BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA - 1934-1935 {CC, 744} (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With the exception of the final two titles, all of the music on this CD is from 1934, a period when Benny Goodman first formed his big band and appeared regularly on the Let's Dance radio series. Still virtually unknown to the general public, Goodman at 25 was ready for stardom, but the world was not quite yet ready for swing. The first four selections are from a fascinating combo date with the great tenor Coleman Hawkins and Mildred Bailey (who has vocals on three songs, including "Ol' Pappy" and "Emaline"). Another small-group session that features trombonist/singer Jack Teagarden and pianist Teddy Wilson precedes the Goodman Music Hall Orchestra's recordings for Columbia. The band is heard gradually developing their musical identity despite the lack of any major soloists other than the leader and (starting in November 1934) trumpeter Pee Wee Erwin. Helen Ward takes three vocals, and with "The Dixieland Band" in January 1935, the Goodman sound was almost together. by Scott Yanow

Tracklist:

1 Georgia Jubilee 2:43
Benny Goodman / Arthur Schutt
2 Junk Man 2:57
Frank Loesser / George W. Meyer
3 Ol' Pappy 3:08

Jerry Levinson / Al J. Neiburg / Marty Symes

4 Emaline 3:22

Mitchell Parish / Frank Perkins

5 I Ain't Lazy -- I'm Just Dreaming 3:08
David Franklin
6 As Long as I Live 3:04
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
7 Moonglow 3:32
Eddie DeLange / Will Hudson / Irving Mills
8 Breakfast Ball 2:47

Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler

9 Take My Word 2:48

Benny Carter / Irving Mills / Harry Pease

10 It Happens to the Best of Friends 2:42

Rube Bloom / Mitchell Parish

11 Nit Wit Serenade 2:43
Will Hudson
12 Bugle Call Rag 2:55
Billy Meyers / Jack Pettis / Elmer Schoebel
13 Learning 2:58
Jerry Levinson / Al J. Neiburg / Marty Symes
14 Stars Fell on Alabama 3:12
Mitchell Parish / Frank Perkins
15 Solitude 3:17
Eddie DeLange / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
16 I'm Getting Sentimental over You 3:06
George Bassman / Ned Washington
17 I'm a Hundred Percent for You 2:59
Irving Mills / Ben Oakland / Mitchell Parish
18 Cokey 2:54
19 Like a Bolt from the Blue 3:06
Irving Mills / Ben Oakland / Mitchell Parish
20 Music Hall Rag 3:05
Benny Goodman
21 Dixieland Band 3:05
Bernie Hanighen / Johnny Mercer
22 Blue Moon 3:11
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers

BILLY HOLIDAY - 1933-1937 {CC, 582} (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Two things stand out in these early recordings. One, of course, is Lady Day's already fully mature style. The other is the superb quality of the musicians who backed her. A Benny Goodman combo; Bunny Berigan and Artie Shaw with Joe Bushkin and Cozy Cole; Jonah Jones with Ben Webster and Teddy Wilson; Buster Bailey; a bunch of Basie-ites including the superb Lester Young. Even without her this would be a gem. by John Storm Roberts
Tracklist:
1 Your Mother's Son-In-Law 2:43
Mann Holiner / Alberta Nichols
2 Riffin' the Scotch 2:33
Fred Buck / Benny Goodman / Dick McDonough / Johnny Mercer
3 Did I Remember? 2:50
Harold Adamson / Walter Donaldson
4 No Regrets 2:35
Roy Ingraham / Harry Tobias
5 Summertime 2:54
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward
6 Billie's Blues 2:38
Billie Holiday
7 A Fine Romance 2:50
Dorothy Fields / Jerome Kern
8 I Can't Pretend 3:03
Harry Tobias
9 One, Two, Button Your Shoe 2:48
Johnny Burke / Arthur Johnston
10 Let's Call a Heart a Heart 3:01
Johnny Burke / Arthur Johnston
11 One Never Knows, Does One? 3:02
Mack Gordon / Harry Revel
12 I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm 2:54
Irving Berlin
13 If My Heart Could Only Talk 3:02
Teddy Powell / Walter Samuels / Leonard Whitcup
14 Please Keep Me in Your Dreams 2:18
Vee Lawnhurst / Tot Seymour
15 Where Is the Sun? 2:46
Lee David / David Lee / John Redmond
16 Let's Call the Whole Thing Off 3:36
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
17 They Can't Take That Away from Me 3:02
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
18 Don't Know If I'm Comin' or Goin' 2:45
Lee Wainer
19 Me, Myself and I 2:35
Irving Gordon / Alvin Kaufman / Allan Roberts
20 A Sailboat in the Moonlight 2:49
John Jacob Loeb / Carmen Lombardo
21 Born to Love 2:38
J.K. Jerome / Jack Scholl
22 Without Your Love 2:52
John Lange / Fred Stryker
23 Getting Some Fun Out of Life 3:01
Joe Burke / Edgar Leslie
24 Who Wants Love? 2:33
Gus Kahn / Franz Waxman