Search - Will Bradley & His Orchestra, Ray Mckinley :: Will Bradley and Ray McKinley: Best of the Big Bands

Hep!

Gene DeSantis | Philadelphia, PA United States | 10/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album starts off with a handicap because of the odd credit: Will Bradley and Ray McKinley partnered in this band, but because Bradley was the front man and presumably because "The Will Bradley-Ray McKinley Orchestra" would have sounded artsy-fartsy, not to mention being a bit long for a marquis, it was called Will Bradley and his Orchestra. Whatever its name, it produced first-class swing. It is more than unfair that its best-known tune "Five O'Clock Whistle" got that way thanks to Bugs Bunny (as Will Friedwald writes in his better-than-usual liner notes) and that "Celery Stalks at Midnight" may be famous alone for its whimsical title, but this band had a smooth, easygoing swing, and was really danceable. And that was all Ray McKinley, who probably had a better swing sense than anyone this side of Count Basie, even (or especially) in his vocals. Which is not to slight Will Bradley; he played an equally smooth trombone, a little more vibrato than TD, but very pleasing, especially on the very pleasing ballads like "I Could Make You Care". Don't forget the piano man Freddie Slack, who made this band a leader in boogie.



But Bradley and McKinley had conflicts over the band's direction, and it folded after three years, which may be why Sony Music felt it could delete this. Collectables has since issued a second Sony-authorized anthology, with some title duplication and slightly better sound, but it leans on the ballads. This remains the best anthology of one of the Swing Era's best-kept secrets."

Will Bradley and Ray McKinley: Best of the Big Bands

Dennis D. Bevers | Sulphur, LA USA | 05/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great introductory album of two of the lessor knowns (but by no means does that imply less talent) of the Big Band/Swing era.



This album includes many of the best works of Bradley in both Swing and Boogie Woogie, a niche that he owned at one point in his career.



Ray McKinley went on to reconstitute the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1956 and added many years to the live performance of the GM Sound. The orchestra lives on today, and owes it's current success at least in part to his efforts and talents.



"

It doesn't get more hip than this

Mark Hennicke | A stone's throw from Carnegie Hall | 01/04/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a record that I have cherished for many years. It was my late dad's favorite cd, containing his very favorite side ever, "Celery Stalks at Midnight." Swing/Boogie-Woogie doesn't get more hip than the catchy "Celery Stalks.." and not many players could approach piano legend Freddie Slack when it came to making the 88 burn smoking white hot, as he did on so many tracks, inlcuding the legendary "Beat Me, Daddy, Eight to the Bar". You'll be hard pressed to find a more pleasing collection of Will Bardley & Ray McKinley's years together. It is, indeed, sad that this disc is no longer in print (thank goodness for the net & oppurtunities like the Amazon marketplace!) Every so often I'll take this cd out & give it a listen, just to treasure the sound & remember that dad knew good Swing when he heard it!"