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Product Description
Album Description
Swing comes to the Essential Collection with the addition of Benny Goodman to our ever expanding series. Our re-mastered double CD takes up the Goodman story in 1933 and follows him through the critical year of 1935 when he made the monumental decision to play a selection of Fletcher Henderson tunes to a restless crowd at the Palomar Ballroom. Taking the tunes at breakneck speed the set was compelling and unrestrained, the King Of Swing had been born! We say goodbye to Goodman in 1952 with appropriately a song entitled "Goodbye," by which time he had disbanded the big bands and began to form smaller groups and bands for specific projects. By then his reputation was secure as the tracks on this CD will testify.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a truly lovely collection of mellow melodies from the clarinet master. There are 48 songs on this double cd, 19 from his small groups, and the rest from his orchestras, and if you listen to the Amazon samples you'll notice the excellently re-mastered sound quality, even of the oldest recordings.
You also get ten enchanting vocal pieces, from Jack Teagarden, Peggy Lee, Lionel Hampton, Mildred Bailey and Helen Forrest, but for me Helen Ward's rich, sensuous tones are a real highlight.
Although Goodman made his big breakthrough with his orchestra in 1935, for me the smaller group recordings have greater clarity of melody, and a greater intimacy than the more powerful big-band sound, allowing Goodman's clarinet work to soar like a lark, or entwine you in its honeyed tones. Almost all the pieces hover around the standard 3 minute format, except for 'Sing,Sing,Sing' which clocks in at a mighty 8.44, and where his orchestra come closest to sounding ready to explode!
There are too many lovely pieces for me to select highlights, as I'd be here all day. Suffice it to say that this is a really sumptuous collection, and Avid are to be commended on the sound quality; it's a real listening treat. The added joy is that you get almost 160 minutes of beautiful music at such a bargain price. Buy now before you miss out!
You also get ten enchanting vocal pieces, from Jack Teagarden, Peggy Lee, Lionel Hampton, Mildred Bailey and Helen Forrest, but for me Helen Ward's rich, sensuous tones are a real highlight.
Although Goodman made his big breakthrough with his orchestra in 1935, for me the smaller group recordings have greater clarity of melody, and a greater intimacy than the more powerful big-band sound, allowing Goodman's clarinet work to soar like a lark, or entwine you in its honeyed tones. Almost all the pieces hover around the standard 3 minute format, except for 'Sing,Sing,Sing' which clocks in at a mighty 8.44, and where his orchestra come closest to sounding ready to explode!
There are too many lovely pieces for me to select highlights, as I'd be here all day. Suffice it to say that this is a really sumptuous collection, and Avid are to be commended on the sound quality; it's a real listening treat. The added joy is that you get almost 160 minutes of beautiful music at such a bargain price. Buy now before you miss out!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
In America in the 1930s clarinettist and bandleader Benny Goodman became known as the `King of Swing' and his popularity spread abroad. Initially he was a solid session musician playing with well-established bands, but fame came after he formed his own band, with jazz historians insisting his success stemmed from an engagement at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles in 1935. Goodman started the evening with standard arrangements that got only a lukewarm reception, so he came back after an interval with swinging versions that had dancers go wild. It is folklore that he was prompted by drummer Gene Krupa quipping "If we're gonna die Benny, let's die playing our own thing". This is considered to be the start of the `swing era' with music geared to jitterbug and jive as well as quickstep and foxtrot.
There are those who reckon his Carnegie Hall Concert in New York in 1938 was Benny Goodman's peak performance, yet some of the event's significant hits are missing from this `Essential Collection'. The double CD album embraces the period 1933-1952, and immediately from track 1. with orchestra backing for scintillating clarinet on `Let's Dance' to the final track 48. `Goodbye' with strings accompaniment it is an inspired collection of Benny Goodman recordings. Personally this suits me in preference to the bebop, cool jazz and classic music of Goodman's later years. However on `Essential Collection' many of the finest numbers are by Trio, Quartet and Sextet rather than more customary big band.
