The Best of Squirrel Nut Zippers as Chronicled by Shorty Brown

Squirrel Nut Zippers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 29, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Fontana Mammoth
• ASIN: B00006WL4Q
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,625 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #34 in Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz > Retro Swing

Track Listings

1. Good Enough for Granddad

2. Anything But Love

3. Lover's Lane

4. Memphis Exorcism

5. Prince Nez

6. Put a Lid on It

7. Hell

8. Flight of the Passing Fancy

9. Low Down Man

10. Ghost of Stephen Foster

11. Under the Sea [#]

12. Suits Are Picking Up the Bill

13. Dancing on the Moon [#]

14. Pallin' With Al

15. The Kraken

16. Bedbugs

17. Baby Wants a Diamond Ring

18. Hush

19. Hell [Multimedia Track]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Absolute Best Modern Jazz Band of the 1990s, December 30, 2002

By 

Devin DiMattia "dimattiafilms.com" (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best of Squirrel Nut Zippers as Chronicled by Shorty Brown (Audio CD)

I mean it when I call the Squirrel Nut Zippers that, although they bend the term "jazz" inside and out until they've broken ground in every single sub-genre of jazz. This best-of compilation, however, is an oddity. There's no mention of it on the band's official website (which hasn't been updated since February 2002). Nobody's reviewed it on Amazon.com or the All Music Guide. And since the Zippers only had one true hit ("Hell"), everything's free game in this collection.

This disc contains 18 cuts: three from their debut, "The Inevitable"; five from their breakthrough album, "Hot"; five from my favorite album, "Perrenial Favorites"; and three from their mainstream attempt, "Bedlam Ballroom". The two extra tracks are unreleased pieces recorded during the "Perrenial" sessions. The first new song is a caribbean cover version of the Disney song "Under the Sea", sung by the lovely and talented Katherine Whalen. The other song is "Dancing on the Moon", a bouncy ditty written by the Zippers' bassist, Don Raleigh.

As for the other tracks, the disc has, of course, the hit "Hell"; other favorites like "Put a Lid on It" and "Suits are Picking Up the Bill"; the wild "Ghost of Stephen Foster"; and the madcap percussion blowout "The Kracken". My favorite tracks are "Good Enough for Granddad", "Prince Nez", "Pallin' with Al" and "Bedbugs". Of course, me being such a avid fan, there are tracks I wish were on here ("Blue Angel" from "Hot" and "Evening at LaFitte's" from "Perrenial" just to name a few). Still, this disc is worth it for the two extra tracks and three music videos: "Hell" and two versions of "Put a Lid on It".

The Zippers still reign supreme and always will! Cheers!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ...and they are TASTY!, May 29, 2003

By 

M. Hartman (East Coast, Etats-Unis) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best of Squirrel Nut Zippers as Chronicled by Shorty Brown (Audio CD)

A hot jazz inspired band that brought back the wild abandon of 1920's and 1930's era music, the Squirrel Nut Zippers created some wonderfully original music and had a hit in 1997 with "Hell". This greatest hits collection was strangely difficult to find, but well worth the effort. This was my first SNZ disc and seemed like a good place to start. I was wrong, it was a perfect place to start. The Zippers approach their songs with infectious zeal. This album is consistently fun. As this collection moves more or less chronologically through their catalog, you really see how their musical style developed. From the rough-hewn Hot Jazz of "Good Enough for Grandad" and "Lover's Lane" to the lush parlor jazz of "Hush", the final track. The cd also includes a few unreleased tracks for the collectors (the Squirrel's previously unreleased cover of "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid is wonderful). "Hell" as well as some semi-hits "Ghost of Stephen Foster" and "Put a Lid On It" are here as well. SNZ were by no means slavish revivalists, their music was creative, original, witty and FUN. Plus you can dance to it. What more can you ask for? This is splendid stuff.

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not essential, but an ok sampler, but why not just get HOT, December 23, 2003

By 

france-jazz-fan (Paris, France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best of Squirrel Nut Zippers as Chronicled by Shorty Brown (Audio CD)

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the music on this cd, it is mostly "Hot jazz" and excitable dixieland music with the energy of a punk rock band! However there is no reason to acquire this cd at all, you should just buy thier cd "HOT," which has all of their hottest jazz sides, and best vocals, and the exciting trumpet solos of Duke Heighter. If after you buy HOT, and you need more, buy Perinnial Favorites, and that's all that is essential. This cd has a sampling of thier cd's, but this cd leaves off a bunch of essential tracks from thier exciting and creative HOT set, which is by far more essential. Only pick this up if you can get it at a low budget price, otherwise HOT should be easy enough to find at used cd shops in the USA, or Tower Records.