Best of the Big Bands

by Les Brown

Overview

As is often true of Columbia's early-'90s CD series titled Best of the Big Bands, the music is more rewarding than the packaging, illogical programming, or vacuous liner notes. The recording dates and personnel of the 16 Les Brown recordings on this disc are inexcusably left off. However, most of Brown's biggest hits are here (including his theme "Leap Frog," "Sentimental Journey," "Bizet Has His Day," "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," and "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time") and the program (although not in chronological order) is consistently satisfying. This is the Les Brown CD to get, at least until a better reissue series comes along. ~ Scott Yanow

Product Details

Release Date:	12/19/1989
Label:	Columbia
UPC:	0074644534429
Rank:	91881

Tracks

1. Leap Frog
2. Sentimental Journey
3. You Won't Be Satisfied Until You Break My Heart
4. Floatin'
5. I Got the Sun in the Morning
6. A Foggy Day
7. Bizet Has His Day
8. All Through the Day
9. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
10. 'Tis Autumn
11. On the Beach at Waikiki
12. 'S Wonderful
13. My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time
14. Mexican Hat Dance
15. Just One of Those Things
16. Twilight Time

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Les Brown   Primary Artist,Clarinet,Saxophone,Bandleader,Sax (Alto)
Al Aarons   Saxophone
Jack Haskell   Vocals
Eileen Wilson   Vocals
Frank Beach   Trumpet
Doris Day   Vocals
Charlie Green   Bass
Warren Covington   Trombone
Lucy Ann Polk   Vocals
Ralph Young   Vocals
Ray Leatherwood   Bass
Abe Most   Saxophone
Butch Stone   Vocals
Henry Stone   Saxophone
Dave Pell   Saxophone
Four Hits & A Miss   Vocals,Ensemble
Tony Rizzi   Guitar
Ann Mason   Harp
Jack Sperling   Drums
Richard Shanahan   Drums
Don Paladino   Trumpet
Geoff Clarkson   Piano
Mark Douglas   Trumpet,Saxophone
Ken Meisel   Trombone
Bob Thorne   Trumpet
Bobby Pring   Trombone
Jack Walker   Trumpet
Steve Madrich   Saxophone
LaVerne Bowe   Trumpet
Ralph Pfiffner   Trombone
Alfred Muller   Trumpet
Joe Petrone   Guitar
Clyde Brown   Trombone
Carl Berg   Trumpet
Ed Scherr   Saxophone
Bailey. Eddie   Trumpet
Robert Higgins   Trumpet,Trumpet
Richard Gould   Trombone
Jack Tucker   Saxophone
Theodore Nash   Saxophone
LaVerne Rowe   Trumpet
Bob Leininger   Bass
Bobby Gibbons   Guitar
Gordon Drake   Vocals
Warren Brown   Trombone
Ray Kellogg   Vocals
Billy Rowland   Piano
James Pratt   Drums
Hy White   Guitar
James Zito   Trumpet
Wolfe Tayne   Saxophone
Mascagni Ruffo   Saxophone
Don Boyd   Trombone
Robert Fowler   Trumpet
James Williamson   Saxophone
Richard L. Noel   Trombone
Ronnie Chase   Trombone
Stumpy Brown   Vocals
Eddy Julian   Drums
Betty Taylor   Vocals
Don Jacoby   Trumpet
Sy Zeutner   Trombone
George Weidler   Saxophone

Technical Credits

Jerome Kern   Composer
Irving Berlin   Composer
Cole Porter   Composer
George Gershwin   Composer
Ira Gershwin   Composer
Victor Mizzy   Composer
Didier C. Deutsch   Compilation Producer
Leo Corday   Composer
Les Brown   Leader,Composer
Buck Ram   Composer
Alan Dunn   Composer
Manny Curtis   Composer
Tim Geelan   Engineer
Al Nevins   Composer
Bud Green   Composer
Henry Nemo   Composer
Will Friedwald   Liner Notes
Michael Brooks   Producer
Joe Garland   Composer
Bob Higgins   Composer
Rita Cox   Project Director
Chris Herles   Mastering,Archival Restoration
Gina Bello   Design
Gerry Stover   Composer
Henry Kailimai   Composer
Tony Sellari   Art Direction
Herman Fairbanks   Composer
Will Fredwald   Liner Notes
Ben Homer   Composer
Oscar Hammerstein II   Composer
Georges Bizet   Composer