Customer Reviews

Swing Is in the Air

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
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One of the most reissued of the great British dance bands was that of Ambrose, both on LP and now CD. In fact the choice confronting the potential purchaser is quite bewildering. Well, if you want to know where to start, this 2-CD set is the best point, because it provides over 50 of his best recordings, spanning the years 1933 to 1939, at an unbeatable price. It's accurately titled, and shows that Ambrose could hold his own with the top American bands.

Apart from the numbers Ambrose made his own, many (like Cotton Pickers' Congregation, Hick Stomp, Streamline Strut, and B'Wanga) written by Sid Phillips, the set includes such standards as Copenhagen, Limehouse Blues, Memphis Blues, Caravan, and Deep Henderson. The band was strong in every department; a superb rhythm section, exceptional soloists, and great vocalists. Topping it all was Ambrose himself, who was renowned for his ability to translate an arrangement into a performance. The remastering is fantastic, and there's a 10-page liner note and discography. Go get it!

One of the most reissued of the great British dance bands was that of Ambrose, both on LP and now CD. In fact the choice confronting the potential purchaser is quite bewildering. Well, if you want to know where to start, this 2-CD set is the best point, because it provides over 50 of his best recordings, spanning the years 1933 to 1939, at an unbeatable price. It's accurately titled, and shows that Ambrose could hold his own with the top American bands.

Apart from the numbers Ambrose made his own, many (like Cotton Pickers' Congregation, Hick Stomp, Streamline Strut, and B'Wanga) written by Sid Phillips, the set includes such standards as Copenhagen, Limehouse Blues, Memphis Blues, Caravan, and Deep Henderson. The band was strong in every department; a superb rhythm section, exceptional soloists, and great vocalists. Topping it all was Ambrose himself, who was renowned for his ability to translate an arrangement into a performance. The remastering is fantastic, and there's a 10-page liner note and discography. Go get it!

The 52 recordings on display were all made between 1934-1939, and although to modern ears this may sound a lot, in fact it is only a tiny fraction of Ambrose's output during these years (even considering that between october 1937 and october 1938 no recordings were made at all due to a dispute between Decca and Ammy) and stresses the instrumental, swinging side of the band. The uninitiated might get the impression that Ambrose led a swing band that also played sweet, but of course it's the other way round. A beter all round picture of the band can be distilled from the ASV double cd or indeed the splendid nine volume Vocalion releases.
That said, the band here is in top form, collectively as well as solistically, tearing into many original compositions and really good and inventive arrangements with a zing. The jazz-content is often lightweight (certainly in the numerous Raymond Scott titles), but nevertheless very enjoyable music indeed.
Remastering is not ideal, the recordings are somewhat shallow, lacking real warmth (compared to lp reissues from the seventies), with added reverb and stereo effect (especially noticeable when listening through headphones); but overall this is a must have for beginner or collector of vintage swing and dance music.