Vol. 1: Singin' the Blues

Bix Beiderbecke | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 5, 1990)
• Original Release Date: January 30, 1990
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000026WV
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,083 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #65 in Music > Jazz > New Orleans Jazz

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

In jazz's childhood, Bix Beiderbecke was the only cornet player to rival Satchmo in terms of influence on other musicians and on the development of the genre. Armstrong's syncopated delivery, his blues shadings, his unique phrasing--in short, his swing--became, rightly so, the benchmark, the standard by which jazz improvisation was not only judged, but actually defined. In a way, Bix represented both a practical and symbolic alternative to Armstrong. Though he was completely self-taught and couldn't read music, Bix's tone was incredibly pure, full, and lush, and his style was cooler, more restrained (but not reserved), and more plaintive than Louis's hot, ebullient playing--even though his actual tone remained bright and his note choices forceful. All of these 20 cuts come from 1927, and many of them rank among the finest performances of that classic era nudged between Dixieland and swing. A key component of these successes is Frankie Trumbauer, a remarkably fluent and lyrical C-melody sax player who was Beiderbecke's close friend and musical kindred spirit. The septet cuts from February and May are uniformly excellent, but "Singin' the Blues" (featuring Eddie Lang's prominent single-string guitar support), "Riverboat Shuffle," "I'm Comin' Virginia," and "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" are astonishing landmarks in jazz history. Also worth noting are two trio cuts featuring Beiderbecke on piano supporting Trumbauer and Lang, and "In a Mist (Bixology)," a Bix piano solo full of bold, unorthodox melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. --Marc Greilsamer

Product Description

Bix was the only jazz musician of the '20s whose improvising prowess could possibly be compared to Louis Armstrong, and these 1927 Okeh tracks are the source of his legend, with such showpieces as Singing the Blues; Clarinet Marmalade , and For No Reason at All in C .

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Sound could be better, October 11, 2006

By 

Thomoz "Audio nut" (Atlanta GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vol. 1: Singin' the Blues (Audio CD)

One of the other reviews commented how this disc had no surface noise? Well, they're right. The noise reduction (sounds like an older analog process) removed enough of the upper frequencies that the label chose to add echo after the fact to cover up their handiwork. So, "Blue River" is a brilliant performance . . . but it appears here in mediocre sound. For my money, the best sounding set out there NOT on Mosaic is the 2-cd 'Jazz Tribune Vol 48' on RCA (a US release).
There is a WORSE sounding Beiderbecke cd out there, with Orrin Keepnews' name on it yet. BUT . . . that's another story.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Six-star music, docked for outdated restoration, May 14, 2008

By 

Thomas Bumbera (Maplewood, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vol. 1: Singin' the Blues (Audio CD)

In addition to being among the most influential and beautiful jazz sides ever recorded, the original Okeh 78s were exceptionally well-recorded for their day, as any collector lucky enough to own one will tell you. Digital remastering was in its early days when Columbia issued this and its companion Bix disc, and it shows; the sound is flat, with the brilliance of the highs all but gone. It's shameful that Sony/BMG, which now owns nearly EVERYTHING Bix recorded, including the Columbia and Victor Whiteman sides, has not done justice to Bix by releasing the beautiful boxed set that collectors worldwide would welcome. In the meantime, the best restorations thus far are the "Bix Restored" sets, and that's where you should begin if you have interest in Bix or the best of late 20s jazz in general.

24 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a true genius, January 12, 1999

By 

daniel "blues guy" (Valley Cottage, NY, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vol. 1: Singin' the Blues (Audio CD)

he really was a genius. his solo in 'singing the blues', and the climax of 'riverboat shuffle' are some of the most beautiful things i've ever heard, which is saying a lot. the absolutely pure sound that he got from the horn comes across clearly in these disc recordings.