That's What I Call Sweet Music: American Dance Orchestras of the 1920s [Import]

Robert Crumb | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 29, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Import
• ASIN: B00000JOAU
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,198 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #62 in Music > Jazz > Traditional Jazz & Ragtime > Ragtime

Track Listings

1. That's What I Call Sweet Music, played by Paul Specht and his Orchestra, recorded on Jan 14, 1929

2. Make My Cot Where The Cot-Cot-Cotton Grows, Red Nichols' Stompers, Oct 26, 1927

3. Be My Baby, Blue Steele and his Orchestra, Feb 8, 1928

4. I'm The Last Of The Red Hot Mammas, Herman Kenin and his Ambassador Hotel Orchestra, Apr 26, 1929

5. Hy Honey's Lovin' Arms, Ray Miller and his Orchestra, Oct 2, 1927

6. 'Leven-Thirty Saturday Night, Fess Williams and his Royal Flush Orchestra, Apr 18, 1930

7. I'm Bringing A Red, Red Rose, George Olsen and his Music, Dec 6, 1928

8. Do Something, McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Apr 9, 1929

9. Wedding Bells, Fred Rich and his Orchestra, Feb 19, 1929

10. St. Louis Blues, Leroy Smith and his Orchestra, Feb 23, 1928

11. Sing Song Girl, Leroy Shield and the Victor Hollywood Orchestra, Sep 26, 1930

12. Sweet Ella May, Earl Hines and his Orchestra, Feb 13, 1929

13. The One That I Love Loves Me, Rudy Vallee and his Connecticut Yankees, Apr 1, 1929

14. Aristocratic Stomp, Paul Tremaine and his Aristocrats, Oct 2, 1929

15. Buy, Buy For Baby, Ben Pollack and his Park Central Orchestra, Oct 15, 1928

16. Hum And Strum, 'Doc' Cook and his 14 Doctors of Syncopation, Mar 30, 1928

17. Give Your Little Baby Lots Of Lovin', Anson Weeks and his Hotel Mark Hopkins Orchestra, Jan 28, 1929

18. That's What Puts The Sweet In Home Sweet Home, Jean Goldkette and his Orchestra, Nov 21, 1928

19. Singin' In The Rain, Gus Arnheim and his Orchestra, Apr 28, 1929

20. The Pay Off, California Ramblers, Feb 10, 1928

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Songbook series of CDs from the U.K.--a label that asks several artists (everyone from Hunter S. Thompson to comix artist Peter Bagge) to compile discs of their favorite music--is a fascinating concept. What better way to pick the brain of your favorite author than to hear what he's currently spinning on the CD player? That's What I Call Sweet Music is underground comic legend Robert Crumb's chance to show off his rare shellac and it's one of the series' best efforts. This compilation of '20s American dance music features long-forgotten artists such as Paul Sprecht, Red Nichols's Stompers, Rudy Vallee, and others playing some truly infectious jazzy numbers that once comprised popular music in the U.S. Sure, some of the lyrics are corny, but the playing is consistently great (and the sound quality respectable). It's hard not to get nostalgic hearing these bygone numbers that blend big band, orchestral, and novelty music. As Crumb states in the gorgeously illustrated liner notes, "what you hear on this CD is the good-time, social music of a vanished urban civilization, a lost world of smokestack factories, clanging trolley cars--and everybody wore hats!" True enough. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I need more stars to rate this one!, July 21, 2002

By 

DJ Joe Sixpack (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: That's What I Call Sweet Music: American Dance Orchestras of the 1920s (Audio CD)

Cartoonist R. Crumb has long had a sweet-tooth for old-time music; along with his duties as a countercultural icon, he's also spent decades obsessively collecting old blues and jazz 78s, and during the 1970s, '80s and '90s was a member in good standing of the old-timey revivalist stringband, the Cheap Suit Serenaders. In keeping with this passion, Crumb has put together this delightful -- ... -- collection of his favorite 1920s jazz 78s, highlighting the "sweet band" style that many jazz purists scorn as too pop-oriented. Rudy Vallee, Red Nichols and Paul Whiteman share disc space with more obscure acts such as Herman Kenin and His Ambassador Hotel Orchestra, and the bouncy, perky mix is irresistible. The CD also features plenty of swank R. Crumb drawings that his print-only fans should appreciate as well. Highly recommended!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A True Desert Island disc, January 30, 2002

By 

John Stark Bellamy II - See all my reviews

This review is from: That's What I Call Sweet Music: American Dance Orchestras of the 1920s (Audio CD)

This selection of largely obscure Twenties swing band recordings from R. Crumb's legendary collection of "rare sides" is truly a desert island disc. Even if you don't care for the genre--I suppose there are such benighted souls--you'll find yourself smiling and possessed by a toe-tapping frenzy from the very first track. An incredible collection of essential music, nicely mastered and showcased with the usual hilarious Crumb graphics and insightful notes.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deserted island status for me - expensive & WORTH it., September 10, 2003

By 

Elmer Sigmon - See all my reviews

This review is from: That's What I Call Sweet Music: American Dance Orchestras of the 1920s (Audio CD)

Anyone who is a fan of hot jazz, ancient Tin Pan alley & pure hokum from the 20's, you owe it to yourself to get this disc. In addition to the mindblowing selections (all hopelessly rare 78's) that Crumb made for this CD, it comes in a wonderful little book binding and every inch of it is illustrated and hand-worded by Crumb himself! This project was clearly a labor of love and the music is joyously innocent but swinging hard at every turn...