3 comments about Yes Indeed.

1. I was too young to appreciate Jo Stafford's music or to know much about her, but I always loved the song "I'll Be Seeing You" without knowing who had sung the version that I loved. In recently searching all of the versions on iTunes, I learned that it was Joe Stafford's version that I had remembered and it was the best by far. That made me begin searching for other songs by her and I ordered this album. It is the best album set I have ever owned, because out of 100 songs, there are very few that I do not appreciate - primarily up tempo numbers - with the far majority being outstandingly beautiful songs. When I was young I thought that Barbra Streisand was the greatest female singer, because she had such a strong voice, now I believe she cannot compare to Jo Stafford: who was reputed to have a perfect pitch, enabling her to sing songs that no one else could carry, and an amazing vocal range, while also projecting an exceptional warmth and a personality in her voice that Barbra Streisand is lacking. Jo Stafford and Doris Day recordings have convinced me that the best singing voice is not the loudest voice. The amazing thing about this album is that I had thought that all of the really great old standards were still being sung today, or at least had been rerecorded by Barbara, and that only the inferior songs have been forgotten. Was I wrong. There are many songs on this album I have never heard of before, like "Manhattan Serenade, Trouble in Mind, If I ever love Again, How Sweet You Are" that are just amazingly good, at least when sung by Jo Stafford. These are songs that should have become old standards, because they are as good or better than the ones that have. There are also other songs that I never liked very much, like "Embraceable You" and "Some Enchanted Evening," that are amazingly good when sung by Jo Stafford. The last one I associated with strong male operatic voices and excessive theatricality, sort of a male version of Barbra Streisand, never expecting that I would come to really like the song when delivered with more subtlety, warmth, and personality. This album has convinced me that when singing operatically from the diaphragm with great volume it becomes almost impossible to project warmth, subtlety, and personality -- while those latter attributes, along with always singing perfectly on key, are what make Jo Stafford's music so truly exceptional.



2. Although I understand those who appreciate the songs Ms Stafford made popular in the fifties, it is her singing of the great standards that I find immensely appealing - it is this combination that provides the reason this 4CD set is well worth the investment.
   In the forties, the "cool" style of female singing reached its apex I believe, along with the domination of the strong female roles in cinema often in FILM NOIR. Such singers as Ms Christy and Ms O'Day kept a distance from the material, even adopting an ironic stance to the lyrics. This "distancing" had its own appeal, and its own sexiness, as we knew that she knew that we knew it's just a song. Although, Ms Stafford is not a stylist of the same level as either of those two singers, she too maintains a distance but has also a "sweeter" voice tinged with a touch of melancholy. But in such songs as AMOR, AMOR and THE TROLLEY SONG
   the songs seem written for her. With so many great songs, this collection is a bargain.



3. Jo was one of the best singers of her generation, and this box clearly demonstrates that. All the 26 tracks available on the Capitol collectors series CD are included here, plus 73 other tracks, all mastered to the highest quality.
   
   The set covers Jo's entire period with Capitol, so it starts with a few songs featuring Jo as lead singer of the Pied Pipers doing typical big band stuff, but the remaining tracks all feature Jo as solo singer, with an occasional duet. Besides including all the essential hits and a few lesser ones, there are many great covers of classic songs which Jo sings brilliantly. The track listing says it all.
   
   Long ago and far away, I love you, It could happen to you, Candy, Trolley song, There's no you, That's for me, Symphony, Day by day, The things we did last summer, Temptation, Feudin' and fightin', Serenade of the bells, Some enchanted evening, Whispering hope, Ragtime cowboy Joe and No other love, all American top ten hits for Jo, are among the hits included here.
   
   If you enjoy this and you'd like more of Jo's music, I recommend the compilation Jo Stafford on Capitol, which has very little overlap with what's here, and which contains most of the lesser hits that were omitted from this set. I also recommend Jo's fifties music, for which the strongest compilation is Columbia hits collection. If you like the Pied Pipers tracks, there is a compilation just focusing on that music. Jo is well served by CD releases, although there are still some treasures yet to be released on CD.
   
   If you haven't got any of Jo's music, I suggest starting with the Columbia hits collection, then you can decide how much of her forties music you want. If you only want the big hits, the Capitol collectors series will be enough, but if you enjoy it a lot, this is the one to buy - it's about double the price, but has nearly four times as many tracks.

5 comments about The Classic Collection.

1. Talk about a bargain! I just got this in today, and I don't know why, but the price I got was $15.98, now it just jumped up to $45! I almost feel like I stole it with a reduced price like that. But regardless, I first started my collection with Ultimate Petula Clark. That was a great introduction and all, but to me, there are only 3 songs missing from Ultimate that you don't seem to get on this 4 cd collection. But you probably won't miss them. I think disc 3 is going to be interesting, for her covers of Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, Scott McKenzie, The Association, The Four Tops, and a few french singles thrown in. If you don't care for French singing, perhaps Petula might change your mind, but like it or not, you're going to get a few french singles thrown in. (I don't mind at all) Everything Tony Hatch wrote and produced is here as well, and I'm not too sure because I haven't read the liner notes too deeply, but it sounds to me like alot of her pre-Tony Hatch material is there too. I'll warn you there, it kind of sounds like pre-Beatles pop music of the late 50's/early 60's from the UK, and maybe even the US. (Think of Doris Day or Connie Francis pop music of the time). Petula Clark doesn't do blues, heavy rock or psychadelic music, but she does a great Wall Of Sound, or symphany pop music down to a T. It is interesting to think how Dusty Springfield & Petula Clark were the 2 sirens of the UK invasion that had nothing to do with Guitars! (Not to say you won't hear them, but let's face it, their instrument is their voice) Now that I have this collection, I'm going to have to discover all the songs that I'm NOT familiar with, and there are quite a few. I think if you're considering this collection, you better hurry, because Castle Music got taken over, and most of the stuff they released will probably go out of print fairly soon, so even if this keeps going up and up in price, don't miss out! Your iPod or stereo will thank you for it.



2. It may lead me back to 60's 70's, romantic song that sung by Petuka Clark who has romantic voice that make me always feel younger. Note: Many hits of Petula still not seen in this box set.



3. Fantastic! The sound of real music to my ears. She's a gem of a singer.



4. This is a stellar compilation of Miss Clark's greatest hits and then some. Very reasonable price for this 4 disc set. So reasonable in fact, that it made me hesitate to purchase at first. Was it going to be as good as it appeared on paper? The answer is a resounding Yes.
   
   The song selection is a truly comprehensive overview of Miss Clark's pop career. All the U.S. Top 40 hits are here from "Downtown" to "Don't Give Up", including the sometimes hard to find "The Cat In The Window". What adds to this collection are the numerous additional songs which include her renditions of many of the hits songs of the day (1960s), songs which were hits in Europe but not the U.S. and some delightful numbers sung in French.
   
   Despite my knowledge of Miss Clark's work, which I thought was rather extensive, I even found a number of songs new to me which have quickly become additional favorites. They include "Where Did We Go Wrong", "Days", "Just Say Goodbye" And "Life & Soul Of The Party".
   
   A major concern of mine re inexpensive collections is the sound quality of the recordings. Well, never fear. At least to my ears, the sound quality here is excellent. Occasionally, these collections can sound thin or "tinny". Not so this one. The sound is as full as it can be expected to be for songs recorded more than 40 years ago.
   
   At this price, with these songs, from this artist, sounding as good as it does it, you really can not go wrong with this.
   
   May 21, 2008 Addendum: The price I paid for this box set was $17.97 in 1999. Truly a terrific bargain. Although the price has more than doubled since then, and it is not the bargain it once was, I still think this box set is worth it. I still listen to and enjoy these CDs. In fact, recently just burned many of the songs onto my computer so I can add them to my ipod.



5. Which is how concise, precise and incredible a collection this is. The lady who's been meshed into the "British Invasion" of U.S. 60's pop music swooned us through much of the decade with 15 Top 40 hits that included the Grammy-winning "Don't Sleep in the Subway" and other classics such as "Downtown," "This Is My Song," "Kiss Me Goodbye," "My Love," "A Sign of the Times" and "I Know A Place." But American producers of "Best Of" series never did Petula Clark justice, and the wrong was undone in 1997 by England's Castle Pulse studio. And here's its masterpiece: an 80-track compilation in four CD's that includes all the American hits and one gem after the other. Vols. 1 and 2 of the four discs are titled "The Singles" and Discs 3 and 4 "The Song Stylist." Nos. 1 and 2 unleash what they promise - the singles that catapulted this incredibly gifted lady into American stardom, and a few other hidden gems, one of them Ms. Clark's soulful and tuneful English version (titled "Sailor") of German singer Lolita's 1960 worldwide maga-hit, "Seeman." Vols. 3 and 4 give us what they promise: the lady's indominable style, incredibly conveyed in such "borrowed" hits as "Homeward Bound," "Elusive Butterfly" and "Let It Be Me." A buried jewel is the bilingual Ms. Clark's unleashing of a few French numbers, including "L'Amour Viendra," "Tu Reviendras Vers Ta Maison?" ("Am I That Easy to Forget?" a la Englebert Humperdinck) and "Qu'Est-Ce Qui Fait Courir Le Monde?" No one can easily argue that Petula Clark didn't write a chapter in American music at one of the field's most pivotal social turning points, and the lady's charms continue to mesmerize us. And, honestly, get this collection and every other "Best of Petula Clark" release isn't the "best of" compared to this, the one compilation that any music-lover and Petula Clark fan will ever need.

5 comments about The Songbook Collection.

1. Rosemary Clooney was one of the greatest singers of the great American jazz and pop standards. This collection features her work from 1979 to 1989, with some of the best songs of Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, Johnny Mercer, Rogers and Hart, and Rogers and Hammerstein...some of the best American song writers of the past century.
   
   The sessions feature outstanding musicians that really make the music come alive. The recordings have that "Concord" sound: you feel as if it is a live performance and you are sitting just a few feet from the band.
   
   Rosemary Clooney brings the experience of a lifetime to her interpretations of this music, making even the oldest songs in the collection seem new again. This is simply one of those "Desert Island" collections that every fan of the "Great American Songbook" must have.



2. I was in my high school and college when the great female (and male) singers were providing real music. This is a wonderful collection of songs by the master song writers. To the writer who complained about the format of the song I suggest going out and finding a 45 rpm record and listen to the way it was done. To this day we are stuck with the 3 min. song that was the capacity of a 78 rpm record. Sometimes a song would be done on two records because of this limit. This is a WONDERFUL set and I wish they had ones for Kay Starr, Peggy Lee and others. It is only since the CD that this limit gets broken, but those probably won't get air play because the playlists are often set around the old length song.



3. There are some standouts in the Clooney's Songbook Collection, "When October Comes" and "P.S. I Love You" from the Johnny Mercer CD, for example. Her exurberant rendition of "It's De-lovely" from the Cole Porter Songbook and the tender rendition of Irving Berlin's "Better Luck Next Time" are also standouts and may be the best renditions of those songs ever recorded. But the whole collection is solid. Even if you prefer another interpretation of some of the songs, or, like me, do not want to EVER hear anyone sing "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead" (and, to my astonishment, serious artists insist on recording it), Clooney's versions are always at least good and there are treasures throughout the collection. I highly recommend it.



4. I bought this collection as I first got into the Standards genre. I really wanted to like it, but it seemed like she hardly sang in any of the songs within. Each song (and I do mean every single number) consisted of one or two short verses, followed by a very long instrumental, and ended with a short closing chorus.



5. Rosie recorded several songbook albums between 1980 and 1990 - six of them are collected together in this beautifully packaged box set. There are not many up-tempo songs here, but it does not matter because Rosie was such a great ballad singer.

   The first CD focuses on the lyrics of Ira Gershwin. George composed the music for all except two of the songs, the exceptions being Long ago and far away (Jerome Kern) and The man that got away (Harold Arlen). Perhaps the best-known songs here are Fascinating rhythm and Nice work if you can get it.

   Rosie raided Cole Porter's catalog to get the songs for the second CD. Perhaps I get a kick out of you is the best-known, but several of the others are not far behind.

   The third CD covers the music of Harold Arlen. The most famous songs here are Ding, dong, the witch is dead (from Wizard of Oz) and Stormy weather.

   The fourth CD is a tribute to Irving Berlin, which includes Cheek to cheek, There's no business like show business and Let's face the music and dance, together with several less well-known songs.

   For the fifth CD, Rosie sings some of Johnny Mercer's great songs. By far the most famous here is I remember you, with which Australian singer had considerable success in the sixties (it was a number one in Britain).

   Richard Rogers is the focus of the last CD, with lyrics by Hart or Hammerstein, of which The lady is a tramp is the most famous.

   Of course, anybody with any knowledge of the Great American songbook will recognise a lot more songs than those I mentioned, but Rosie did not always record the obvious songs, so most people will find songs here that they haven't heard before. This is a truly magnificent collection which is essential for anybody interested in the Great American Songbook.

5 comments about The Lady Sings.

1. This recording has all of the Commodore Recordings, and most of Columbia, and Decca Masters. It doesn't include any of her Verve years. If you get this and the complete Verve masters, It should take care of all but the extreme Lady Day obsessive compulsives.



2. I didn't expect the quality of the music to be so good, but I have no complaints (very clear with no static, etc). You get around 99 songs for a fraction of what they would cost on iTunes. I have always loved her music and was delighted to see so many songs in one collection.



3. The music is great, but I was VERY disappointed to receive the set because the box that holds all of the CDs is smashed on one side. It is VERY unattractive.



4. Nobody sings the blues quite like Billie Holiday. This boxed set represents the best value for money, not only for the quantity of music and the extensive liner notes, but also for the sound quality and the fact that this contains music recorded for several different record labels (Brunswick, Vocalion, Commodore, Okeh, Columbia, Capitol, Decca) between 1935 and 1949. Billie continued to record great music in the fifties (for Verve, Clef and Norgran) but that music is not represented here.

   Billie had plenty of hits on the American pop charts between 1935 and 1938 (when she was with Teddy Wilson), after which she had just four more hits, none of them reaching the top ten. However, the passage of time has added substantially to her credibility as many blues, jazz and R+B singers cite Billie as one of their influences. Her first hit was What a little moonlight can do, a song I first came across via a Crystal Gayle cover. I didn't realize the song's origin at the time but I've heard several versions since. I love them all but Billie's is the definitive version.

   Billie's other classic hits included here are These foolish things, A fine romance, The way you look tonight, I can't give you anything but love, I've got my love to keep you warm, This year's kisses, Carelessly (her only number one hit), How could you, Moaning low. Mean to me, Easy living, Me myself and I, Sailboat in the moonlight, Nice work if you can get it, My man, You go to my head, I'm gonna lock my heart, Strange fruit, God bless the child and Trav'lin' light. Some big hits are omitted including Twenty-four hours a day, Who loves you and Pennies from heaven, but I'm not complaining. Some of the songs that Billie is best remembered for didn't chart at all.

   Although the hits became rare after 1938, this was not due to the quality of the music. Listen to Billie's versions of such classic standards as I gotta right to sing the blues, Night and day, Body and soul, Let's do it, All of me, Love me or leave me, It's a sin to tell a lie, As time goes by and You're my thrill (to name a few). And, of course, there's the classic That old devil called love, revived by Alison Moyet in the eighties, when it became a UK number two hit for Alison.

   If you only buy one collection of Billie's music, make it this one. You might begin by asking yourself if you really want five hours worth of Billie's music - but eventually, you are likely to ask yourself if it's enough.




5. Great sound quality, packaging, liner notes and booklet. 4 discs, 99 songs, 21 bucks. Huh? What's the catch?
   
   The best part is - there isn't any. Just another great product from the British label, Proper - which seems to appreciate great American music even more than Americans do.
   
   Most, if not every, Holliday song on every label - Decca, Commodore, Columbia - released between 1935 to 1949. Now you've got the early to mid (and in many people's minds, the best) recording eras of Holliday covered.
   
   It sure beats any other "best of" out there. Why save $6 to get one disc with 10 to 20 songs. (And unlike the Ken Burns collection, the songs on this box set sound great).
   
   Buy it as an introduction to Lady Day. Keep it as a collector.

3 comments about Cool Cole.

1. For the money, this is as good of a box set as you are going to find. All of the trio's hits are here - - more to the point, the collection is a document of Cole at the height of his powers. It's stylish, urbane and superbly performed.
   
   This is an import for Amazon, and it appears from the Penguin Jazz Record Guide that it is going out of print. So if you are thinking about buying it, I'd buy it as soon as possible. You won't regret it.



2. I must have at least four different box sets of King Cole Trio material, but I feel this import, which covers a ten year span (1940-50) is arguably the best one to own, other than the huge COMPLETE CAPITOL RECORDINGS OF THE NAT KING COLE TRIO. Songs that aren't on previous collections, such as "In the Cool of the Evening", "Could Ja", "Lament In Chords". "Flo and Joe", "Exactly Like You" and "I Almost Lost My Mind" are featured here, plus the rare R&B rocker "For You, My Love", recorded with fellow Capitol artist Nellie Lutcher, is blazing with pure soul. Of course you have the Trio standbys: "Sweet Lorraine", "Straighten Up and Fly Right", "Route 66", "I'm An Errand Boy For Rhythm", etc., but also included are Nat's early solo hit songs, such as "Nature Boy", "Portrait of Jennie", "Lost April", "Mona Lisa" and "Lush Life". Plus with this excellent collection is a booklet which includes photos, a complete discography with group members, recording dates and places and the story of the Trio, and Nat's eventual rise to solo stardom. As good as it can get, and for a great price, too! Even if you own other box sets like I do, you'll want to have this one as well, and believe me, you won't be disappointed.



3. This four-CD boxed set collection of delightful tunes by the King Cole Trio surpassed all of my expectations; instead of simply hop-scotching its way through Nat "King" Cole's early days with thirty or so "hits," this set presents five magnificent hours of pure jazz at its best. One hundred and four grand tracks from the Trio, recorded from 1941-1950 (arguably the glory days of jazz), this is probably the best we'll get when it comes to collecting the essentials of a group that were truly the perfectors of the jazz era. No tricks here; just pure jazz in all its glory.

4 comments about The 1930's Recordings.

1. I am a big Mills Brothers fan and thought I just couldn't live without this 5-disc set of their earliest recordings. Frankly, I've become bored. The producer decided every recording, in chronological order, even those recorded twice, three times, even four, should all be included. I've struggled to listen all the way through, and am still working at it; after all, I paid $60 bucks for this set. At the same time I purchased THE ANTHOLOGY (1931 to 1968) which is nothing short of delightful. That's the one I recommend!



2. What a great collection of music! I knew very little about the Mills Brothers prior to buying this set, and pretty much found this item by accident (you know how it is on Amazon). But I have purchased JSP sets before, and was familiar with their high quality and value. So I took a chance on the Mills Brothers, and since getting these I've listened to the set over and over, I never seem to get tired of it. Yeah, a few of the songs are repeated now and then, but it's all good. I have to say that this is one of the best music purchases I've ever made. I'm just glad that CD's don't wear out.



3. JSP has done it again! I'm a big fan of their CD box sets--I've got the Jelly Roll Morton set, the Louis Armstrong set, and the Carter Family set. They're all excellent! This one is no exception. The remastering is by John R. T. Davies, so naturally, the sound is superb. From the earliest 1931 recordings through the 1938 sessions here, the recordings are crisp, clear, and rich-sounding. Each piece is a gem. The Mills Brothers voices blend so smoothly together, I could listen to their records for hours. And with this 5-disc box set I *can* listen for hours! Each disc is packed full, and I appreciate having the alternate takes. Occasioanlly on these discs, the Mills Brothers are joined by Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Alice Faye, Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, Dick Powell, and a few others. The liner notes are good, and for five CD's, you can't beat the price. My only complaint--and it's a small one--is while the recording dates and master numbers for all selections are given, no indication is made of the original record labels or numbers.



4. My reason for not giving this five stars is due to the large number of alternate recordings of duplicate songs, but this is really due to the utterly documentarian approach the folks that put this CD together followed. Every single recording from the Mills Brothers earliest years are here (in stunningly good sound), presented in chronological order, which means that the listener is subjected to multiple recordings of "Caravan" and others. If you are a Mills Brothers fanatic (as I am), this is an indispensable set to own. If you are a more casual fan, pick up one of the greatest hits CD's listed here.

4 comments about Young Anita.

1. I purchased this box set with very little prior knowledge of this genre of music and I am extremely pleased with it. I played this at my workplace and many of my coworkers complimented the music. Some people might criticize the albums' quality of sound but I think that's just part of the allure -- to give you that "old-time" feel. It's a great starter set at a great price. This music lifts the spirits and makes a room smile!



2. Having owned several expensive French imports for the various years of early Anita O'Day performances, I can say that the Proper Box set is an incredible value. They have taken almost all of her early performances with various small groups and large bands (including Krupa, Kenton, and Basie!) and put them all in one place, in chronological order and with decent sound. What's more, they put out an excellent booklet, with biography, photos, and complete discocraphy...kind of a mini-mosaic! Unlike some of her later, more sophisticated (and occasionally flat) performances, she is heard on these discs with a slightly less husky voice and always spot-on in tune and musically swinging.
   
   As another viewer has pointed out, this set contains material that has fallen out of copyright while the artist is still living and she won't receive any royalties from this issue. I suggest he send her a check to salve his conscience and then go back to enjoying the music! Proper has done other great box sets of Django Reinhardt, Fats Navarro, Charlie Parker, and Bud Powell among others and I say more power to them! Another british company, JSP, offers similar box sets with remastering and extensive documentation and Mosaic, the leader in this field actually buys limited copyrights from the parent labels. If you can afford it, Mosaic puts out the highest quality sets.



3. Anita O'Day was a singer whose particular virtues become apparent to post-bebop ears only after time. She didn't have the subtle inflection of Billie Holiday, the sheer beauty of Ella Fitzgerald, or the romantic elaboration of Sarah Vaughan. Directness, lack of affectation, energy, enthusiasm, and projection of a working-class, non-kittenish femininity marked her singing.
   Unfortunately, O'Day wound up being buried, for the first part of her career, in muscle-bound big bands like the Gene Krupa and Stan Kenton orchestras. Since she only sings during some of the numbers, and even then may be paired with unendurable male romantic leads, and surrounded by corny soloists who belong in Vegas, collecting her work can be like digging around in Paul Whiteman for Bix Beiderbecke solos. People used to put up with it because she danced the whole time, but you don't get that part listening to an old record.
   This set fixes that. You're still listening to a lot of second and third-rate jazz music, but at least you know she'll sing in this number.
   Of course, this is one of those "re-issue" labels that take advantage of lapse of copyright. You may not care about the record company - they're all jerks, as well as owned by somebody in some country you've never heard of, right? - but the last I heard, Anita O'Day was still alive, and shouldn't artists get some fruits from their labors? She won't get a penny from this.
   Five stars for O'Day. Three stars for band mediocrity and questionable re-issue practices.



4. It would be difficult to find a better deal for a jazz fan. Compilatons for artists of the stature of Anita are usually much more expensive. Anita O'Day's early recordings have been difficult to find and when available have been costly. This 4 CD set brings together all her comercial recordings from the 40's with a few air-checks and alternate takes.

   Anita O'Day is probably best known for her solo career in the 50's, 60's and 70's when she created a style of singing that is still being immatated. Her early recordings show that in her younger years as a big band singer she had as strong an influance on that era as she did in later years. She was one of 4 or 5 female vocalists who defind the the big band style. During the time of these recordings, she was THE big band singer. She was the coolest, the hippest, the swingingest, the brattyest, and the one who taught everyone how to sing a fast song with style and without sounding rushed. You can easily hear this on "Green Eyes" where another singer sings the first chorus in a tense rushed manner, to be followed by Anita at a faster tempo but sailing through it like a cloud on a summer's day. Even Ella Fitzgerald, although promising, was still too young at that time to be at Anita's level. Anita's recordings with the Krupa band are some of the hottest of the big band era. These CD also cover the beginning of her solo career, and the emergance of an even more interesting and intimate style that was to facinate audiences in the 50's 60's and 70's. This collection shows that Anita was always a great artist, even in the beginning of her career, and the price of the collection makes it an unbelievable steal.

