4 comments about Cocktail Hour: Mildred Bailey.

1. I'm sort of ambivalent about this 2-disc set. Don't get me wrong. The music is great and it certainly provides a broad perspective on the talents of this renowned jazz vocalist. Born on February 27, 1907 Mildred, one of THE most admired within the industry, sang in front of a multitude of big bands, including her own, after getting her start with the Paul Whiteman orchestra in 1929, thanks to the efforts of her brother, Al Rinker. These included Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra, Benny Goodman and, of course, her husband, Red Norvo, among many others.
   
   It's just that, in the days before the LP, a hit single was the goal of any vocalist (and, of course, their label) and in Mildred's case she registered 22 as a "solo" artist from 1932 to 1947, in addition to many more as a featured big band vocalist. And here, in a 28-track set, less than half (9 to be exact) were hits, these being Rocking Chair (# 13 in 1937 with Matty Malneck's orchestra), I'll Never Be The Same and We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye (# 14 and # 3 in 1932 - both with Paul Whiteman's orchestra), Honeysuckle Rose, Says My Heart, and I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (# 9 in 1935, # 4 in 1938, and # 11 in 1937 - all with Red Norvo), Darn That Dream (# 1 in 1940 with Benny Goodman), and My Reverie and Small Fry (# 10 and # 9 in 1938 with her own band).
   
   Left out from among her many hits were major entries such as Lazy Bones (a # 9 in 1933 with The Dorsey Brothers),Trust In Me (# 4 in 1937), Where Are You? (# 5 in 1937), and Never In A Million Years (# 8 in 1937) - all fronting her own band. Another major omission was 1938's So Help Me, which reached # 2.
   
   And, as with the others in this Cocktail Hour series (e.g., Cab Calloway, Louis Prima, Al Jolson, Vaughn Monroe, Jimmy Durante, and The Mills Brothers - to name a few), there are no liner notes to provide background information on the artist or the selections included. Something that just doesn't sit well with many music fans these days, many of us spoiled by the likes of Ace Records of London in that regard.
   
   Not a bad compilation - but then, not great either. My recommendation would be to check out some of the other Mildred Bailey offerings.
   
   Finally, to answer that last reviewer's question, yes that's Mildred on Junk Man. The problem was, in the sample audio provided by Amazon all you hear is about 20 seconds of an 85-second orchestral introduction by Benny Goodman's band before Mildred kicks in, something that was fairly common with all big-band records of the era.



2. For starters, I don't get my colleague's comments about the absence of Mildred on 'Junk Man' - my copy of the Cocktail Hour certainly has a vocal on that track that sounds like Bailey (if it isn't her, maybe someone could clarify this for us? (--: ).. anyway: this is a double CD of swing standards plus nifty straight-ahead blues: 'Washboard Blues', 'Me and The Blues', 'Downhearted Blues', etc. Her work with Red Norvo, whom she later married, is superb ('Says My Heart', 'The Gypsy in My Soul'). 'My Reverie' with her own Orchestra is a really sweet ballad. Mildred swings, but also she has a certain edgy sassiness that was missing with the popular 'sweet' female vocalists of the BigBand era. As always, Cocktail Hour delivers quality and great value.



3. I don't know toomuch about Mildred Bailey, although apparently she was very popular back in the 30's but is largely forgotten now. I have two of her CD's, some of her stuff is okay, but some of the other songs she songs are great. On this CD, the song "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" is worth the price of the CD by itself. Mildred Bailey may not have had the greatest range of any singer, but she knew how to swing, and how to carry a song. I read somewhere that she was an influence on Billie Holiday, and on some of the songs you could imagine Lady Day singing these songs herself.



4. the musical sample for junk man,a benny goodman recording in 1933, does not include mildred baileys vocal.Presumably shes the reason for the sample.

1 comments about Mrs. Clinkscales to the Cotton Club, Vol. 1: 1926-1.

1. Present here are the great Brunswick and Vocalion sides, from the 1926-1931 collection(highly recommended as a 3 CD set on GRP/Decca) as well as many many compositions from 1926-1929.This stellar JSP box has great sound,clarity with sufficient liner notes and recording history making it a necessary purchase capturing Duke at this early stage of the game.
   We are talking about collecting the other major labels of the time in their Duke output with all the great orchestras, Washingtonians,Cotton Club,Whoppe Makers,Harlem Footwarmers,Alberta Prime sides,Florence Bristol etc.
   Value from JSP is here like usual...

No comments about Things Ain't What They Used to Be (And You Better Believe It).

5 comments about Koko Taylor.

1. Imagine what Howlin' Wolf was thinking when Koko Taylor came along and just belted out the Willie Dixon-penned classic that he once had done himself. Her take on it was obviously without peer as it has gained legendary status and became her signature tune. It was all thanks to Willie Dixon, the blues master at Chess Records, who turned Koko Taylor into the Queen of Chicago Blues by providing with her excellent material (his songwriting credit dominates this album) and even backing her up vocally on "Wang Dang Doodle" and the wailing, heartfelt "Insane Asylum".
   Those who dismiss the blues as music that just brings you even more down in the dumps than you already are should give Koko Taylor a try. You'll soon be pattin' your feet or even dancin' around soon enough. She just roars with a fire in her voice through each of these songs so that you can't help but be entranced by it, if not also by the phenomenal group of backing musicians like Buddy Guy, Matt Murphy, Sunnyland Slim, Daddy G, as well as Willie Dixon. Koko Taylor got her start at the perfect place and was already on her way when she departed from Chess, and Willie Dixon seemed to be the one person who was the biggest help as he wrote most of the songs here, played bass, sung some duets and not to mention produced this album. What a great mentor!
   
   This is a reissue of the 1969 album that comprises all of Koko's best material from '65-'69. Two never-before released tracks ("Love Sick Tears" and "He Always Knocks Me Out") are presented to extend the album...somewhat. It would have been even more impressive if there 20 here and include famous tracks not present like "What Kind of Man Is This." So this album might be too short for numerous-song enthusiasts as it clocks in just under 40 minutes. It seems though that this is the only album that contains the material from that era.
   If you're looking at the original album without the bonus tracks, don't be misled with the link to the "Chess Years" compilation; it took me back to Amazon's home page, so apparently that album is not available anywhere on here. However, this a decent set showing how Koko Taylor got to be Queen of Chicago Blues at no better place and with no better musician: Chess and Willie Dixon.



2. Under the tutelage of producer Willie Dixon, the former Cora Walton, soon known as Koko Taylor and later as "Queen of Chicago Blues", would have a succession of hits on Chess Records. This re-issue of her Chess debut, originally released in October 1969, also serves as a collection of her 1960s singles.
   
   KOKO TAYLOR (2001 "Remastered & Revisited" version) consists of 14 tracks, including 2 previously unreleased recordings, all recorded 1965-1969, some as singles for the Checker label. Disc is packaged in a clear jewel case. Booklet includes an essay by Bill Dahl, a couple black & white photographs, and track information.
   
   This is a great collection. It includes the high-energy "Fire" and the sassy, in-your-face songs "Don't Mess with the Messer", "Love You Like a Woman" ("I'll love you like a woman / But I'll fight you like a man"), and "Whatever I Am, You Made Me".



3. Thank God we have singers like Koko Taylor. If Koko never was a professional singer the Blues world would be boring and I wouldn't be into the blues. Koko Taylor is a superb album. I want you to buy this album I'm serious buy it when I first heard it I got up and starting dancing.



4. Released by Chess subsidiary Checker in 1969, "Koko Taylor" comprises twelve songs recorded between 1965 and 1969 (plus two newly added bonus tracks).
   It was her first Chess LP, and Willie Dixon is everywhere: Bassist, songwriter, composer, arranger, backing vocalist, and Taylor's duet partner on the athmospheric "Insane Asylum".
   
   This is a terrific place to start for those just getting acquainted with the reigning Queen of Chicago blues. Opening with the gritty, soul-flavoured "Love You Like A Woman", this eponymous album goes from highlight to highlight: Koko Taylor's classic singles "Wang Dang Doodle", "Don't Mess With The Messer" and "Twenty-Nine Ways", the swaggering "I Love A Lover Like You", and the muscular, slinky "Whatever I Am You Made Me".
   There is not a single clunker here, and Koko Taylor is expertly backed by men like Sunnyland Slim, Lafayette Leake (both keyboards), Buddy Guy, Johnny Shines and Matt "Guitar" Murphy (guitars - duh), and harpist Walter Horton, whose smouldering playing on "Twenty-Nine Ways" and "I Love A Lover Like You" is pure gold.
   
   This is one of the finest LPs in the Chess catalogue, and a terrific overview of Taylor's early Chess sides, especially now that the magnificent MCA/Chess compilation "What It Takes: The Chess Years" is out of print.
   Highly recommended.



5. Koko Taylor is an amazing blues woman,and was superb on this cd.She have one of the most fantastic nasal tone voice of all of the history of the music! The participation of great Willie Dixon enriched this,with great performances and great lyrics. Highly recomended for those that like good,really good and intense music!

1 comments about Jazz Club: Vocal.

1. As an introduction to jazz singing, this compilation is apsolutely satisfying and full of excellent performances: it is a good fortune that Verve had all this in its catalogue. At this amazon price (for used CD's) - every jazz beginner and mainstream jazz fun should buy it.

1 comments about American Songbook Series: Cole Porter.

1. authentic styling and voices. Cole Porter as written and played on Broadway. It's a look into the past that is still relevant. I'm happy I have it.

2 comments about Live at Freddy's.

1. This is the only live recording of late-era Kay Starr, and though she seems to be singing on one, worn-out vocal chord, this girl still could sing her behind off. There's a sublime, torchy medley of "For The Good Times" and "Help Me Make It Through The Night", that is so emotion-drenched that if your spine doesn't tingle, you'd better get to the doctor, 'cause you must be dead. When she hollers out "...make believe you love me ... ONE MORE TIME! ", she doesn't have to ask, because there is no way you can't love this woman! And she even rocks out with a swinging "Big Bad Leroy Brown" that no other singer would dare to pull off. Kay deserves her place right next to Dinah Washington AND Edith Piaf, and this recording proves it in spades!



2. I have listened to the CD,literally dozens of times.Having seen kay in person,it brought back all the magic that I remember. Though past her heyday in pop music.Kay's talents with lyrics and emotion are just fabulous.This CD shows her prowess at performing and keeping an audience in the palm of her hand.This 1986 recording is full of jazzy,pop,and bluesy ballads that an older raspier yet richer voiced Kay Starr belts out! The samples dont do justice to whats on the full album! Thanks kay !

1 comments about Lover Man.

1. what will it take to convince Amazon that they MUST provide the date the original recording was made, NOT the date the transfer to CD was done?
   Tha later info. is basically worthless, the former essential to anyone at all knowlegeable and interested in the artist and the recording.
   Amazon get with it.

No comments about Blue Girls, Vol. 1: 1924-1930.

2 comments about Forever Gold.

1. I am no connoisseur of jazz. I like the pure sound of Ella FItzgerald, and I bought this CD because I wanted to hear her sing some of my favorite standards. I knew that at least one song was a duet with Louis Armstrong and I had no problem with that. I have an old vinyl recording of their duets. I was surprised, however, to find that nearly half of the songs are duets with "Satchmo." I bought this CD to hear pure Ella. I was also surprised that some of the songs are from very old master tapes when her voice was much less mature, although in some ways even more pure than it later was. On one hand, this was enthralling; but on the other hand, the quality of the recording was not very good, having clearly been made on old equipment that is a far cry from modern standards. Overall, the songs themselves being sung by this legendary singer made it worth the investment.



2. If you have always enjoyed early songs from the great herself you will certainly love this album. It has her first big hit "A-Tisket A-Tasket" and some of the good duets with Louis Armstrong that are very enjoyable. This is a recording that sounds like you're playing it on the old phonograph right from the era. Really an enjoyable release!