1 comments about Her Greatest Hits.

1. This is a great 4 CD set. I am really enjoying her songs of the 1940s and 1950s. You can actually hear the words to the songs, and they are generally about love or caring about positive human relationships. The instrumentals of the "big band" era are also very good.

5 comments about The Capitol Years.

1. The Capital Years CD from Frank Sinatra is one of the best CD's that I've known.



2. "Here Goes," featured on Disc 2, Track 23 of this set, is a vocal version of a piece called "Hi" which was written by Otto Cesana and recorded by Mr. Cesana's orchestra on his 1958 Capitol album "Brief Interlude." Frank's Essex Productions concern was mentioned at the bottom of the label, which may explain his own vocal treatment (with lyrics by Sammy Cahn, not even crediting Mr. Cesana's music, from what I've seen). Cesana's "Hi" is perhaps better known to New Yorkers as the theme music for New York station WOR-TV's midday movie series "Movie 9" from the mid-1970's to the early 1980's. Yet so far that hasn't been reissued on CD, that I know of.



3. This is my first Sinatra album and I bought it because of the reviews on Amazon, and I must say they were right on! It has expanded my love for Mr. Sinatra's music and I will enjoy these CD's for years to come. My next purchase will have to be the white caddie convertible and a home in Palm Springs.



4. This is an easy review to write. This is just some great music from the greatest jazz standards singer during his years at Capitol. Three C.D.s for a great price here on Amazon.com. It also has a nice thick booklet containing essays by various people.



5. In a span of five years [1990-1995] Capitol/EMI chose to honour their most illustrious male singer with not one, but two multi-CD sets. Unfortunately, both of them (the other is the 2-CD set Sinatra 80th - All The Best) contain essentially the same selections. In fact, not counting the very expensive box set, nothing released by Capitol has contained some 12 bona fide hit singles.
   
   These are: Fairy Tale [the flip of Same Old Saturday Night and a # 13 on its own in 1955]; the double-sided 1956 hit Flowers Mean Forgiveness [# 21] and You'll Get Yours [# 67]; Five Hundred Guys [the flip of (How Little It Matters) How Little We Know and a # 73 on its own]; Johnny Concho Theme (Wait For Me) b/o You're Sensational and a # 75 in 1956; Your Love For Me [which backed Can I Steal A Little Love? and reached # 60 early in 1957]; the 1957 double-sided hit Crazy Love [# 60] and So Long, My Love [# 74]; You're Cheatin' Yourself (If You're Cheatin' On Me), which reached # 25 in 1957; Mr. Success [# 41 in 1958]; Talk To Me [# 38 in 1959]; River, Stay 'Way From My Door [# 82 in 1960]; and Ol' MacDonald [# 25 in 1960].
   
   Trying to find them in a quality and affordable CD is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. So, with an added six tracks [perhaps some of the B-sides], wouldn't these make a dandy CD under the title "Long Lost Hits Of ...?"
   
   In the meantime, this is the one you want in order to get most of the other Capitol hits, complete with a 68-page booklet containing liner notes by daughter Nancy [The Legacy - 8 pages], Pete Kline [The Capitol Years - 15 pages], and Will Friedwald [The Legend - 4 pages], a complete discography of the contents, a listing of his albums by Nancy, and track-by-track notes by Pete Kline and Ric Ross [12 pages], in addition to numerous photographs.
   
   The AAD sound quality is excellent.

5 comments about Ken Burns's Jazz: The Story of American Music.

1. When I discussed the Ric Burns documentary about the old West with an Amerindian acquaintance, I complained that the film concentrated on the Lakota, to the exclusion of other peoples. My friend answered that, as the Lakota was the best known native American culture, that was a good place to start, and the audience would then move on to learn about other parts of the story.
   
   I suppose the same is true of the documentary by Ric's brother Ken Burns, on the history of Jazz, on which this box set is based. It is heavy on Louis Armstrong and on the Big Band sound of the Swing era - probably the Jazz best known to the general public - but light in other areas, including the many, varied strands of Jazz in the last 30 years or so. There is a whole series of albums in the Ken Burns Jazz Collection, featuring individual artists, for those who want to pursue the story and start to fill in the gaps.
   
