Reviews (2)

Its Like The Instruments are singing!
This is a great Hot Jazz, Bebop, Hot Jazz box set. I recommend this to anyone who loves music of the 1940s. This music will get you up dancing. A lot of the bands are forgotten, but they're remembered again through this box set. I wish they would make music like this today- Instrumental music. Its like the Instruments are singing. You'll enjoy this. If you don't I give your money back! Guaranteed=)

A Delightful Swingin' Surprise
This is an upbeat collection that really swings with energy (very few ballads over three CD's). Most live performances from this period are pretty low on sound quality, these CD's are an exception with surprising quality (fidelity), a really great collection at an unbeatable price. If you enjoy big band swing that rocks, check these out. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

One of my DID Discs!
I had this recording on Vinyl and I had lost the hope, to get it on CD. It fills a large gap in my collection. Everything is ok, the musicians, the music and the technical quality. I can recommend it to all lovers of a cultivated swing music. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In many ways, these 1938 and 1939 Carnegie Hall concerts ushered in an exciting period of black music for the American public. While great bandleaders like Benny Goodman had been blurring the color line for years, From Spirituals to Swing was the first prominent Carnegie Hall production to present African American performers to an integrated audience. Besides the racial and political implications of John Hammond's controversial shows, the producer was able to bring together some of the era's finest talent in jazz, blues, and gospel music. Recorded straight onto lacquer discs before the advent of long-playing albums and first released in 1959, this three-CD set includes two dozen previously unreleased performances by the likes of the Count Basie Orchestra, bluesman Sonny Terry, the Golden Gate Quartet, and James P. Johnson. There are several notable moments in Hammond's Carnegie collection, previously unreleased and otherwise. Naturally, this includes swinging presentations by a Basie band that showcase star-studded soloists like Lester Young, Buck Clayton, Herschel Evans, and Harry "Sweets" Edison. There are also three dynamic performances by the Kansas City Six, which feature the rare pairing of tenor saxophonist Lester Young with early guitar great Charlie Christian. The box set also includes wonderful vocal contributions from Joe Turner, Helen Humes, and Jimmy Rushing as well as blues icon Big Bill Broonzy and gospel matriarch Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Unusual artistic combinations make these Hammond productions particularly distinctive. The live trio collaborations between boogie-woogie pianists Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, and Pete Johnson are fast-paced and terrifically exciting. The New Orleans Feetwarmers showcase the Basie rhythm section of bassist Walter Page and drummer Jo Jones alongside Sidney Bechet and piano legend James P. Johnson for some real Dixieland music. While gospel contributions from the Golden Gate Quartet and Mitchell's Christian Singers are powerfully emotive, it's the seasoned work of Benny Goodman that tops off this fascinating set of performances. With a group that included Charlie Christian, Lionel Hampton, and pianist Fletcher Henderson, Goodman presents classic compositions like "I Got Rhythm" and "Stompin' at the Savoy." With a jam session finale of "Oh, Lady Be Good," From Spirituals to Swing sums up two historic musical events that should not forgotten. --Mitch Myers ... Read more

Reviews (3)

All Star Concert!
Wonderful performances by an all star line up. I agree with the previous reviewers, but would just point out one thing. Stride piano great James P. Johnson gets a lot of exposure here, playing in the Bechet / Ladnier group, guesting with Count Basie, and playing three solos. The performances of "Carolina Shout" and "Mule Walk" are well known and much re-issued, but the performance of "Blueberry Rhyme" has never appeared before on LP or CD. It is one of Johnson's most beautiful pieces, a gentle melodic delight which is given a wonderful reading here, on a par with the 1939 studio performance and better than the 1943 version.

Recommended to all jazz lovers, and to Johnson fanatics in particular!

