Search - Bix Beiderbecke :: The Genius of Bix Beiderbecke

An O.K. Bix set

"Gimpy" Peach Johnson | 12/14/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Pearl has put out some great CD reissues of historic recordings, but this isn't one of their better ones. The sound quality, while passable, is really not that great: the transfers sound dampened and muddy, with enough occasional distortion to be somewhat distracting. Many of these selections sound much better on the widely-available Columbia Bix CDs or in the Bix Restored series. I'm also a bit surprised by the selection of recordings included on this disc. It's called "The Genius of Bix Beiderbecke," but some of his most influential and remarkable recordings are absent: "Singin' The Blues," "In A Mist," "Georgia On My Mind," and "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans" are missing. Also absent are any of Bix's recodings with the Wolverines. I realize that it would be extremely difficult to boil Bix's best recordings down to one CD, but did we really need such titles as "Oh! You Have No Idea" when that space could have been given to a Wolverines record? Don't get me wrong... "Oh! You Have No Idea" is a great hot dance band record (unfortunately often overlooked), but Bix does not solo and is just barely audible with the trumpet chorus, making it an unworthy addition to an album called "The Genius of Bix Beiderbecke." The liner notes that accompany the set are decent, but for what this cost, I expected more--and perhaps a few photos besides the one on the cover. Bix's music is fantastic--I can't recommend it highly enough--but there are other Bix CD compilations out there with better sound and better selection. If you want just one or two Bix CDs, I'd recommend either of the Columbia discs or the compilation "Felix The Cat" from the French Jazz Archives label. If you want more, the famous (but pricey) "Bix Restored" series is superb. In the meantime, I'd pass on this one."