There are numerous examples of the full Benny Goodman Orchestra with my favourites being brilliant brass on `King Porter Stomp', `Stompin' At The Savoy' and `Always'. Interspersed are vocals including a vibrant `Goody Goody', a swinging `Sing Me A Swing Song' and a couple of smooth smoochy Peggy Lee contributions as `My Old Flame' and `Why Don't You Do Right'. For me the best Trio tracks include `Who' as a masterpiece with Goodman on high register clarinet, and `Body and Soul' as its equal on low register. Other superb Trio numbers are `After You've Gone' and `Sweet Lorraine'. For wild playing the Quartet performs the aptly named `Running Wild' with great gusto, and other numbers lending themselves to Quartet playing include `Whispering' and `Smiles'. Benny Goodman Sextet numbers `A Smoo-oo-oth One', `China Boy' and `I Got Rhythm' demonstrate the depth and dexterity of a small combo. There is much more and all is easy-listening; and with excellent re-mastering this album must be amongst the best ever value.
There are those who reckon his Carnegie Hall Concert in New York in 1938 was Benny Goodman's peak performance, yet some of the event's significant hits are missing from this `Essential Collection'. The double CD album embraces the period 1933-1952, and immediately from track 1. with orchestra backing for scintillating clarinet on `Let's Dance' to the final track 48. `Goodbye' with strings accompaniment it is an inspired collection of Benny Goodman recordings. Personally this suits me in preference to the bebop, cool jazz and classic music of Goodman's later years. However on `Essential Collection' many of the finest numbers are by Trio, Quartet and Sextet rather than more customary big band.
There are numerous examples of the full Benny Goodman Orchestra with my favourites being brilliant brass on `King Porter Stomp', `Stompin' At The Savoy' and `Always'. Interspersed are vocals including a vibrant `Goody Goody', a swinging `Sing Me A Swing Song' and a couple of smooth smoochy Peggy Lee contributions as `My Old Flame' and `Why Don't You Do Right'. For me the best Trio tracks include `Who' as a masterpiece with Goodman on high register clarinet, and `Body and Soul' as its equal on low register. Other superb Trio numbers are `After You've Gone' and `Sweet Lorraine'. For wild playing the Quartet performs the aptly named `Running Wild' with great gusto, and other numbers lending themselves to Quartet playing include `Whispering' and `Smiles'. Benny Goodman Sextet numbers `A Smoo-oo-oth One', `China Boy' and `I Got Rhythm' demonstrate the depth and dexterity of a small combo. There is much more and all is easy-listening; and with excellent re-mastering this album must be amongst the best ever value.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
very good all round more than 20 pieces of music per CD showing the best Benny Goodman had to offer, recommended to anyone who loves Jazz and with a price of £3.99 you can't go too far wrong.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
essenttial collection benny goodman
very good music sound track superb good recording of look forward to buyingthe big band era look forward to buying more big band music
Published 28 days ago by D. J. Ellis
Great dance music
I only wanted one track but when I heard a sample of some of the others I decided to buy the complete download. Read more
Published 6 months ago by L. Toombs
Excellent CD, good price
Lovely collection of the very talented Mr Goodman's music, and a good price too, excellent hum along in the car CD.
Published 21 months ago by Magenta
Inaccessible CDs
Initially able to play one of the 2CD set on my CD player but later could access neither;kept getting up " error on the display.
Did get speedy refund.
Did get speedy refund.
Published on 14 May 2009 by Sunset
Let s Dance Swing And Boogie
As im new to this music legend, and with so many c.ds dvd etc of
Benny Goodman to buy on Amazon, ive gone for the Essential Collection of
Benny Goodman .. Read more
Benny Goodman to buy on Amazon, ive gone for the Essential Collection of
Benny Goodman .. Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2009 by D. Bell
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