   It is easy to list regrettable omissions from this set (and many reviewers have done so) and just as easy to point out how impossible it is to do full justice to a century of music that had multiple sources and spread rapidly to a plethora of sub-genres (and many reviewers have done that too). The omission of Erroll Garner is one that struck me, especially ironic as the booklet accompanying this set has his name displayed on the cover! The British Trad Jazz that took hold in the early 50s and is still going strong (Chris Barber, Kenny Ball and their followers) is another indispensible part of Jazz history that finds no place in this collection. I realize that this is specifically titled the story of American music, but Django Reinhardt gets a look in, as does some forgettable French rapper.
   
   But this collection of 94 tracks, featuring recordings from 1917 to 1995, attractively packaged and with good notes, remains a great introduction to Jazz. In fact, now that the price has come down so much, it can be recommended for every music fan.



2. this music is classic jazz!
   for anyone starting a jazz collection, you need this set.
   if you like the pbs jazz series, your gonna love this music!



3. To chronicle the first six decades or so of American jazz in five CD's is an ambitious undertaking. Ken Burns pulled it off by making it the soundtrack to stories he wanted to tell. This made for heavy representation of songs from Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis easy choices. The documentary, in some ways, tells like an allegory of racism and civil rights in 20th century America, yet the soundrack includes white musicians like Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Dave Brubek and Benny Goodman in the CD selections. Brubek's inclusion is particularly notable after the documentary was so dismissive of "West Coast Jazz" - I don't even remember Take 5 being mentioned in the documentary. It would have been nice to include Bill Evans since every jazz pianist that followed him credited Evans as an influence, but his work as side man on "So What" is all we get. Herbie Hancock's Rockit is nowhere close to representative of his body of work. My main disappointment is that after Free Jazz and the like, jazz had nowhere left to go except backwards, yet the contemporary "pop" jazz at the end comes across as the latest and greatest thing yet. I respectfully disagree.



4. For those just getting into Jazz or just need a refresher course this is a great CD. I brought it for my husband who is a big Jazz fan and he just loves it and gets alot of use out of them.



5. A great cd with many remastered original recordings of jazz greats. Each cd features a different jazz era, so one can select a jazz genre to suit one's mood.

5 comments about Sinatra: Vegas (Box Set, 4CD/1DVD).

1. I purchased this cd/dvd set as a Christmas present and hit the jackpot. Thanks to this collection, you can watch Frank at the top of his popularity and get some real insight to Frank the performer. The viewer gets a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of Mr. Sinatra as the camera follows him around prior to going onstage for a Vegas show.
   
   He was at his best in Vegas and he "owned" that town for the better part of 30 years. Ol' Blue Eyes was one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th Century. Enjoy these incredible recordings!



2. This is a superb sampler of many of Sinatra's greatest hits, spanning decades of Vegas appearances ... the real gems in this collection are the extras, such as the DVD and mini-posters, with the 60-page full color 6x12" booklet that captures many behind-the-scenes stories and background stories.
   
   Superb Sinatra collection; well worth getting. Thanks for putting it together - highly recommended!
   
   -Ken Calhoun, Pres.
   DaytradingUniversity



3. This set is fantastic. I uploaded the entire collection to my iPod and I listen to it in the car all the time. It's great to hear him over the decades and sometimes it's hard to discern which is his older work and which is his newer! Definatly a must have for any true fan of Frankie. Oh, and the DVD was a really special treat to see him in person and remember what a GREAT entertainer he is.



4. I f you like good ole Franky, you will definitely enjoy the CD set, the DVD is a nice addition too, I' been playing it almost daily.



5. What great delivery and product. It is a wonderful Box Set and will be enjoyed for years to come.

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 Early Recordings in Chronological Order.

1. Let's be honest - how many times have you read rave reviews of some supposed pre-war (or for that matter, post-war) virtuoso, bought a CD, only to be horribly disappointed to find the guitar-playing positively feeble after years of exposure to Hendrix, Satriani, etc? One can still respect those players of earlier generations for the contributions they made when guitar-playing was in its infancy, but all sentiments aside, judged objectively, for me and many others only one player of yesterday competes with later or present day virtuosos - Django Reinhardt. I say that just to reassure anyone who hasn't heard his playing that he really is up there with the greatest of all times, including modern-day players. He was truly a phenomenon. I've heard people raving over the primitive licks of some or other old bluesman, obviously enraptured by the historic value of the recordings more than the objective quality, the popping and scatching of those old 78s preventing any objective judgement. No danger of that here. If there's just one 'older' guitarist you listen to, it's got be Django, preferably the first 5 years or so of his career. And no guitarist can consider himself complete who hasn't had a close listen to his best work. His style is so idiosyncratic that it's unlikely you'll pick up much as far as technique goes, but for improvisational ideas, this whole set is a guitar treasure.



