Al Donahue and his orchestra 1939 - 1942

[Eyeball]

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/mus ... hestra.htm

Here's an interesting CD by a band now largely forgotten, but popular in its day. Not a headliner and not even second tier, but perhaps that.

Star sidemen? Star arrangers? None that I am aware of. Star vocalists? Paula Kelly is all. She went on to join Miller, then Artie Shaw and then the Modernaires vocal group.

The interesting thing about this band and CD is that it accurately illustrates the musical level of a professional, but uninspired orchestra.

There's nothing 'wrong' with any of these tracks, but there's nothing much that stands out about them, either. It says a lot for the standards of the era that a band of this professional caliber is, at its worst, bland. Not inept or unmusical or amateur, just very middle of the road, unadventurous and fairly unmemorable. If they came to your town, you'd likely go and have a good time....and that would be about it.

Sometimes there's a reason that these once popular bands with hundreds of recordings to their name are quite forgotten. They had no hits (though his version of JEEPERS CREEPERS went to #1 on the Billboard magazine chart for a while), they had no particular style and their arrangements are competent but unimaginative.

I played the CD in the car maybe three times through. Allegedly, there is a version of TUXEDO JUNCTION on there. I don't remember it.

There are a few tunes on here worthy of your attention and there are a few that I played several times...mostly b/c I like the song.

The CD is a mixture of pop tunes of the day - novelties, ballads and bouncy numbers. None of the tunes display much sense of Jazz or Swing. They simply hav some rhythm and pep to them.

None of the performances are embarrassing. The band plays well and some of the vocalists are fine.

This was the standard of the era. If you couldn't meet it, then you likely wouldn't be recording much if at all.

Here are my mini reviews:

Spring Is Here - weakest recording on the CD. Skip it.

Stop Beatin' Round the Mullberry Bush -Novelty from the old nursery rhyme. Forget it.
...

Jeepers Creepers - Nice, bouncing number worth hearing.
...

Alexander's Swingin' - I think this was good, but I've forgotten already
...

Stairway to the Stars - Pretty ballad sung by Paula Kelly, IIRC.
...

South American Way - Lively number/good song from some 20th Century Fox musical. Gotta love a song that can rhyme "duel", "jewel" and "mule" all in the same line.
...
Moon Love - Very pretty with Paula exploring the song nicely.
...
Basket Weaver - Mama Mia! Simple. catchy faux Italian novelty. Glenn Miller did this, too and RCA sat on it for 3 - 4 years until they ran out of GM sides to issue.
...

Bumble Bee Stomp - This is a stiff, an instrumental version of "Flight of the Bumble Bee".
...

My Prayer - Pretty balled.
...

Poor Old Joe - this is awful. Worst song on here.
...

In the Mood - Interesting with a vocal by Paula Kelly
...

Darn That Dream - Weak rendition of a ballad tune.
...

Tuxedo Junction - I dont remember this being on there.
...

You Can't Brush Me Off - Clever novelty and not much more.
...

Fifth Avenue - Great little tune, decent performance.
...

Ohio Breakaway - I think this was OK...dont remember.
...

The Wise Old Owl - Catchy novelty and decent arrangement
...

With a Twist of the Wrist - same as above
...

Java Jive - same as above
...

Why Don't We Do This More Often? - same as above
...

The Waiter and the Porter and the Upstairs Maid - I've never liked this song and this performance didnt change my mind.
...
I Wish I Had a Sweetheart (Like That Old Sweetheart of Mine) - Very old fashioned sounding tune.
...

Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag - a resurrected WW1 tune. Not too good here.
...
Goodbye, Good Luck and God Bless You - another un-sterling performance.

Listen to the samples and see what you think

[Haydn]

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/mus ... hestra.htm

Here's an interesting CD by a band now largely forgotten, but popular in its day. Not a headliner and not even second tier, but perhaps that.

Star sidemen? Star arrangers? None that I am aware of. Star vocalists? Paula Kelly is all. She went on to join Miller, then Artie Shaw and then the Modernaires vocal group.

