SwingDJs

One of the first swing CDs I ever bought was the Swingsation disc featuring Charlie Barnet & Jimmy Dorsey (GRP, 1999). Every Jimmy Dorsey track is a killer, and the sound is excellent (almost too good - I've been disappointed so many times since then):

Stompin' At The Savoy
John Silver
Don't Be That Way
The Darktown Strutter's Ball
Charleston Alley
King Porter Stomp
Dolemite
Sorghum Switch

These tracks are all from the mid-30's--early 40's (corrected ) On the Contrasts collection (GRP, 1993 - good sound, but not as good as Swingsation), I later found a few more good tracks from the same era (including "Parade Of The Milk Bottle Caps"), but after that, more or less nothing.

There's a nice track called "Slap That Bass" on Lindy Hop Jamboree 1 - where does it come from?

Is there more good Jimmy Dorsey out on CD (not counting the Dorsey Brothers)?

Some of those JD tracks are from the 40s.

JD did a lot of fine instrumentals that were largely over-shadowed by all his big vocal hits with Helen O'Connell and Bob Eberly....and are even more so tody.

I have no CDs to recommend b/c I have so much stuff on LP.

Dixie by Dorsey/Dorseyland Dance Parade, from 1949, contains some nice, bright remakes of Dixieland classics, including Jazz Me Blues, Struttin' with Some Barbeque, Charley My Boy, Johnson Rag & Clap Hands, Here Comes Charley. Also, there's a live, brassy version of "Perfidia (Tonight)" on Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra: 1940-1950, with Jimmy shining on clarinet, that I really like.

Check out the CDs of live JD in my Amazon shop where you can also hear track samples.

Sale proceeds can to buy CDs for The Phantom Dancer Radio Show which is a voluntary, community radio station show promoting swing music & culture

Cheers
Greg

One time whence likkered up, I shed some tears over the fact that I would never get to hear Jimmy Dorsey's band live. Unusual choice for a sob, but a valid one.

Thanks, Ken and Greg, I'll check out those suggestions!

Somewhat good news for us completists. Hallmark has released two budget albums that collect most of the early (1935-1941) instrumentals by Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra:

http://itunes.apple.com/se/album/jimmy- ... d409239605
http://itunes.apple.com/se/album/tap-da ... d411278674

The sound quality is poor, especially on the second volume, and some songs have the wrong name, but at least there's now a chance to hear a few more of the great early JD instrumentals.

anton wrote:One of the first swing CDs I ever bought was the Swingsation disc featuring Charlie Barnet & Jimmy Dorsey (GRP, 1999). Every Jimmy Dorsey track is a killer, and the sound is excellent

Me too! That is such a good little CD. I esp like John Silver. I think of it as a pirate song. _Is_ it a reference to Long John Silver from the Stevenson book?

I'm fond of those Swingsation CDs - they're a good intro to an artist and the quality is so good.

dogpossum wrote:I esp like John Silver. I think of it as a pirate song. _Is_ it a reference to Long John Silver from the Stevenson book?

Yes, they shout "fifteen men on the dead man's chest" in the middle!

anton wrote:Somewhat good news for us completists. Hallmark has released two budget albums that collect most of the early (1935-1941) instrumentals by Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra:

http://itunes.apple.com/se/album/jimmy- ... d409239605
http://itunes.apple.com/se/album/tap-da ... d411278674

The sound quality is poor, especially on the second volume, and some songs have the wrong name, but at least there's now a chance to hear a few more of the great early JD instrumentals.

Great stuff - thanks

I don't think I've heard "Listening to the Mocking-Bird" or "Keep a Knockin" before ...

Hahaha, in the Itunes Store, 'Mutiny in the Brass Section' is listed as 'Mutiny in the B***s Section'. Silly Americans!