Customer Reviews

Great Al Jolson

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have many Jolson recordings, and this is THE GREATEST! The tracks are GREAT selections, the sound is pure and clear, portraying Jolie at his finest. Be prepared to listen to it over and over. A Jolson fan MUST!

This package of mostly Jolson's Decca recordings is certainly a welcome addition to any Jolie fan's collection.In fact it is a fantastic place to start for any new Jolson fan wondering which CD they should get to test the waters with.
There is a bit of confusion here I should try to clear up first.Amazon.ca lists this product as being from Universal(which of course owns all of Jolson's Decca material),while Amazon.com lists it as an import and of no major company ties.I am going with the latter,as the packaging clearly states that this release by "Primo" is made in the Czech Republic.Primo in fact has MANY on going releases out now by a myriad of well known artists from a variety of major labels.If it was connected to Universal in any way there would be a "licensed by" or "property of" addition in the jacket credits,which there is not.It IS however MCPS endorsed(Mechanical Copyright Protection Society in the UK)so the artist and/or their estates will receive royalties from the recordings,which is a good thing.What does this all this mean for we the consumer? The tracks on this Jolson 2 CD set are NOT taken from the original Decca master tapes or pressings but are taken from very good vinyl pressings from private collectors.This usually means the audio quality varies widely on many such releases but I can happily report to you this is the BEST remastering of vinyl pressings I have heard in many a year.These Jolson recordings sound crisp,bright and full of life as if they were from Decca directly.In can hear little to no distortion in the high end at all.They have masterfully presented the songs without sacrificing their integrity(overkilling on the noise reduction).I suppose it is also fair to assume they have picked some excellent source material from which they gleaned this collection.The collection is a real sonic surprise which will have you listening to it again and again.
The only track that seems to be out of place here is the last on CD-1 "Yes,we have no bananas".This has been lifted off of a radio show from the 1930s.
Everyone will certainly have their favourites,as there are plenty to choose from.One track"That wonderful girl of Mine" was a pleasant discovery for me.This has always been one of my top Jolie faves.It comes from the Decca album"You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet".
I advise all you Jolie fans,and any new ones,to get this CD set.The sound is absolutely gorgeous and full(with no echo).The CD itself is encased in a slip case with pretty much the same outward information on each and there is a nice two page blurb on Jolson and the recordings therein.At this VERY,modest price,this 2 CD set is a steal!

I have many Jolson recordings, and this is THE GREATEST! The tracks are GREAT selections, the sound is pure and clear, portraying Jolie at his finest. Be prepared to listen to it over and over. A Jolson fan MUST!

"Let me sing a funny song
With crazy words that roll along
And if my song can start you laughing
I'm happy, happy..." (Irving Berlin)

Al Jolson was one of the very first entertainers who truly mastered the art of being able to reach out to his audiences and make them respond with tears--or joy--depending on the song he sang or the scenes he acted out on stage and in the movies. Jolson's excellent diction and a grand sense of timing enhanced his performances even further.

The quality of the sound on this CD is very good; and indeed there's not a bad track in the lot. "Sonny Boy" may have been a song written full of clichés as a type of joke; but the public loved it and when you hear Al Jolson sing it you'll instantly known why! Classic Jolson numbers we have here include (but are far from limited to) "California, Here I Come;" "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody;" "April Showers;" "Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye;" "I'm Sitting on Top of the World;" "Carolina in the Morning;" "For Me and My Gal;" "There's a Rainbow Round My Shoulder;" "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy;" "Swanee;" "When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin' Along" and "Is It True What They Say About Dixie?"

Listen also for Al Jolson to do a wonderful rendition of "Some Enchanted Evening;" and I also like "Yes, We Have No Bananas" presented here from a 1930's radio show; "Give My Regards to Broadway" and "I'm Just Wild about Harry." "I'm Looking over a Four Leaf Clover" is very energetic and it shines brightly in Jolson's capable hands.

This 2 CD set of Al Jolson's wonderful songs really is a must-have for his fans; this 2 CD set clearly proves what a special entertainer Jolson truly was. In addition, people who enjoy music from the relatively early 20th century may want to get this, too. Thank you for everything you ever gave us, Jolie!

One of the Greatest entertainers of all time. Mostly forgotten now due to time and Political Correctness due to his work in black-face. Jolson was probably this country's 1st pop music superstar. This cd has all his hits recorded in great sounding late 1940's recording tech. If you get a chance to watch the "Jolson Story" watch it you'll be hooked.

It's interesting how styles and tastes change over time. It's been said Jolson was the greatest entertainer of his time, but I was surprised by his delivery: limited vocal range and generally unchanged expressiveness from song to song. They are almost "talked." I was interested in the lyrics of those old songs, and he certainly enunciated very clearly, so that met my need.

The purchase of this CD was everything I expected: a good price, good quality, and a reasonable delivery time.The Great Al Jolson: the Primo Collection

Dads birthday was coming up. At 74, its difficult to think of what to get. He suggested something by Al Johlson.
I read the reviews here on Amazon and bought it. HE LOVES IT !!!!! I'm SO HAPPY I got this for him!!

I first began listening to Al Jolson records on our family's old 78rpm recordings. If you want one Jolson CD set that would be nearly all-encompassing this would be the set for you to buy. There is only one song of the forty included songs that I am not familiar with, That Wonderful Girl of Mine. I would substitute this song for Where the Black-Eyed Susans Grow which is not included on this two CD set. The sound on this set is great. If you love Jolie you will enjoy listening to The World's Greatest Entertainer on this great set.

Love this cd brings back old memories from when i was a kid in the 19 fortys when times were easy & just plan fun