The interesting thing about this band and CD is that it accurately illustrates the musical level of a professional, but uninspired orchestra.

There's nothing 'wrong' with any of these tracks, but there's nothing much that stands out about them, either. It says a lot for the standards of the era that a band of this professional caliber is, at its worst, bland. Not inept or unmusical or amateur, just very middle of the road, unadventurous and fairly unmemorable. If they came to your town, you'd likely go and have a good time....and that would be about it.

Sometimes there's a reason that these once popular bands with hundreds of recordings to their name are quite forgotten. They had no hits (though his version of JEEPERS CREEPERS went to #1 on the Billboard magazine chart for a while), they had no particular style and their arrangements are competent but unimaginative.

I played the CD in the car maybe three times through. Allegedly, there is a version of TUXEDO JUNCTION on there. I don't remember it.

There are a few tunes on here worthy of your attention and there are a few that I played several times...mostly b/c I like the song.

The CD is a mixture of pop tunes of the day - novelties, ballads and bouncy numbers. None of the tunes display much sense of Jazz or Swing. They simply hav some rhythm and pep to them.

None of the performances are embarrassing. The band plays well and some of the vocalists are fine.

This was the standard of the era. If you couldn't meet it, then you likely wouldn't be recording much if at all.

Here are my mini reviews:

Spring Is Here - weakest recording on the CD. Skip it.

Stop Beatin' Round the Mullberry Bush -Novelty from the old nursery rhyme. Forget it.
...

Jeepers Creepers - Nice, bouncing number worth hearing.
...

Alexander's Swingin' - I think this was good, but I've forgotten already
...

Stairway to the Stars - Pretty ballad sung by Paula Kelly, IIRC.
...

South American Way - Lively number/good song from some 20th Century Fox musical. Gotta love a song that can rhyme "duel", "jewel" and "mule" all in the same line.
...
Moon Love - Very pretty with Paula exploring the song nicely.
...
Basket Weaver - Mama Mia! Simple. catchy faux Italian novelty. Glenn Miller did this, too and RCA sat on it for 3 - 4 years until they ran out of GM sides to issue.
...

Bumble Bee Stomp - This is a stiff, an instrumental version of "Flight of the Bumble Bee".
...

My Prayer - Pretty balled.
...

Poor Old Joe - this is awful. Worst song on here.
...

In the Mood - Interesting with a vocal by Paula Kelly
...

Darn That Dream - Weak rendition of a ballad tune.
...

Tuxedo Junction - I dont remember this being on there.
...

You Can't Brush Me Off - Clever novelty and not much more.
...

Fifth Avenue - Great little tune, decent performance.
...

Ohio Breakaway - I think this was OK...dont remember.
...

The Wise Old Owl - Catchy novelty and decent arrangement
...

With a Twist of the Wrist - same as above
...

Java Jive - same as above
...

Why Don't We Do This More Often? - same as above
...

The Waiter and the Porter and the Upstairs Maid - I've never liked this song and this performance didnt change my mind.
...
I Wish I Had a Sweetheart (Like That Old Sweetheart of Mine) - Very old fashioned sounding tune.
...

Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag - a resurrected WW1 tune. Not too good here.
...
Goodbye, Good Luck and God Bless You - another un-sterling performance.

Listen to the samples and see what you think

Some decent stuff in there, worth getting the CD for. Thanks

[Eyeball]

The interesting thing about this band and CD is that it accurately illustrates the musical level of a professional, but uninspired orchestra.

There's nothing 'wrong' with any of these tracks, but there's nothing much that stands out about them, either.

Some decent stuff in there, worth getting the CD for. Thanks

Which ones?

[Mr Awesomer]

lots of text

Some decent stuff in there, worth getting the CD for. Thanks

Editing is your friend.

[Eyeball]

I listened to the Al Donahue CD again today.

There is no TUXEDO JUNCTION on there, tho the label, liner and notes say so. What's on there is a totally unrelated instrumental which was pretty stodgy.

