Customer Reviews

Nice Work

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

 

 

This CD is a partial reissue of a great two-record set, which featured Dickenson in 1953 with Edmond Hall and other swing stars. The other CD, also sold by Amazon, is titled, somewhat misleadingly, "The Essential Vic Dickenson." All of the '53 selections would have fit on a CD, but--probably for financial reasons--the two reissues only include part of the orginal material. My pick of the two CDs is "Nice Work" because it features Edmond Hall's wonderful solo on "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me," and "When You and I Were Young, Maggie," a slow humorous blues treatment of the folk song that perfectly showcases Dickenson. Both reissues overlap with seven selections, the best of which is probably "Jeepers Creepers."
The music here is swing, but, taking advantage of the LP format, the musicians stretch out in 6 to 8 minute cuts. The instrumentation suggests so-called Dixieland, but swing is the strongest influence. The general feeling of the music is relaxed, warm, and happy. The quality of the playing is excellent. Trombonest Dickenson and clarinetist Hall are fabulous. Trumpeters, including Ruby Braff, and the pianist, Sir Charles Thomson, are good but not quite in the same class.
The other reissue does include "Keeping Out of Mischief Now," a good cut, and two pretty good cuts: "Sir Charles at Home" and "I Cover the Waterfront." But I'd still recommend "Nice Work." But wouldn't it be nice if the skinflint music industry would put 80 minutes on a CD instead of forcing us to make these choices? -TTA

I've owned this CD for several years. It has to be heard to be believed. Where else do you hear solos by Edmond Hall, Ruby Braff, and Vic Dickenson with a great rhythm section led by 'Sir' Charles Thompson on piano? The trak "Jeepers Creepers" is a work of beauty, stretching out to 11 minutes (which just flies by) -- it used to get a lot of play on the Toronto jazz station CJRT up here in Canada (now www.jazz.fm), and that's how I got turned on to the album.
'Suspension Blues' is dazzling, and I guarantee you've never heard the chart for 'Everybody Loves my Baby' played like this anywhere else. This CD is in my top-10-must-have. Enjoy.