Studio Recordings 1951-1953 [ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED] 2CD SET [Import]

Billy May | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 5, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Jasmine Music
• ASIN: B0000ADY9S
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,791 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. All Of Me

2. My Silent Love

3. If I Had You

4. Lulu's Back In Town

5. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street

6. Fat Man Boogie

7. Lean, Baby

8. I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plans

9. Charmaine

10. Orchids In The Moonlight

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano

2. Love Is Just Around The Corner

3. Easy Street

4. Honest And Truly

5. Gin And Tonic

6. High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)

7. A Cute Piece Of Property

8. Driftwood

9. Do You Ever Think Of Me

10. Cocktails For Two

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Complements our best selling Let s Go To Town (Transcription Recordings) JASCD395. Beautifully remastered in authentic mono sound, with no artificial enhancements. Includes both Johnny Mercer vocals and other tracks from rare singles and obscure LPs. Comprehensive 12 page booklet with notes and discography by Billy May Authority George Hulme. Follows the development of the Billy May sound from the original Dance Set records to be beginning of his concept albums. Billy May was born in 1916 in Pittsburgh, a city that produced a wealth of jazz musicians. At school he learned to play the tuba, trombone and trumpet. He took a keen interest in musical arranging and earned a little extra money by transcribing arrangements from recordings which he then sold to local band leaders. After a career with local bands, he joined Charlie Barnet in 1939 as an arranger and provided Barnet with many hit arrangements. When Charlie wanted to expand his trumpet section, Billy was the natural choice as he was on the spot and he knew the band's arrangements. His talent resulted in his move to Glenn Miller in 1941 where he again provided a string of hit arrangements as well as many notable trumpet solos. When Miller disbanded his orchestra to join the US Army Air Force, Billy jobbed around New York before heading west to California to await his own draft into the Armed Forces. He was found to be medically unfit and looked for work locally. See Also: JASCD395 - Let's Go To Town with Billy May & His Orchestra (Transcription Recordings) JASCD406 - By Arrangement - Arrangements for The Big Bands & Vocalists 1939-52

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, Billy may, September 5, 2007

By 

Mark Schildberg "Renaissance Person" (Webster, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Studio Recordings 1951-1953 [ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED] 2CD SET (Audio CD)

Here are all the Capitol recordings Billy May made with his big band before he gave it up and returned to arranging full time. Billy would release more adventurous records in later years, but this is where his famed "slurping saxes" sound began. Beautifully assembled and a swinging joy to behold. Billy May will always be one of my favorite musicians.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sinatra Swing Instrumentals!, October 12, 2006

By 

mbflute "mbflute" (Los Angeles, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Studio Recordings 1951-1953 [ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED] 2CD SET (Audio CD)

If you like Sinatra's early swing albums on Capital Records like Come Fly With Me and Songs For Swinging Lovers, then you will enjoy this album by one of Sinatra's best know swing arrangers. It's like Sinatra karaoke, with all the sound of a Sinatra record minus the Sinatra attitude and voice. I highly recommend this CD!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mono CD with great sound, June 6, 2008

By 

Bruce N. Schultz (Topeka, KS.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Studio Recordings 1951-1953 [ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED] 2CD SET (Audio CD)

For a mono CD this is a great clear and clean re-master. The compilation of the various songs is wonderful, some that I have never heard of before. Of course Billy May is one of my favorite bands of the early 50's as those were my teenage years. Great band and a great recording studio.