2. A mixture of various recordings, not all of them good. Still there are a few gems amongst them.



3. Django Reinhardt's music is a study in Jazz influence, improvisation and sheer exuberance. These recordings take you through his early years and maturity as an astonishing guitarist. If you understand guitar and what it took for him to play as he did, your appreciation for the technical virtuosity cannot but respond to his work.
   
   The digital re-masterings themselves faithfully reproduce the original sounds, complete with all of the surface noise that attended those early 78's. For the purist this is no problem because the desire is to not have any of the music also filtered. For those who are into casual listening or background music while you drive, especially if you listen at high volume, you might find it a bit distracting.
   
   One of the most delightful aspects of Reinhardt's group is Stephan Grappely's Jazz violin. We don't think of the violin as a jazz instrument very often, but these folks made it work wonderfully in group. Reinhardt shared the lead often with his band and it gives the music a diversity which enables sustained listening without boredom.
   
   Good group, good selections, good music.



4. Like the Supreme Court Justice opined about obscenity [I'm informed],
   he said if he saw it he would know what it was. I have sonically seen
   Django and I know what JAZZ GENIUS IS!! He and his consorts swing from
   the beginning to the end every time they do a tune. Being an un-recon-
   structed Stan Kenton fan of some 60 + years, I recognize that except
   for some Shorty Rogers charts and particularly "Stompin' At The Savoy"
   by Bill Holman, Django could have made even the Kenton band swing! How
   he could swing so hard with a wounded wing is an education. If you dig
   jazz or think you might, this is the ONE to buy.



5. Imagine yourself luxuriously pouring time down the drain in some obscure cafe, contemplating the crumbling Parisian skyline through an absinthe-induced fog, puffing on a Gauloise sans filtre securely plugged into an ivory cigarette holder. At the adjoining table a taciturn J.P. Sartre is cheating at solitaire. Out back, on the cobblestone street worn smooth by centuries of horse hooves, Gertrude Stein is rebuilding the transmission of an American Jeep. This is your sound track.
   
   The Classic Early Recordings of Django Reinhardt is one of the best deals in the entire Amazon jungle. From sound quality to song selection to sheer quantity, this superb 5-CD set recreates a whole environment; it transports you to another place and time. Perhaps the only flaw is that Stephane Grappelly does not get equal billing - the real magic of this music is found in the interplay between these two giants.
   
   It is tempting to say that Reinhardt was the Hendrix of his generation; it is perhaps more accurate to say that Hendrix was the Reinhardt of his generation. Django Reinhardt, (believed by some to be the best guitarist ever), belongs in the same pantheon with Art Tatum and Charlie Parker - he exhibited almost Faustian brilliance, worlds beyond other players. Green bananas are advised to remember that everything Reinhardt played - he actually played - these recordings were made long before technology took the place of talent.
   
   Reinhardt's style is extremely athletic, he strums as if he is trying to rip the strings off. Lightning-quick riffs are tossed off almost thoughtlessly, creating a vibrant, racing energy. Grappelly's elegant, lyrical violin is the perfect counterpoint, where Reinhardt drives, Grappelly soars. As staggeringly fast as Reinhardt is, Grappelly never strains to keep up, his work here establishes him as heavyweight champ of jazz violin. This music is relentlessly joyful, upbeat, and sweet. While it is always possible to analyze it for sheer technical virtuosity, the temptation to fall under its magical spell is far greater. Absolutely enchanting.

4 comments about Lady Day: The Master Takes and Singles.

1. A rainy night, a fire in the woodstove, thinking of a lost love and Lady Day.



2. What has not been advertised regarding this release is that the tracks on these 4 Cds have been again re-mastered and now offer the best sound yet from Legacy. Whilst the Teddy Wilson/Billie Holiday series on the UK Hep label (mastered by John R T Davies) still probably have the edge this new box has a much fuller sound than on the previous mastering on the 10 cd box and the various individual compilations that followed circa 2002. The sheer precence of the vocals in particular is very satisfying, and there appears to be more instrumental depth and better bass reproduction - although there is also a small price to pay in that surface noise is a bit prominent on some selections.



