Customer Reviews

Collection

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

 

 

The musical arrangements feature Al's horn at its best. The songs show his diversity, exceptional range, clear tones and why he was called the greatest trumpeter in the world. His singing adds to the appeal of this CD.

The sounds of the song Java are electrifying, soothing and come from the strong stylings of a great player. We listen to this album everytime we go up to the cottage and the island dances to his beat when we play it!! No one is better than Al Hirt to conjur the sounds of Old Style New Orleans.

This release from Razor & Tie has excellent sound quality, over four pages of background notes written by one of the best in the business, prolific author and music critic Will Friedwald (some of his many books include An Illustrated Guide To The Warner Bros. Cartoons; Jazz Singing; America's Great Voices From Bessie Smith To Bebop And Beyond; Sinatra! The Song is You). There is also a partial discography of the contents showing, for those that were hit singles, the highest position achieved on both the Billboard Pop Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary (AC) charts and the dates they made their debut on those charts, and label numbers.

Where it loses 1 star in my estimation is the inclusion of far too many tracks - 7 to 11 that were not only relatively obscure cuts, but for which they offer no information as to recording dates and, if applicable, the LP from which they were culled. In that regard, producer Mike Ragogna only went half-way.

The first six tracks present his biggest hit singles in the order they appeared, starting with his only # 1, Java, which reached that spot on the AC charts, as well as # 4 Hot 100, early in 1964, right in the midst of the opening phases of the British Invasion. Billed to Al "He's The King" Hirt, it came out on RCA Victor 8280 b/w I Can't Get Started. A few months later, Cotton Candy (billed as Al Hirt) peaked at # 3 AC/# 15 Hot 100 on RCA Victor 8346 b/w Walkin' which reached # 103 Hot 100 "Bubbling Under."

Then, that same summer, Sugar Lips also made it to # 3 AC as well as # 30 Hot 100 b/w Poupee Brisée (Broken Doll) on RCA Victor 8391, followed in the fall by Up Above My Head (I Hear Music In The Air). A big R&B hit for Sister Rosetta Tharpe in 1949, Al's version got as high as # 12 AC but, ikn the face of the widening British Invasion, could only manage a weak # 85 on the Hot 100 b/w September Song on RCA Victor 8439. He rebounded a bit early in 1965 when Fancy Pants, written and recorded by Floyd Cramer in 1954, hit # 9 AC and # 47 Hot 100 b/w Star Dust on RCA Victor 8487. And later that spring, Al's Place topped out at # 13 AC/# 57 Hot 100 b/wMister Sandman on RCA Victor 8542. All these were again billed as Al "He's The King" Hirt.

Back to just Al Hirt, in September 1965 Il Silenzio (The Silence) rose to # 19 AC, but only managed a weak # 96 Hot 100 b/w Love Theme From "The Sandpiper" on RCA Victor 8653. From there this volume omits his next seven hit singles before presenting Keep The Ball Rollin' which, featuring the voice of Al Hirt, hit # 10 AC and just made the Hot 100 at # 100 in early 1968 b/w Manhattan Safari on RCA Victor 9417. Two more hits followed that, neither of which are here.

Tracks 12 to 18 are culled from an album called The Beauty And The Beard cut with Ann-Margret in which Al again does some singing, while The Green Hornet Theme, with Billy May & His Orchestra, comes from the 1966 LP The Horn Meets "The Hornet."

Hits overlooked are: Feelin' Fruggy - # 30 AC in late 1965; The Arena - # 28 AC/# 129 Hot 100 "Bubble Under" early 1966; Mame - # 36 AC April 1966; Trumpet Pickin' - # 27 AC July 1966; Music To Watch Girls By - # 31 AC/# 119 "Bubble Under" February 1967; Puppet On A String - # 18 AC/# 129 "Bubble Under" June 1967; Ludwig - # 23 AC January 1968; We Can Fly/Up Up And Away - # 23 AC/# 129 "Bubble Under" April 1968; and If - # 16 AC/# 116 "Bubble Under" February 1969 - and his final hit single.

Their inclusion in place of those obscure cuts and some from among the Ann-Marget sides (I really like Baby It's Cold Outside and Mutual Admiration Society) would have turned this into the best Al Hirt collection on the market.

While it must have seemed an odd pairing at the time--and today still divides listeners--trumpter extraordinaire Al Hirt and sex-kitten Ann-Margret team up admirably on "Beauty and the Beard" (nifty title!), which is represented fully on this collection of Al Hirt's best (and his best truly ranks up there with the finest moments in jazz music). Al and A-M trade off vocals, and they both seem a bit tentative, tongue-in-cheek and sweetly shy. The album wasn't one of Hirt's better sellers and elicited no hit singles (and RCA kept it on the shelf for over a year!) but it's a dandy recording, with Al's vocals in particular charming, if self-conscious. "Personality", "Mutual Admiration Society" and "The Best Man" are stand-outs, and A-M's sexy, teasing purr will definitely make you smile. They seem amiably enamored with eachother, and the results, while not high-voltage, are extremely pleasant and warm.

Ann Margaret's out of style vocals detract heavily from the Beautiful trumpet mastery of Al Hirt. Al also tries to sing here and it distracts from the magic of his trumpet. This is only for the collector who wants all Al's music. Get the more recent new releases of Honey In the Horn and Sugar Lips cd's first!

Yes, I am quite satisfied with this purchase.
It has great cuts by Al and many of the Ann Margret vocals as well.
Delicious.