Chances Are It Swings

Shorty Rogers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 16, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA Fs Imports
• ASIN: B000027S84
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #701,467 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not chancy! This really does swing!, July 30, 2000

By 

Gerald Patera (Novi, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chances Are It Swings (Audio CD)

This is one of the all-time truly great jazz albums to come out of the 1950's. Shorty's small band sounds bigger than most big bands. The arrangements are fantastic, especially the lead song, "Chances Are". Shorty passed away about five years ago, but his music will live forever with those of us who appreciate his tremendous talent.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A genuine jazz treat, September 14, 2000

By 

Robert J. Cruce (Muskogee, OK United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chances Are It Swings (Audio CD)

I would be so sorry to see this CD go out of print. Shorty Rogers' records have had to take so many snide remarks from the professional critics, I wonder how many passed up this splendid disc. Years ago I went to a used record store and I was always pumping the owner for recommendations because I was too young to have heard the music when it first appeared. Who was his favorite big bandsman?- Shorty Rogers. This Living Stereo disc is just about all the excitement in big band swing you could ask for. It doesn't get much better than this folks.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sophisticated and swinging, August 27, 2006

By 

Bomojaz (South Central PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chances Are It Swings (Audio CD)

Robert Allen was a mildly successful songwriter in the 1950s (CHANCES ARE, EVERYBODY LOVES A LOVER, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, IT'S NOT FOR ME TO SAY, and TO KNOW YOU IS TO LOVE YOU are probably his best known songs), and this album showcases some of Allen's compositions as well as Shorty Rogers's arranging skills in a big band setting. Allen was a jazz pianist before turning to songwriting, and many of his tunes have a sophisticated, swinging basis to them. Shorty's arrangements lean more toward the pop field than hardcore jazz, evidenced by the fact that soloists, though present on every tune, are limited in what they can do and rarely, if ever, drink more than 8 measures at a pop. Shorty, Bob Enevoldsen, Bud Shank, Bill Holman, Richie Kamuca, and Pete Jolly among many other top-notch West Coast studio musicians and jazz stars all contribute fine solos - one just wishes for more. WHO NEEDS YOU is an up-tempo swinger that really cooks; YOU KNOW HOW IT IS starts off the same fiery way in the theme statement, then slows down by half to a medium groove. Most of the tunes are taken at medium tempo and seem perfect vehicles for rolling up the carpet and taking a turn or two with your partner: the album is very danceable in a way that many modern-mainstream big band records were in the `50s. Sophistication plus - that's how I view this recording. Nice!