Search - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra :: 1951-1952

Old and New Stuff

Bop Man | USA | 02/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Certainly by the time these songs were recorded, during 1951-52, people were saying that the Big Band Era was over. But also during the early fifties, there was definitely a "swing" towards a more conservative approach to music by many performing artists. Modern Jazz, mainly because of it's musically complex nature, failed to gain the acceptance of the general public. Benny Goodman's return to his 1930's Fletcher Henderson-style big band format was "The Sound" that jump-started not only his career in the beginning, but the Big Band Era as well. Goodman's die-hard fans never really wavered from wanting to hear the older stuff being performed. So that's what Goodman did from now on, whether it was the 1950's or the 1980's, time stood still. B.G.'s band heard on this Cd was specially assembled for studio recordings, and did make some public appearances. Here Goodman re-records some older material, mixed with brand new versions that he might have performed on his radio programs, but not studio recorded in the past. The Cd ends with the "Goodman with Strings" sessions that Sony has not yet re-issued on cd."

Finally available

Edward A. Agnew | Dana Point, CA USA | 01/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At last these fabulous B.G. high fidelity big band recordings are available to the general public without buying a boxed set. The additional recordings with Helen Ward will apparently be on the next Classics B.G. release.

Update: I have heard that there will be no more jazz releases by Classics France without a U.S. distributor. I hope someone will contact a music company that can keep this label alive. E.A. 7/8/2009"