Customer Reviews

Very Best of Benny Goodman

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
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If you are looking for a good single-disc collection of Benny Goodman's classic period (late '30s), with...
1. pretty new remastering for the best sound possible...
2. made by RCA/BMG (i.e., not a bootleg)...
3. at an affordable price...

...then you have two choices: The Very Best of Benny Goodman and BlueBird's Best- Benny Goodman: King Of Swing. They are both the same price and were newly mastered in 2000 and 2003 respectively.

The basic difference? "Very Best" has unnaturally deep bass. Don't get me wrong, if we had the technology to hear deep bass as it was recorded, then i am ALL for it. Unfortunately, the added bass on this release muddles out much of the bottom end. The drums, bass, and any other deep notes kinda run together. On the other end, the high end is clipped just slightly. It's got that bass beat that i suppose my generation is supposed to like, but since the mid-upper range is flat, it lacks punch.

Now, the "BlueBird's Best" sounds fantastic. The bass is just a tad on the restrained side, but the middle and upper frequencies are clear and defined. It has great punch, and the intruments are more detailed. Essentially, you HEAR MORE of the music. Besides, you can always turn the bass up slightly if you really need that deep bass. But you will NEVER be able to regain the clarity of the middle/upper frequencies by fiddling with your stereo. That clarity is lost on the "Very Best" collection.

Upon further inspection inside, i realized that even though they were released only 3 years apart, and come from the same company, they have totally different restoration engineers. I suppose since the newer one is clearer and more defined, they found good reason to change the mastering technique.

"Very Best" has a few more tracks than "BlueBird", but ALL the "Bluebird" tracks are big band tunes, whereas several on the other disc are with Goodman's Trios & Quartets. Those small groups are fantastic, but wouldn't you rather listen to them on BlueBird's sister album, Legendary Small Groups? (Trust me, they sound better there, too).

I think i've said enough. Listen for yourself and make up your own mind. As i try to collect different classic big band collections, i'm sticking with the BlueBird ones where available....next: Count Basie & Artie Shaw.

It's hard to believe that back in the 1930's music purists of the time considered Benny Goodman a rebel. Music was meant for listening while sitting. Along comes the king of swing and couples are dancing wildly up and down the isles of the paramount Theater in NY and everywhere else starting a new era for modern music. A foundation that led to the Rock N Roll Era. "The Very Best Of Benny Goodman" Is a very affordable overview of Benny's absolute prime. The sound quality thanks to remastering is fantastic and with 20 tracks it makes a fine collection for those who are considering purchasing a Goodman cd for the first time. Some great tunes are stuffed into this package like "And The Angels Sing" featuring vocals by Martha Tilton, "Stompin At The Savoy", "One O 'Clock Jump", "Bie Mir Bist Du Schoen" and of course the Louis Prima Classic "Sing Sing Sing" Featuring one of the greatest drummers of the day Gene krupa. This cd should be mandatory listening for the younger generation so they can appreciate the birth of modern day music as we know it. In some strange way all the kings and queens of modern music, Elvis, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson and even Frank Sinatra can thank the king of swing Benny Goodman for paving the way.

This cd contains original studio recordings of Benny Goodman's peak period: 1935-1939. Although I own many of these tunes on other Goodman cd's, this is a great compilation! Along with big band arrangements featuring Benny's best sidemen, vocalists Helen Ward and Martha Tilton are featured. Add the BG quartet, also an eight minute version of "Sing, Sing, Sing! If you are a swing fan this cd is a must!

I must warn you up front: tracks 2,10,11,15,16,17 and 18 are ALTERNATE TAKES, not the masters you are probably use to. And it is NOT advertised on the package! So if you know these songs by heart, you will either be pleased to have them or very annoyed. Just to warn you.

The transfers are fine but the song selection is missing a bunch of songs that I would consider essential to a "Very Best" collection of Benny's RCA period. It is just not one without "Don't Be That Way", "Loch Lomond", "Goodnight My Love", "Goodbye", "Down South Camp Meeting", "Changes" and "Body & Soul". I would say go with "Pure Gold" or "Sing, Sing, Sing" instead.

Yeah, you can nitpick almost any "best of" compilation CD for the songs that should've been included; and most of us know that "Very/Best," "Greatest Hits," "Essential," and "Definitive," are mostly record label marketing terms...but I don't think it's a nitpick to ask the question in my review title: for my money, leaving "Don't be that Way" out of a "VERY Best of Benny Goodman" collection would be about like leaving, "Take the A Train" out of a Duke Ellington collection.

Most "best of" compilations, esp. those by the "big labels," are nothing more than enticements to get people to buy more albums, but this is one of the more blatant examples of that...esp. when you call up some of RCA's other Benny Goodman compilations, and compare the tracks that were included. If you have to go the "compilation" route--and there's nothing wrong with that, esp. if you are one of the majority of us who can't afford to fork over the big bucks for boxed sets of artists' complete recordings--skip this and search some of the other titles, like the two BG Greatest Hits (find them used or on sale), or the compilation Sing, Sing, Sing. Yeah, the documentation on the RCA Greatest Hits CD's is weak, but if economy is a consideration, isn't it mostly about the music?

I first heard Goodman's arrangement of "Sing, Sing, Sing" in 1939. In my mind, it is the essential classic swing/jazz song. The recording required both sides of a revolutionary 11"(?) format 78 RPM disc because of the song's length. It is wonderful to find it resurected on this CD after many years of replaying it in my mind. Every note is clear and full and exactly as I recalled it after not hearing it for more than 60 years. Thank you BG and thank you, Amazon.com, for presenting it to me.

I had given one of my Benny Goodman CD's away to a clarinet player and was desperately searching for a CD to replace it. This has all of the songs that many enjoyed during the Big Band era. It has the song "Sing, Sing, Sing" with drummer Gene Krupa, it also has many others and is the best CD for the price. Benny Goodman was one of the best of the best during this era. If you enjoy Big Band you will love this CD.

To appreciate this one has to have danced to this orchectra. Been there and done that. Most talent heard in one group---ever. No omne has ever come cliose to Benny Goodman playing the clarinet.

This CD has many of the more popular songs but a few that I have never heard before. This is a must for any Benny fan.

My Dad adores this CD. There are many wonderful diverse numbers featuring Benny Goodman with his band and his small ensemble. Legendary performers include Harry James, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson, many more.