Search - Sammy Davis Jr :: Essential

Mislabeled (And Mishandled) Compilations: A CD Buyer's Nemes

Kevin Sanders | 08/11/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Recently, I have been building a collection of compilations of the best darned entertainers ever to grace a stage, (such as Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima, etc., etc.) and Sammy Davis, Jr., was next on my hunt. So imagine my surprise and excitement when I stumbled upon this 2-disc collection at Wal-Mart for a mere $12.88. Was I suspicious that the CD might not live up to the heavenly price? A bit, yes. But the cheapskate in me overpowered my hesitation (and common sense), and I snatched it up. What I heard when I popped the first disc into my player was a wonderful collection that showcases Sammy's unyielding ability to dazzle an audience with his impeccable charm and soaring vocals. But that's just it--THEY ARE LIVE, AND THAT FACT IS NEVER MENTIONED ONCE ON THE CASE. Sammy was known more for his live performances than anything else, and the first disc is a whole lot of fun, but it's simply not what I was looking for. But little did I know that the true fun was about to begin on the second disc. Here, we finally get a handful (albeit a measly 29 minutes worth) of studio recordings. Yay? Nay. These tracks are from Sammy's later years during his country-western period, and while amusing and catchy, they are by no means "essential." And if that weren't enough to make me curse my regretful impulsiveness, the songs are terribly remastered--or just not at all (methinks they could be renegade MP3s from Napster). I noticed as the CD progressed that there seemed to be some sort of tinkling electronic noise in the background that sounds as if they recorded the performances on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. I should have been much more suspicious when I saw that the CD was manufactured by some label called Madacy Entertainment, which I doubt is a very prestigious organization in the biz. So it turns out ironically for me that the first disc is the more enjoyable, especially "Me and My Shadow" in which Sammy pricelessly imitates how a gaggle of celebrities from Dean Martin to Humphrey Bogart would perform the song. Disc two, however, is something of an anamoly. Add to that the sci-fi sound effects, and you've got yourself a compilation Sammy would be ashamed of. Stay away, friends. I got suckered and now have to look elsewhere (and shell out more cash) for the TRULY essential Sammy Davis, Jr., a legendary entertainer who deserves so much more than what Madacy seems to think he does.

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