CD1
1. Let’s Dance
2. Bugle Call Rag
3. On the Sunny Side of the Street
4. ‘Deed I Do
5. Who Cares?
6. Blue Skies
7. I Want a Little Girl
8. Sometimes I’m Happy
9. A Fine Romance
10. Harvard Blues
11. I’m Coming Virginia
12. Soon
13. Medley: I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues, I Hadn’t Anyone Till
You, I've Got You Under My Skin.
14. Pennies From Heaven
15. Stompin’ at the Savoy
16. Flying Home
17. This is My Lucky Day
18. Roll ‘Em
19. Brussels Blues
20. When You're Smiling
CD2
1. Happy Session Blues
2. Autumn Nocturne
3. Oh Baby
4. What a Difference a Day Makes
5. Oh Gee, Oh Joy
6. The Earl
7. More Than You Know
8. You Couldn’t Be Cuter
9. I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face
10. Swift as the Wind
11. Them There Eyes
12. A Room Without Windows
13. People
14. Benny Rides Again
After the release of the film The Benny Goodman
Story in 1956, there was a temporary resurgence of interest in
Big Band music and Benny received many invitations to tour again with
his Big Band. He had of course worked regularly with small groups
up to that time, but this was for Benny a great opportunity, because
most of the other Big Bands had folded and he was able to secure the
services of the very best musicians around. This set of recordings
from the Yale University Archives amply demonstrates what they achieved.
Many things had improved since the 1930s' recordings
we are all used to. The recording techniques are better and the rhythm
sections really swing, as opposed to the plodding they did on the
earlier recordings. The instruments were better and the musicians
themselves more disciplined and experienced. Zoot Sims, for example,
provides some really classy tenor solos and all the various pianists
are first class. Sir Roland Hanna, Russ Freeman, John Bunch and Pete
Jolly are all great soloists as well as wonderful accompanists. It
does not stop there however. The excellent sleeve-notes by Loren Schoenburg
provide not only useful background to the music, but very detailed
personnel lists for each session. They read like a "Who's Who"
of the best in the business!
On CD1 there are vocals by Jimmy Rushing of Count Basie
fame and Ethel Ennis. Both give first-class performances. There also
some fine baritone solos from Gene Allen, but just as you would expect,
it is the leader who shades it every time, Benny’s gift for improvisation
and his beautiful tone are a joy to listen to. Both Stompin’ at
the Savoy and Flying Home have fine solos from Zoot, who
is instantly recognisable.
Ethel Ennis is featured on a Gil Evans arrangement
of This is My Lucky Day and it was nice to hear the band play
a revised version of Mary Lou Williams’s chart of Roll ‘Em.
This version is in two parts: the first being the instrumental version
and the second featuring vocalist Jimmy Rushing. It is a classic "Mr
Five by Five" performance.
CD2 contains material recorded between 1958 and 1964,
most of it not from the classic Goodman library. It is likely that
a lot of this music was not played again by the band, because audiences
wanted to hear all the classic BG charts, which seems a shame because
it is very enjoyable. Bob Wilber solos on tenor on some of these tracks,
which is unusual in itself because he usually played alto as well
as being an excellent clarinettist.
BG’s playing on Autumn Nocturne is exceptional,
even for a master of the instrument.
What a Difference a Day Makes has a well-constructed
tenor solo from Bob Wilber, as well as some more amazing clarinet
work from the leader, whose even tone over the whole range of the
instrument is amazing.
Vocalist Martha Tilton is featured on tracks 5 and
8. She had sung with the band 20 years earlier, but gave it up to
raise a family. She sounds better than ever! The Earl brings
another great talent to the piano stool: the legendary Hank Jones,
who more than does justice to this Mel Powell original.
The sleeve-note tells us that track 9 was an impromptu
session, which worked very well. John Bunch on piano and Victor Feldman
on vibes give the leader excellent support.
Swift as the Wind, a Tadd Dameron chart, was
a rather unusual piece of music for BG’s band to play, being bebop-inspired,
but with Phil Woods, Joe Newman and Zoot around, I suppose it had
to work out well!
A Room Without Windows is a very pleasant arrangement,
which includes another great BG solo, with some nice riffs and phrases
from the band in the background. Benny Rides Again is an Eddie
Sauter composition and this performance benefits from the presence
of Shelly Manne, one of the most tasteful and swinging of drummers
the jazz world has ever known.
This CD is a must for Big Band fans because it shows
just how great the latter-day BG bands were and that his own virtuosity
was undiminished.
Don Mather
CD Reviews
Nimbus
NI 2714-15
