Customer Reviews

Live at the Hollywood Palladium [ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED] 2CD SET

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

 

 

This CD is an exact duplicate of the Japanese import entitled "Concert at the Palladium". This one is much cheaper. Although it was taped in 1953, the sound quality isn't all bad but I'm not sure if it has been digitally re-mastered. Regardless, this more big band jazz orientated cd gives the listener a chance to hear what is probably Les's best band ever. Some of the featured soloists include Don Fagerquist, Ronnie Lang, Dave Pell, Rolly Bundock, Ray Sims and others. This band really cooks, and, because it was recorded live, the spontaneity is obvious. This is a "must own" for any true Les Brown fan even though there aren't many of his old standards on this cd. There is lots of excitement here. It's too bad that the engineers injected the "fake" applause and cheering after and during solos and at the conclusion of numbers.

This is one of the best hard-swinging big-band concerts from the past 50 years; this band just roars thru two night of live recording. The quality is clean, and except for the fact that it's mono, it could have been recorded yesterday. And I'm sure the liner notes are great, if only I could read Japaneese.

Really sad, though, that USA record companies couldn't care less about supporting the treasure of great American music. I paid $$$ for these two CD's...doesn't that send a message that there's an audience willing to spend $$$ to get this stuff???

Sad commentary - great music. Buy It. You'll love it!
LeeB

This is one of the best big band recordings ever made. Recorded in September 1953 before large enthusiastic crowds, this 2 disc set displays the Les Brown orchestra at its finest. In fact, Les later said no band of his ever sounded better. That is quite a statement considering his decades-long career.

The sound quality of these cuts is outstanding. I bought the LP on the Coral label in 1956 and, even then, was amazed at the clarity of the monaural sound. Whoever the sound engineers were, they really knew what they were doing. This is worth mentioning because during this period of the fifties live concert recordings were an uncertain thing at best. Jazz aficionados may recall the poor quality of the 1955 Errol Garner "Concert By The Sea" recording and the fiasco that surrounded the taping of Duke Ellington's historic July 1956 Newport Jazz Festival appearance, whereby large portions of it had to be re-done later in a New York studio. But that's another story.

When this Les Brown engagement was taking place, nobody knew it but the big band era was rapidly drawing to a close. Within two years or less, Bill Haley and the Comets, Elvis, Little Richard, Ray Charles and many others would usher in the rock n roll era and the music business would never be the same again.

So, from the twilight of an era, we have this magnificent recording to remind us what a big band full of great soloists could sound like. Dave Pell on tenor sax, Don Fagerquist on trumpet, Ronnie Lang on alto sax and Ray Sims on trombone are just a few of the great players featured on these wonderful arrangements. But for me, overshadowing them all is the superb drumming of Jack Sperling. After you've enjoyed these cuts several times - and you will - devote some time to paying attention to Sperling's work. Understated and restrained, his drumming is clearly the driving force behind this band, as a good drummer must be. Brown and his musicians were obviously enjoying themselves during these sets, and you will too.

All Les Brown followers, collectors, admirers are familiar
with the music offered here. Recorded live in 1953 at the
Hollywood Palladium and released on CORAL RECORDS in early 1954; Les himself has said these were the best recordings the band ever did, AND with the best band he ever led! Since the advent of the compact disc in the early 80's, Les and his management people have tried in vain to have MCA release the set on CD...MCA, owner of Decca and Coral steadfastly refused to issue the set...
until now; and it took Universal-MCA Japan to do it...and what a job they have done! Beautiful packaging and presentation here.
The set IS pricey...$... + S&H....and is WORTH EVERY CENT!
The package is done as a gatefold with each of the 2 discs in soft linen inserts within the gatefold. All info that appeared on the LP sets are here, the original Coral record labels are reproduced with ALL INFORMATION! Liner notes are in Japaneese, but all collectors have the original notes anyway. Song titles ARE in english. The music repro is simply fab, the usual difference between the quality of the LP vs the CD....it's all here, guys...knock yourselves out....buy,buy,buy it...you won't be sorry.....Don Wood

In high school I wore out this 2 disk LP. Wonderful to see it out on CD. The quality of the soloists, the variety of the arrangements and the power of the swinging rhythm section keeps this antique set from ever growing old and stale. The enthusiasm of the large crowd was an obvious inspiration for the band, and they rose to the occasion. The music and the band never sounded more fresh, even 60 years later. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a swinging big band.

Anyone with a warm spot for the dance bands of yore will love this recording--guaranteed. Consisting of 26 tracks from live performances at the famous Hollywood Palladium, this two-disc set of Les Brown's 'Band of Renown' proves that jazz-based dance music could be the best dance music of all.
Featuring sophisticated arrangements and top-drawer soloists, such as Dave Pell (ts) and Ray Sims (trmb), Brown's band stands as an undersung assemblage whose music deserves prominent placement in the constellation of American music greats. The recordings pick up the background, on-floor electricity of the appreciative audience, who must have listened to--as much as danced to--this wonderful band.

it was near its peak!

Like many others, I had this album when it was originally released as a Coral LP. I'm glad that on the re-release the original informative liner notes by Leonard Feather have been retained. Not only does the narrative give the soloist and arranger information but provides other tid-bits such as guitarist Vernon Polk being the brother of Lucy Ann Polk, another fine Les Brown songstress, who married trombonist Dick Noel and retired( part of which I mentioned in my review on her album "Lucky Lucy Ann").

A lot of familiar names are recalled on this album, many of whom appear on various other recordings in my own collection, such as arrangers Frank Comstock, Van Alexander and Skip Martin as well as musicians Dave Pell, Ray Sims, Don Fagerquist, Rolly Bundock, Don Paladino, and vocalist Jo Ann Greer and not leaving out the ever humorous Butch Stone.

The sound is surprisingly good considering this is a live monaural recording. Like others, I feel that some (not all!) of the crowd reaction is dubbed in.....a common practice back then and later. "Montoona Clipper",though, seems pretty spontaneous in the audience reaction.

The music is great! Almost all of the selections are known or, if not by title, recognizable by the melody. My personal favorites are the Latin styled "Strange" and "Invitation" which, as the notes suggest, has a slightly Kenton type sound.

Anyone who loves big band, or especially the vitality of the Les Brown band, will enjoy having this one in their collection.

For those who were fortunate enough to hear the Les Brown band in person during it's peak years, this CD will bring back fond memories. His was THE dance band during those years and here are all his hit tunes. The recording is not of spectacular quality, but good enough. This is a "must have" for fans of the big bands.

I have been wanting this recording for a number of years. It is an excellent classic recording. The quality of the product was very good.