Maybe the greatest jazz concerts ever . A treasury
This 3 CD set includes the two "from spirituals to swing" concerts of Dec.23,1938 and Dec.24,1939 in Carnegie Hall, produced by JOhn Hammond.Just a glance at the artists : Count Basie's orchestra,with Hershell Evans,Lester Young,Buck Clayton,Shad Collins,Harry Edison,Jo Jones,Walter Page,and Hot Lips Page;Helen Humes with the Kansas City Five (Basie,Lester,Jones,Clayton,Page);Albert Ammons,Pete Johnson and Meade Lux Lewis;Big Joe Turner;Sister Rosetta Tharpe;the New Orleans Feetwarmers (Sidney Bechet,Tommy Ladnier,James P.Johnson,Jo Jones,Walter Page);Big Bill Broonzy;Sonny Terry;James P.Johnson;Jimmy Rushing;the Golden Gate Quartet;the Benny Goodman Sextet,with Charlie Christian,Lionel Hampton,Nick Fatool,and Fletcher Henderson !!! Buddy Tate,Ida Cox,and Mitchell's Christian Singers.Even Robert Johnson should have been there,but he died unfortunately shortly before the first concert.There are definitive masterpieces by Basie and his men,by Lester's Kansas City Five,by James P.,Big Bill and Benny Goodman in this set.It includes also a three tracks studio session from June 3,1938 by the Kansas City Five ("mortgage stomp","allez-oop" and "lady be good").2 hours and 51 minutes of very great music,with 23 previously unreleased tracks.Plus and interesting 45 pages booklet, and a fac simile of the Dec.23,1938 program.Let's remember that this 1938 concert was the first one presenting on the prestigious New York scene some of the greatest black musicians of the century.A great date in the history of jazz,and a great moment of music.

Fantastic rare performances of late '30s Big-band stars.
I owned this in record form in the late 50's when it first appeared, and have been waiting for its CD version for a long time....especially since my vinyls have long since given up the ghost. What a range: from a capella gospel to Basie to Hot Lips Page, this is one tremendous and historic set of music played right before the war: hot, jumpin' jive with some of the biggest names (and some long forgotten, for shame!). It is, as I have proven, MEMORABLE music. If you like the sound of American jazz, from New York to Kansas to New Orleans, get this set! It includes many more cuts than were on the original 2-record LPs. Can't wait to put it on and feel happier each morning! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

18 prime vocals by Rushing with the Basie swing band!
This is essntial music at a rediculously low price!These are the seminal sides by Rushing and Basie.Rushing is the quintessential male jazz singer.Rushing is so smooth and yet rough glidig atop Basie's roaring band.Some classics include
Sent For You Yesturday, Jimmy's Blues, Boogie Blues, Take Me Back Baby, and Outskirts of Town.All classic swing vocals! ... Read more

Album Description

UK budget-price blues compilation featuring one disc forBig Joe Turner & one disc for Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee. Housed in a slipcase. 18 tracks. 2001. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Church of the Blues
Yes, you have heard that Bessie Smith was the best of the blues singers. Well hang on to your "hankie" Big Maybelle is cut from that same cloth. Give a listen to "Blame it on your love" and "I'm lost" and you can feel the sorry of lost love that Big Maybelle unleashes right down to your toes. If you have never heard her torch a song then listen to her rendition of "Why was I born". She also has something for that man that "done her wrong" with her redition of two of my favorite songs "No better for you" and "Your turn to cry". No need to put on your Sunday best, but Big Maybelle is about to take you to the Church of the Blues, baby. I love women singing the blues and I own every Cd in print by this wonderful and one of the best blues artist that ever graced this planet. Nuff said, click "BUY".

If you like Big Maybelle, you'll love this CD.
This CD contains a total of 21 tracks that cover the gamut from blues to ballads. I would rate at least half of them outstanding. Recorded for Paramount in the early 60's, I suspect, the sound quality is really good. I am glad I got a copy of this CD. I think you will be, too. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Old Jazz Fan
5 STAR for the music and 1 STAR for the reproductions.

