Customer Reviews

Jam Session at the Tower

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

 

 

This CD's got the rich brass, the bass and the beat all big band lovers hunger for. Hearing his arrangement of "How High The Moon" on a San Diego jazz station made me buy Ray Anthony's "Jam Session At The Tower" hoping for more of his great sound, and I was not disappointed. This CD contains more of Ray's great hits, and they bring back the sounds of the 30's and 40's, and they're all on a shiny 4 1/2" piece of plastic. Send for it now...It's great!

This CD is actually from two previous 50's Anthony LP's - Jam Session at the Tower (the first six tracks) and Sound Spectacular. Jam Session was not recorded live but was, supposedly, the Capitol Tower's first big band recording session in 1956.
Jam Session is much more jazz orientated and features Ray Sims, Georgie Auld, Med Flory, and Anthony. The trumpet section is anchored by the great Conrad Gozzo. This one is powerful and there is a fine array of musicians who know what big band swing is all about.
The rest of the CD comes from an album called Sound Spectacular which features a reed section and two brass sections trading back and forth. Again, Anthony gathered some great studio musicians for this album. These are basically new arrangments of old songs. Overall, it's good listening. This album was an early experimentation with stereo.

Spain's Gambit and Fresh Sound have been releasing reissues that rival the impeccable Japanese editions, both in album art and in faithful original audio reproduction. Unfortunately, Spain's Jazz Beat compares miserably to those proven lables. While Jazz Beat beautifully laminated the original album art for this issue and included all original liner notes, photos and graphics, Jazz Beat's audio remastering is garbage--they added a stereo effect to these mono masters.

Also, the CD I received has a totally different track listing from that seen on this Amazon page; it's a pairing of the Capitol albums JAM SESSION AT THE TOWER and I REMEMBER GLENN [Miller].

NOTE: the audio remastering of the Aero Space version blows Jazz Beat's to smitherines...and the track listing is as seen on this page, a pairing of the Capitol albums JAM...TOWER and SOUND SPECTACULAR.

Amazing !! Ray Anthony was one of the few white guys that ( along with Billy May ) had swing. These recording have incredible performances and incredible musicians. I have the original LP from 1956 in mint condition, and when I put it in my turntable is like you are in the studio with the guys !! The sound is amazing, take note that it was recorded in 1956, when recording technology was not so advanced, and it was recorded live in the studio ( a reviewer said it was not a live recording in the studio, but it is ), and take note too that big bands didn't need "second" takes and overdubbings.

A sad note : a pity we can't get a new reedition in cd form.

A MUST for any big band lover.