tracks are available on the Columbia set too. A number of the tracks in the JSP set don't even have Bix on them.

So which option wins out? I own both sets, and have compared extensively. Risking the anger of the John R.T. Davies fans, i'll have to give the nod to the Columbia discs. Read on for the differences you will hear (if you want to hear them).

The JSP set. This was re-mastered from very clean 78s by one of the best musical restorers of the last 30 years. There is a nice heft to the music, with strong bass present. Dynamic range is pretty good, but a little lacking in the upper register. You can especially notice when someone takes a solo, it sounds like you have your hands slightly covering your ears, and loses some of that upper-end definition. Still, this definitely sounds better than one might think for very early electrical (microphone) recording.

The Columbia set. This was re-mastered from the original metal and glass parts from the Columbia vaults. While there is a bit less heft, and could use a hair more bass, this definitely offers the music cleaner and more transparent. You can really hear every solo very smoothly and cleanly. It's more transparent and crisp than the JSP set.

So, both sets have their ups and downs. The problem with the JSP set is that no matter how talented the late John RT Davies was, he could only do so much, as he didn't have access to the original masters. He had to use consumer-level 78's. The problem with that is two-fold. For one, they are one generation removed from the master, so there is a slight degradation in fidelity. Second, a consumer-level 78 just can not hold the same quality of musical information as the original masters did. If they did, then masters would have just been made of the same material and process as the 78's. Again, no matter how talented a re-master is, if he's working with 78's instead of the masters, he has to work with a lower-quality medium. That said, sometimes masters are badly damaged or lost, and 78's are the only way to go. But not in the case of this music. Like most Okeh recordings of this era, the masters were recorded remarkably well, and have survived in pretty good shape.

That all said, i remind you that these Columbia discs are not perfect. They were remastered more than 20 years ago, and technology has improved quite a bit. If it were re-done today, from the original parts, it would absolutely sound better than either of these.

So, what it all comes down to is taste. Neither set has much surface noise/scratchiness on it, so don't worry about that. If you want to hear more of the actual music, with Bix's trumpet in a clean tone, then get the Columbia set. It's definitely closer to what would have been heard in the studio. If you want more tracks, and aren't going to be critical with your listening, you will probably be fine with the JSP set. To me, it only sounds inferior when i compare it to the Columbia set. And if you're only getting ONE disc, definitely get Volume One. The best tracks are there, and it's usually cheaper anyway.

NOTE!!! I forgot that there was also a Mosaic Records box set of all this. It came out about 5 years ago, and is out-of-print. I don't have it, so can't compare, but usually their stuff is mastered from the originals, and is likely the best-sounding you will get of Bix-Trumbauer material. Bear in mind, you may end up paying through the nose for it.

This is a very good quality recording, with lots of clarity and detail, in my opinion. The only thing I would have preferred would be if there were more solos by Bix B. However, the music is terrific.
There is also currently a band called Americana Classic Jazz Orchestra in the Twin Cities (Minnesota) that plays this kind of music very well.

This is the album that turned me on to Bix! In conjunction with Volume 2, I haven't found a better collection of Bix's music! Enjoy!