Customer Reviews

Only Big Band CD You'll Ever Need

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Only Big Band CD You'll Ever Need isn't completely comprehensive; but as a single CD retrospective it works. The quality of the sound is rather good and the artwork is excellent. We get a good sampler of what made people dance back in the era of the great big bands.

"Chattanooga Choo-Choo" starts the CD off with a huge hit! We get this classic tune performed by some really big names from the big band era: Glenn Miller, Tex Beneke, Paula Kelly and The Modernaires. "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" has a fine side dish of swing that works very well for this number; and Tex Beneke really sings his heart out on this number. "Stompin' At The Savoy" stands out just as brightly; Benny Goodman & His Orchestra never miss a beat and Benny's legendary high standards for quality control produce this marvelous hit. We then get "Take the 'A' Train" by Duke Ellington; and that's grand. "Take The 'A' Train" sounds just as fresh today as when they first recorded it; and the band handles the quick tempo changes very well.

"Tempo And Swing" by Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra packs a full punch that makes you tap your toes even in our times; and listen for "In The Mood" by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra. "In the Mood" was a huge big band hit but no one ever did it any better than Glenn Miller did! "Bill's Mill" showcases the wonderful talents of Count Basie & His Orchestra; "Bill's Mill" may not be as famous or well known as "In The Mood" but it's a fine piece of music anyway. I predict you'll like it.

"Ya Gotta Try" has a great jazz arrangement by Buddy Rich & His Orchestra; and it sounds really good even today. "Ya Gotta Try" is a tune I really like. Of course, Duke Ellington and his mates return to do yet another snazzy number entitled "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)." I love it!

"(I've Got A Gal In) Kalamazoo" comes to us courtesy of Glenn Miller & His Orchestra with Tex Beneke, The Modernaires and Marion Hutton. Tex Beneke sang so well; he deserves to be remembered more than he is today. "I'm In The Mood For Love" shines bright as Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra perform it with panache; the brass is used well on "I'm In The Mood For Love" and this enhances the natural beauty of this number. The CD ends with "Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing) (Parts 1 & 2)" by Benny Goodman & His Orchestra; what a great way to end this album!

Although the CD gives us nothing but outstanding big band music; it really isn't the only big band CD you'll ever need. This is best used as a starter CD for people wanting to get better acquainted with big band music so that they can then find more CDs by the specific artists here--and by other artists of the big band era, too.

Someone who knows the era better than I will have to tell how well-chosen the tracks are, but I've really enjoyed listening to this. The recording quality is indeed low but you need to regard that as akin to the tool marks in fine leather; they are proof of its authenticity. What do you expect for a track recorded in 1927? It's not going to be DDD. If you've ever heard some old tune that you wanted to hear again, and never knew its name, there's a good chance you'll find it on this CD

The CD name is a little ambitious, but if you want an excellent sampler of the best in big band, this is a great choice. True, some songs are not up to current recording standards, but the quality is very good for recordings made back in the 30s and 40s. I don't care much for the Buddy Rich and Woody Herman songs (too "Las Vegas" sounding) but everything else is first rate. Totally appropriate that it ends with "Sing Sing Sing", which I consider the best big band song ever recorded.

When I was a small child I remember hearing songs like "In The Mood" and "Stompin' At The Savoy" and taking an immediate liking to them even though they were recorded some 30-40 years before I was born.

As an adult and listening to them now on THE ONLY BIG BAND CD YOU'LL EVER NEED, I'm amazed that those songs haven't lost their magic or charm. In fact, I like them even more. You just can't help listening to this CD and not tap your foot and/or bob your head.

The beat is infectious and uplifting and I see why this music has such a long shelf life. Add songs like "Sing, Sing, Sing," "It Don't Mean A Thing," "Tuxedo Junction," "I'm In The Mood For Love," and "Ya Gotta Try," though the latter was recorded in the 70s by a modern big band, and the CD lives up to its name.

Of course, I'm sure that this is just a great appetizer to even more tasty treasures waiting to be discovered in the swing/big band category of music.

The songs included were recorded from 1927-1977. The reason I deducted one-star is because of the murky sound quality on some material that was recorded before the 1940s. I know that this is a limitation from the source material and can't be helped, but I also know that some customers won't appreciate that muffled sound.

I'm sure that most--if not all of these songs--have been re-recorded by other orchestras/bands but with this CD you get the originals.

THE ONLY BIG BAND...CD comes with a small booklet with an intro and information on each track to learn more. Very enjoyable. Might I also suggest Hooked on Swing CD. This came out in the 80s and contains re-recorded medleys of some of these classic swing/big band songs and sounds great! The perfect intro to this music of yesteryear!

If you like Big Band music you'll love this. If you are not sure about Big Band music this CD will turn your eyes in this direction. Clean original truly artistic pieces. I only wish there were more volumes of this. Great job selecting the pieces.

I took a chance on buying this CD without knowing much about what it would contain. I was familiar with most of the song titles but was hoping it would contain mostly instrumental versions. Some of the songs included singing, but they weren't too bad and most of them were instrumentals. The best thing was that these were original recordings (remastered), not remakes. If you like Big Band music, with emphasis on the music, I think you will be very satisfied with this CD.

I'l get the one thing that I didn't like out of the way and then address what a great disc this is. The title, probably meant tongue in cheek, implies that this compilation is the beginning and end of all the big-band recording you will ever need. Ironically, because this disc is so good, it contradicts its title. If you like a certain track, let's say by the Glen Miller Orchestra, you want more than just the three tracks presented here. That will obviously require you to look for some more recordings. OK, enough said about that.

This is a great compilation of recordings from the big-band era. To anyone even remotely interested in this era and style of music, there probably aren't any long-lost favorites that are unearthed here. But the selection of songs is very broad and gives a wonderful taste of songs you may have lost touch with.

I have several Glen Miller discs but don't have any Cab Calloway. Now I have a little bit of his work and can look to finding more that fits my taste.

Digital recording is a wonderful thing but it can only transfer cleanly what it has to work with. There are a couple of times when you can tell that the original recording just couldn't capture the sound. Therefore the CD has the same limitations. Luckily these moments are very few.

This will not turn your neighborhood rapper into a big-band enthusiast but if you or someone you know has a spot in their heart for big-band swing, this is a fantastic collection.

I love to listen to the old standards. Music has such a way of taking you back to a simpler time. This is the cd that achieves that. If you are new to big band music this is definately the one to buy.

I liked the CD. The only thing I didn't like was that only one of the songs had lyrics and the rest were just instrumental (although I know some of the others had words to them).

This CD certainly has alot of "Big Band" era hits, and is also a snapshot of the all the bigger names,and tunes
of a time when these bands were king. Certainly a big bang for the buck, and highly recommended.