Search - Bing Crosby :: Quadromania

Transcending Cornball

Johnny Hodges | Clark Fork, ID United States | 03/03/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Musical Merit: 4 stars

Sound Quality: 4 stars

Packaging: 1 star

Bang for the Buck: 5 stars



CD1 is mostly commercial orchestra backed songs recorded in the early 40's: Victor Young, John Scott Trotter, and Vic Shoen. The biggest treat is the several that include the Andrews Sisters. CD2 is dominated by jazz backing from the Joe Venuti, Bob Crosby's Bobcats, Woody Herman, and Jack Teagarden bands. The Herman backed "Deep In the Heart of Texas" is a real knockout, but many of these transcend the insipid titles you see listed. CD3 is dominated by 1950 radio transcriptions with robust jazz backing from the likes of Joe Venuti, Jack Teagarden, Buddy Cole, and the Rhythmaires. Many are marvelous duets with Louis Armstrong (the Odd Couple?), whom Bing not only admired but developed some of his styling from. The last CD is undocumented, but appears to be later commercial offerings. While about a third of the total offerings are pure smaltz, it is amazing how often Bing adds so much of a mellow groove to a song that it becomes a true artistic statement. I bought this as a gift for someone else, but was surprised how much I (who generally prefers more swinging jazz) liked it and decided to get my own copy.



Sound quality, while a bit dull, does little to take away from Bing's baritone. The radio transcriptions are surprisingly good sounding.



The documentation is for two of the disks is terrible. The radio transcription listings are riddled with errors, and the last disk contains no information beyond song titles. There is no biographical information. The 4 disk jewel box arrived with all the teeth that should hold the disks in place broken, as is frequently the case with the frail Quadrophonic packaging."