The Joe Loss Orchestra equals historic ballroom
J. Wakefield | SLC, Utah | 05/15/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I love the Joe Loss Orchestra! These are wonderful recordings and deserve some play as "historic ballroom" at parties and dances. About two-thirds of these have vocals. This is not too horrid for dancers that don't care for vocals, because a typical arrangement allows the band to play about half of the piece through before the vocalist begins singing.
A few points of critique must be made. There is substantial hiss on many of these recordings. The selection is somewhat unfortunate, because almost all of this is in four-four time. There are only two waltzes. A few are slow enough to try West Coast Swing. A couple others might work with Lindy, swing, or jive. But almost everything else is slow foxtrot, faster foxtrot, or quickstep. Also, there is no information about when the original recordings were made. Joe Loss started his band in 1929, and quickly expanded it to an orchestra. By 1937, they were, arguably, the top orchestra in Great Britain. They spanned almost 60 years of recording. It seems most of this is from the forties and fifties. Chick Henderson died in the Second World War.
As I post this review, I caution there are several inaccuracies on the Amazon track listing. They lost two tracks, and there are numerous spelling errors. "My bad too," but in someone's name? Ouch! Here are the titles, durations, suggested dance, and the artists for all forty-eight tracks:
Disc One:
In the mood, 3:10, Swing, Joe Loss Orchestra
Begin the Beguine, 3:29, Rumba, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson
I'm nobody's baby, 3:13, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Paula Greene
You made me care, 3:19, Waltz, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson
Five o'clock whistle, 2:46, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra & Bette Roberts
Where in the world, 3:15, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Harry Kaye
Barrel house boogie, 2:41, Swing, Joe Loss Orchestra
I'm beginning to see the light, 3:05, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey
If I should fall in love again, 3:22, Waltz, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson
There's a harbor of dreamboats, 3:18, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Harry Kaye
Fur trapper's ball, 3:14, Swing, Joe Loss Orchestra
Where's my love, 3:18, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Harry Kaye
That lovely weekend, 3:21, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson
Oasis, 3:33, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra
Yeah man, 2:53, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey
Goodnight children everywhere, 3:14, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson & Shirley Lenner
Disc Two:
My paradise, 2:20, Rumba, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson
Shoo shoo baby, 3:06, WCSwing, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey
Soft shoe shuffle, 3:16, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra
I wish I knew, 3:09, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Harry Kaye
Scrub me mama, 3:14, Jive, Joe Loss Orchestra & Bette Roberts
Seems like old times, 2:54, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones
In pinetops footsteps, 2:54, Jive, Joe Loss Orchestra
Thanks for everything, 2:58, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson
On the bridge of Avignon, 2:57, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey
Little old mill, The, 2:54, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey
Candy, 3:03, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Harry Kaye
Stage coach, 3:15, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra
Sweetheart of all my dreams, 2:58, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey
I wonder why, 2:56, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Harry Kaye
My guy's come back, 3:12, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra
Into each life some rain must fall, 3:16, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones
Disc Three:
Chattanooga choo-choo, 2:51, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra
No need for words, 3:22, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones
Washington whirligig, 2:46, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra
It couldn't be true, 2:57, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey
Good, good, good, 2:46, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey & Howard Jones
Accordion, 3:25, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones
Skyliner, 3:03, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra
Oh, what it seemed to be, 2:55, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones
Let him go, let him tarry, 3:10, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey
I dream of you, 3:24, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones
Gotta be this or that, 2:50, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey
Bounce me brother with a solid four, 2:54, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra
Save a piece of wedding cake, 3:24, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones
Tunisian trail, 3:22, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra
It had to be you, 2:34, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey
I'll buy that dream, 3:06, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones"
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1