Battle Of The Bands - Artie Shaw & Benny Goodman

Advantages: Some really good tracks
Disadvantages: Some are "so-so"

...equally sophisticated as If You Wee Mine, it is a somewhat different, more melancholy style. The lyrics are slightly corny, it has to be said, though Frankie does well with them. The next song is also by Buck Clayton and his Orchestra and Frankie Laine. It is a version of My Old Flame. I am sorry, but since I heard the spike Jones version of My Old Flame, I really haven't been able to take this song as seriously as it deserves. (Spike Jones mangled the song to include a psychotic killer (sung as a passable impersonation of Peter Lorrie) Although somewhat bizarrely, Frankie Laine remains totally mute during the Buck Clayton version of My Old Flame! The next track is by the Benny Goodman Quartet, featuring Benny Goodman on clarinet, with fantastic swinging backing from the rest of his band, including jazz xylophone. Stompin' at the Savoy... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Fantastic range of great tunes and songs
Disadvantages: None

.... I know that Lester young was a great musician, and hat his band was made up of first-rate technically brilliant jazz musicians, but somehow, compared to Jack Teagarden and the early Louis Armstrong stuff on this CD, Lester Young just doesn't do it for me. If their music tells me anything, it tells me: "Hey. We are so hip and cool, that we know it!" Then we change pace and step over to Artie Shaw and his Orchestra. Aha! Although these guys are just as sophisticated as Lester Young, somehow they're much more up-tempo and vibrant playing does do it for me. The CD has Artie Shaw's Begin the Beguine, Donkey Serenade (cool name, huh?) and Let's Walk. If there's a difference is it because Artie Shaw and his Orchestra played for their audience, whilst Lester Young and his band played for themselves? The sleeve notes for the CD are not the best... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: A lovely selection and continuum of pieces.
Disadvantages: There are no lyrics.

...When I got the soundtrack for The English Patient, I had no idea what the songs would be like. However, upon listening to each of the songs, I realized that none of the songs have words. Nearly all of the many songs are by Gabriel Yared - Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, and there are also songs performed by Fred Astaire, Benny Goodman, Marta Sebestyen, Shepheard's Hotel Jazz Orchestra, Julie Steinberg, and Ella Fitzgerald. The tone of the songs are serious and many of them are extensive pieces of composition - ranging anywhere from 3:49 minutes through 11:49 minutes. Most of the pieces are approximately nine and a half minutes in length. Quite beautiful, and the total running time is 75:11 minutes.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful