Jazz Club - Jazz Swings Pop - Various Artists

Advantages: Great jazz tunes from the Golden Age
Disadvantages: None

...a little something to this pure piece of jazz-blues piano work that makes up this excellent tune. Solitude by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra begins strangely with what sounds on this recording by what sounds like some off-key piano playing. Then the rest of the orchestra slowly join in. I fear that this recording is marred by damage to the masters, as it seems to have some problems. Even so, it shows what Duke an his court could do. Speaking of royalty in jazz, the next track is King Oliver with Rhythm Club Stomp. This is re-mastered for digital stereo and seems to have benefited from the experience. It could be this might be one of the accidental stereo recordings that was discovered. Apparently it was the habit of some record producers to use two sets of recording equipment on a recording session, as insurance against an equipment... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

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

...-talented and multi-styled Coleman Hawkins and His All Star Jam Band. It is still a swinging example of jazz, yet has more than a touch of elegant sophistication about it. The next track on the CD is by Nat King Cole and the Jazz All Stars. What's that? Nat King Cole? Singing jazz? Wasn't he a sophisticated crooner? Well, yes, towards the later years of his illustrious career, yet here we have a fine, stomping prime example of jazz with the Bugle Call Rag. In fact, Nat (Nathanial) Cole does not sing on this tune, he provides some of the hottest jazz piano I have heard in ages. Nat was, first and foremost, a fantastic jazz pianist. This version of the tune was recorded in 1944. Listen to this and you will now EXACTLY where Bill Hailey and the rest of the rock and rollers got their inspiration from! And also some of their licks, too! The next track... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

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

...My late Father would have approved of this CD. For this, he would have said, was real Jazz. "Not like this modern rubbish!" My father's idea of real Jazz was music by the greats of the 1920 and 1930s. Jack Teagarden, for example. Mezz Mezzrow, was another of his heroes. And perhaps some of the early Louis Armstrong. Well, two out of three ain't bad. There's no Mezz Mezzrow on this CD, but there is plenty of Jack Teagarden and some early Louis Armstrong, too. There's also Lester Young and Artie Shaw, too. I have to agree with my dad. This rocks. Well, perhaps not rocks, but I think you know what I mean! Jack Teagarden's jazz is the ultimate in smoooooth jazz. Until he really wanted to become lively, then it was as if you were listening to an entirely different orchestra. The first two Jack Teagarden and his Orchestra tracks... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful