Customer Reviews

Live at Carnegie Hall - 40th Anniversary Concert

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I was fifteen at the time, and my all-time favorite record was the 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert. The day tickets went on sale I took the subway to Carnegie on my lunch hour from high-school and got tickets way up in the second balcony, but I was lucky to get them at all--the concert sold out in one day. The night of the concert, the weather was miserable and rainy, and the concert was generally a disappointment. The only real high spot was Roll 'Em with Mary Lou Williams. She injected some energy into the whole concert. The arrangement of Stardust was good too, as I couldn't ever recall hearing a Goodman band that featured flutes! But Jack Sheldon singing Rocky Racoon--I mean come on! I have the vinyl double album more as a momento of the event than as anything I really listened to. Probably not worth the money--stick to the 1938 version. There's a reason it's the best selling jazz album of all time. I can't wait for the new CD to come out. I have the original 12 inch LP issued in 1950 (Goodman forgot he had the recording of the concert for 12 years)--my dad's. I discovered it in 1973 and it is the reason I got into jazz in the first place. I also have my replacement LPs of 1970s vintage. It's about time to go digital on the '38 concert.

I am currently surrounded by snow. We had nearly twenty inches. We could dig ourselves out, but why waste the time. The sun will melt it all soon. I am listening to one of the great musical recordings: Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall. What better way to spend this day?

I have preferred classical music most of my life. Benny Goodman was always the exception as I played clarinet and he was the best clarinetist I ever heard. So, my love for Goodman's artistry on the clarinet led me to his kind of music.
When I saw this CD on Amazon and was reminded that numerous musical greats participated I was hooked. The performance includes Harry James, Count Basie, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, and Teddy Wilson. I could not ask for much more.

This particular CD is very well done. The producers have re mastered the original recordings and carefully brought out the original sound. I have listened to this CD five times and it keeps getting better. Several of Goodman's solos are magnificent, and Lionel Hampton and Gene Krupa are excellent. This is a masterful production of a virtuoso performance. I highly recommend this CD.

This double disc has one stellar moment: Mary Lou Williams on "Roll 'Em." This is a rousing rendition of Mary's own song and it knocks 'em dead. Benny's vocal on "I Love a Piano" is also quirky and sweet. But the rest of the album is uninspiring and insipid.

The absolute nadir is Jack Sheldon singing "Rocky Raccoon." I don't know what Benny was thinking having this obnoxious trombine-player from the Merv Griffin orchestra appearing on stage with him. Unbelievable.

Benny also throws in a bunch on no-name singers giving pale imitations of his original vocalist, liltin' Martha Tilton. For diehard fans of Benny, you might emjoy this disc, for everyone else out there, stick with the 1938 classic concert from Carnegie Hall.

This world famous performance has entranced millions of jazz lovers over the years. Now we have a whole new audience that can enjoy a truly masterful performance!