The music is the greatest! However, the quality of the CD's were horrendous. I have records that are 50 years old, played hundreds of times, that sound better! No matter if they used CEDAR or any other method of restoration, they sound lousy to me!!! ... Read more

Album Description

Live performances from three of the great bands in Los Angeles from 1945-46! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A gem
I thought I had everything by the great Louis Jordan. I wasn't sure what this CD was, but it turns out that they're recordings that you probably don't own. These are transcriptions that he made for Decca, but they're different versions than the ones that were released. With an artist as accomplished as Mr. Jordan, that means interesting versions of songs you know, and a couple new ones. My favorite: his own treatment of "She Said Yes," which I had heard as a duet with Bing Crosby. A must-buy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Oh Love collects the best tracks from the three mid-'50s albums John Hammond produced for Jimmy Rushing, the great blues shouter with the Count Basie Orchestra whom Hammond had "discovered" some 20 years before. Rushing has a warm and seemingly effortless way of transforming the blues into cause for celebration. The superb tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate and longtime Basie drummer Jo Jones appear on all three sessions, enlivening them with hard-swinging exuberance. In addition, pianist Sammy Price adds a down-home Texas blues feel to several tracks. But the surprise star of the set is guitarist Roy Gaines, whose "T-Bone Walker meets rock & roll" chops add a youthful exuberance to Rushing's ageless Kansas City swing. --Rick Mitchell ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Finally the complete recordings Rushing did for Vanguard...
This excellent CD Jimmy Rushing & Friends "Oh Love" contains 12 of the 24 sides Mr. Five By Five recorded for his 3 vangaurd LP's in the mid to late 50's, before he switched to Columbia Records. These sides are some of the best of his entire career. Here Rushing is featured with some all star jazzmen including boogie woogie pianist Pete Johnson, he gives his backup musicians plenty of solos time. A couple of highlights from this session are "Boogie Woogie," "I Want A Little Girl," "Pennies From heaven" and "Dinah." To make this set complete however you must also purchase Jimmy Rushing & Friends "Everyday" which features the other 12 songs missing from this CD. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Benny Carter leads a big band
It's not bad, but I don't find it particularly compelling either.Nowhere near as wonderful a late 50s Benny Carter album as JAZZ GIANT, and also not anywhere near as great a jazz big band recording as Art Pepper (+ ELEVEN) came up with around the same time.Carter couldn't find songs he wanted to cover for EVERY month of the year for this concept album, so a few of them are originals, and those (especially "August Moon" and "Swingin' in November") turn out to be the most interesting things on this album to my ears.Note:The last four tracks are mono versions. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Greatest Female Singer EVER!
Big Maybelle Smith was ... 300+ pounds. Aretha writes in her autobiography of seeing Maybelle in New Orleans "...with her little-bitty boyfriend." Imagine you're in a small club in Chicago, 2 in the morning, snowing outside, booze, tears, smoke and lost love permeating the place ... and a huge woman singing from the depths of her soul, a place so dark and deep there ought to be a warning label on the cd: Don't listen to this when you're seriously depressed! In the decades since I discovered her I've wondered if Maybelle's voice was a result of her heroin and other addictions, or were the addictions a result of her inner-soul and that voice. "I Don't Know What To Do With Myself" is her song, forget Dionne Warwick. "Until the Real Thing Comes Along" and "That's All" ... they get my vote as the most wonderful songs ever for humans in love. And "I Will Never Turn My Back On You." That's the track that Torch Song Trilogy (the play, not the movie) used at it's end ... it's one thing to say you 'love' somebody, it's quite another to promise you'll never turn your back on them. "Oh Lord, What Are You Doing to Me" showcases that mammoth voice that soars one second and hits rock bottom the next. Maybelle died in Ohio after being in a diabetic coma for two years ... she wasn't yet 50. Listen to this (and other) Big Maybelle, you'll hear every tragedy and heartache a human can endure. I've given dozens of cd's of this collection, invariably, the comment is "How could I have gotten this old without ever hearing about her?" Now. You've heard about her. Go buy the collections! It's a tragedy she never found the fame and fortune her talent deserves. You might even buy a couple extra copies, you'll have friends you want to share them with ...

Another GREAT Big Maybelle collection.
She was FANTASTIC! Just listen to " I Cried For You", "Only You", and "Thats All" and you'll know what the blues are all about!

The blues at its best
Big Maybelle lived the blues and died before her time. This music is real blues, sung from the heart. ... Read more