Customer Reviews

Complete Recordings 1925-1929

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This CD represents the complete Victor recordings of the New England-based, McEnelly's orchestra. The rendition-style is "hot dance" on the up-tempo tunes, and "sweet-with-rhythm" on the slower sides (which are mainly waltzes). The orchestrations are somewhat complex and employ the artifice of a subtle-but-pronounced rhythm section to drive the performances. The highly proficient musicians are capable of both performing virtuoso solos and playing well together in tight, ensemble work. It is interesting to listen to the various obbligati, counter melodies, or rococo embellishments behind the solos or section work, as there is always musical activity on multiple levels at all times. It seems as though every time I play this CD I hear something I haven't heard before. The musical experience one gains from hearing McEnelly's recordings is equivalent to a mid-point between the sounds of the George Olsen and Nat Shilkret orchestras. McEnelly's sound is original and unique: it is tamer than Olsen's but peppier than Shilkret's.

These recordings include keyboard pyrotechnics by piano-wizard, Frankie Carle (who lead one of the great, big bands from the 1940s into the 1980s), brilliant lead-trumpet work by Waino Kauppi (who later played with Paul Whiteman), and excellent vocal refrains by Henry Burr and Billy Murray (two great, early recording stars). Although I have heard of this orchestra only tangentially before, on the "B" side of a George Olsen recording, I feel that McEnelly's orchestra is one of the great musical aggregations of the 1920s and is vastly superior to many other, better-remembered orchestras of that time. It is unfortunate that the onset of the Great Depression ended the recording careers of many fine orchestras - McEnelly's included. The tracks on this CD have been lovingly, digitally remastered: these seventy-five year-old Victors have never sounded better! If you are a fan of 1920s dance music, you will probably play this CD often.

It's surprising to me that a band that played this long and extensively left only 21 recordings, and that no reissue existed until now. Excellent audio restoration. Painstaking research in the accompanying booklet. This disc is a "must-have" for collectors and fans of early dance band music.

This CD comprises all the 21 issued Victor recordings made by Edwin J McEnelly's New England-based orchestra between March 1925 and February 1929. Dance bands had to be able to play everything that was put in front of them, from hot numbers to popular songs of the day, exotic tunes, ballads, and sentimental waltzes. McEnelly acquitted himself well in every department, rendering first-class performances of what were in some cases fairly mundane compositions.

The band itself was obviously a first-rate aggregation, capable of playing tightly-orchestrated arrangements, within which individual soloists had space to shine. The stand-out track is "Spanish Shawl", closely followed in my book by "Tuck in Kentucky and Smile" with its train effects, and "Just Cross the River from Queens".

The first two tracks are acoustic, thereafter we're in the acoustic era, and the quality of the original Victor recordings captured a full, warm sound, which is enhanced by Bryan Wright's high standard of digital remastering. The recordings are complemented by a glossy 20-page illustrated booklet setting out the background to the band, and giving a guide to the recordings. It really is a labour of love, and it shows.