These recordings are taken from the first generation of
big band stereo re-creations, a program undertaken by
Capitol Records in the late '50s that continued into the early '60s. The purpose was to provide accurate renderings of
big band favorites of the 1930s and 1940s in stereo sound. Some original bandleaders, such as
Harry James and
Artie Shaw, were recruited to re-create their own hits, but most of the work was done by two leaders,
Freddy Martin and
Glen Gray.
Gray provided the hotter
swing music for
Capitol, whereas
Martin recorded the more conservative and nostalgic fare.
This
Eric CD combines a generous selection of 21 tracks from
Martin's recordings, transferred in excellent sound from the original three-track stereo masters. It includes re-creations of hits ranging from two of
Freddy Martin's own (
"Bumble Boogie" and
"Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto") to those of
Glenn Miller,
Frankie Carle,
Tommy Dorsey, and even one by
Bert Ambrose. One may wonder why this would even be desirable, as the mono originals of these things are widely available on various packages. Listen and you'll figure it out -- these are just simply outstanding re-creations. They are far from stale imitations of the "real thing," and how much accuracy do you need for pieces like
Wayne King's
"Josephine" or
"My Shawl" by
Xavier Cugat? Even potentially difficult re-creations, such as that for
Artie Shaw's
"Frenesi," are pulled off with an amazing resemblance to the original and a good degree of flair. These recordings were made by top Hollywood studio musicians of the era. In general,
Smooth Sounds of the Great Dance Bands is a highly enjoyable collection of
pop big band favorites and highly recommended to those who have a taste for dance music on the sweet and gentle side. ~ Uncle Dave Lewis