2 comments about C'est Si Bon: Satchmo in the Forties.

1. A short simple WOW! This is an absolutely glorious collection of Armstrong classics. Should be in everyone's music collection.



2. I can't believe I've gone this long in my life without owning this fantastic collection of Satchmo in the Forties.
   Do you like pure jazz?
   Do you like the big band sound?
   Do you like blues?
   Do you like the New Orleans sound?
   Do you like awesome trumpet playing?
   Do you like Louis Armstrong?
   It's all here. Some of the best music you'll ever own. I just recently purchased "C'est Ci Bon" and can't be bothered with listening to anything else.
   The two renditions of "Rocking Chair" are worth the purchase price alone. As with many other cuts this one features the vastly underrated Jack Teagarden along with Satchmo.
   Other featured performers include Billie Holiday, the Mills Brothers, Barney Bigard, Earl Hines, Benny Goodman and Lionel Hampton. A veritable who's who of the mid century music industry.
   Of course Armstrong is the star attraction and I have to revise my previously held views and say that this was when he was at this best. He was, by comparison, rougher in the Thirties and blander in the Fifties. His voice, his horn playing and his arrangements are at their best in this set. Enclosed with the set is one of the better insert booklets you'll come across, replete with background information, full discography and pictures.
   Great music and a great bargain.

5 comments about It's Easy to Remember.

1. I don't understand the reviews on here that say the sound is awful. I've loved this collection from the first moment I put the CD in my stereo. The sound quality on some of the earlier recordings isn't exactly up to modern digital audio standards, but you can only do so much with a song recorded on 1930's era sound equipment.
   
   All in all, I would say this is the best Bing Crosby collection for the price.



2. This was a splendid collection of great Bing Crosby songs. The earliest songs are the greatest. Great listening.
   Dale Nichols



3. I gave this set to my wife for our anniversary, and it really added something special. I popped in a disc as we sat down to dinner. After a few peppy numbers, including some talent from the Andrews Sisters, along came "You Belong to My Heart." It was perfect!
   
   My wife was pleased with the number of great songs included in this set, and I was pleased with the excellent value. I'd buy it again if it cost twice as much! Anyone, romantic or not, who loves Bing and the music of his era should own this set!



4. This is a great disk set. The sound quality is wonderful, clear and crisp. The packaging is good and looks nice.
   I would highly recomend this set.



5. As a huge Bing fan I would highly recommend this box set. It ranges from The Rhythm Boys to his big Hollywood box office days. The sound quality is good and the songs they chose are true Bing classics. From "Brother Can you Spare a Dime?" to "Swinging on a Star" this compilation has some great tunes. Bing truly is one of the all-time greats. No artist will ever equal him.

2 comments about Young Sassy.

1. Sarah Vaughan has been my favorite for a long while, ever since the Acure commercial featuring her "Key Largo". I purchased this boxed set about a year ago, and I have to say that I am ashamed of myself for not reviewing it sooner. At any rate, I of course loved it, as is hopefully evident from my rating, though I must warn those of you looking to collect the entire Sarah Vaughan discography. I'm not entirely sure that this set includes all of her recordings of the period, though it does apparently include all of the studio recordings. That is to say, there are some live recordings that do not appear on this set, but which can easily be found elsewhere, I'm sure. Still, this includes some of Sassy's most glorious recordings ever. And though the sound quality doesn't compare with today's, her voice still sings out clearly.



2. This beautifully-prepared box set, a steal for the price, compiles chronologically with the detailed documentation all of Sassy's pre-Columbia work and then the beginning of her Columbia career. All the incredible recordings for Musicraft and the other small labels on which she began are here, including a very unusual unreleased song titled "Blue Grass," and it's all lovingly remastered. It's a joy to finally have all this music in one place and the great mystery of what was recorded when and appeared how finally solved. The Musicraft recordings are stunning in the choice of material and rich orchestrations. The Columbia recordings remind us yet again of what an empty period THAT was in her recording life before she went to Mercury and was reborn as an artist (actually, two artists--the pop Sarah on Mercury, the jazz Sarah on EmArcy). Sarah would have LOVED this collection!