[Haydn]

The interesting thing about this band and CD is that it accurately illustrates the musical level of a professional, but uninspired orchestra.

There's nothing 'wrong' with any of these tracks, but there's nothing much that stands out about them, either.

Some decent stuff in there, worth getting the CD for. Thanks

Which ones?

From a brief listen to the samples, I liked:

3. Jeepers Creepers

4. Alexander's Swingin'

12. In the Mood

15. You Can't Brush Me Off

17. Ohio Breakaway

18. Wise Old Owl, The

[Eyeball]

From a brief listen to the samples, I liked:

3. Jeepers Creepers
4. Alexander's Swingin'
12. In the Mood
15. You Can't Brush Me Off
17. Ohio Breakaway
18. Wise Old Owl, The

Minus the ballads, the above are arguably the best of the lot. Though except for Jeepers Creepers and Mood, they are all unmemorable songs.

#4 - Very arranged chart with only one solo.

Ohio Breakaway may be the best instrumental on there.

Anyway - pleasant listening, but no Swing thrills.

[Haydn]

I listened to the Al Donahue CD again today.

There is no TUXEDO JUNCTION on there, tho the label, liner and notes say so. What's on there is a totally unrelated instrumental which was pretty stodgy.

Just got the CD. Track 14, labelled 'Tuxedo Junction' sounds like an instrumental version of Beethoven's piano piece "Für Elise"; at least it starts and ends with the same melody.

[Eyeball]

I listened to the Al Donahue CD again today.

There is no TUXEDO JUNCTION on there, tho the label, liner and notes say so. What's on there is a totally unrelated instrumental which was pretty stodgy.

Just got the CD. Track 14, labelled 'Tuxedo Junction' sounds like an instrumental version of Beethoven's piano piece "Für Elise"; at least it starts and ends with the same melody.

So Lud wrote it fur Elise? Who were she?

[Eyeball]

Just got the CD. Track 14, labeled 'Tuxedo Junction' sounds like an instrumental version of Beethoven's piano piece "Für Elise"; at least it starts and ends with the same melody.

Vocalion 5384
AL DONAHUE & HIS ORCH
TUXEDO JUNCTION
25878-1
1/24/1940

Vocalion 5384
AL DONAHUE & HIS ORCH
BEETHOVEN BOUNCE
25879-1
1/24/1940

--------------------------------------

This is what I thought had happened - someone pulled the wrong master during the CD reissue production and no one caught it.

Now new generations of listeners will think that Lud wrote Tuxedo Junction.

*There's a John Kirby side called "Beethoven Riffs Again" (or "On" or something). Do you have any idea what it is taken from? Just curious.

[anton]

*There's a John Kirby side called "Beethoven Riffs Again" (or "On" or something). Do you have any idea what it is taken from? Just curious.

You can probably find the answer in the liner notes to this disc:

Beethoven Wrote It But It Swings

Anyone have it?

BTW, my Definitive Kirby disc seems to have the wrong titles on some tracks, including "Beethoven Riffs On"

[anton]

Alexander's Swingin' [1938] must be the perfect beginner's song. Instrumental, clear sound, solid beat, 145 bpm, not too complicated arrangement, pleasant (but brief) solos, and it swings!

[Haydn]

Alexander's Swingin' [1938] must be the perfect beginner's song. Instrumental, clear sound, solid beat, 145 bpm, not too complicated arrangement, pleasant (but brief) solos, and it swings!

That's what I thought, but it's also a bit bland. I'm pretty sure I've played it and it hasn't gone down particularly well. 'In the Mood' from the same "The Solid Swing of Al Donahue & his Orchestra" always goes down well though.

[anton]

I agree with your quality assessment - jazz-wise it is not much to hang in the Christmas tree as we say in Sweden. But as a tune for a beginner's lindy class it is an excellent utility piece.

[timbo]

this was the us navy band, the navy equivalent of glenn miller, right???