3. If you're a fan of Lady Day, you probably already know that these Columbia recordings are weighted almost as heavily as Louis Armstrong's Hot 5s and 7s in the jazz heavy weight arena. Their unique aural beauty is a foregone conclusion.
   
   I originally owned volume 2, 3 and 5 of the Quintessential series then upgraded to the 2 CD, "Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday". Problem was, this stuff is so good, I just could not seem to get enough. Having said that, the 10 CD complete seemed a bit much. Like I said, this is a real good fit. See what a little moonlight can do.



4. The 10 CD complete Columbia Box set is very good, but the packaging on that one tends to discourage listening, and it probably just sits on the shelf if anyone has it. I can understand the marketers saying that 4CD sets sell well, but why not fill the CDs completely, as they already have all tracks remastered. Why only 20 tracks per disc, when 25+ tracks will easily fit on every CD? If you don't have any classic Columbia recordings, get this. But don't ask why Strange Fruit is not on this set. It was never on Columbia, as Columbia would not allow her to record it. The masters at SONY would've done well to pay for the rights to include it, but maybe the current corporate owners wouldn't allow it. That brings to mind, can anyone guess where the "artist's royalties" from the sale of Billie Holiday recordings go? Probably right into corporate pockets. Ain't that a shame? They should go to a program to help abused young women!!

5 comments about Complete Prestige Recordings.

1. Anyone curious about Thelonious Monk would be very interested in aquiring this 1952-1954 Prestige box set. For one thing, this is his complete recordings for Prestige already put together and digitally remastered with great new liner notes about the recording sessions for each album. I have never been this happy and pleased with a box set since I bought Bill Evans - "The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961."
   
   Like many of the reviewers have stated already, Monk absolutely rips the keys apart on many of these tunes. It is by far one of the best representations of his piano playing than any other box set. Everything here is simply ear candy.
   
   Here are all the musicans that appear on this box set: Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins, Frank Foster (tenor saxophone); Miles Davis, Ray Copeland (trumpet);Julius Watkins (French horn); Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Gary Mapp, Tommy Potter, Edward "Bass" Robinson, Curly Russell (bass); and Art Taylor, Denzil Best, Kenny Clarke, Willie Jones, Max Roach (drums).
   
   Instead of buying these records individually, I would recommend going ahead and putting the money toward this set. I would also recommend this box set to anyone interested in hearing one of the true innovators of jazz.
   
   This set also contains the only other version of one of my favorite Monk compositions "Locomotive," which also appears years later on his Columbia album "Straight, No Chaser."
   
   If you like smoking piano jazz, then buy this today.



2. The reason I bought this 3 CD-set in the first place was for CD 3, because it combines the Monk tracks from the "Bag's Groove" and "Miles Davis and the Jazz Giants" CDs, thus presenting on one CD that famous Christmas Eve recording session.....but all three CDs are great...the 22 bit remastering is flawless. Sure I won't play everything on the first two CDs...that is, the first four tracks on CD one are interesting in that they present Monk's first recording session with Coleman Hawkins, but those tracks are only worth listening to once...the remainder of CD one is SUPER GREAT...and similarly on CD two, the MONK material is BRILLIANT, but I'll tend to skip a few of the Sonny Rollins tracks...and ALL of CD 3 is fantastic. Bag's Groove (both versions 1 & 2) may be my favorite jazz tracks of all time. Miles and Monk both sound great (though Monk lays out when Miles plays...that's OK) and then you get the great MILT JACKSON on vibes on every track of CD 3. Milt Jackson is SUPER COOL on CD 3. I tell ya, once I discovered Thelonious Monk, no one else comes close to his quirky genius.



3. Although I had a few of his cd's, I never "got" Monk until I saw the Ken Burns jazz film. There's some priceless footage of Monk live in there and it shows you that not only is he playing the music, he's playing *with* the music.
   
   The Prestige recordings were made after Monk was able to regain his cabaret card in the early 50's. He had been unable to play live for several years prior. You can hear Monk busting loose on these tracks, I have yet to hear Monk play with more intensity than he does here. It sounds like he's trying to make up for lost time.
   
   If you want to hear Monk's best songs, get "Genius of Modern Music". If you are new to Monk and his distinctive playings style, try one of the Columbia recordings like "Straight No Chaser". They're a little easier on new ears. But if you want to hear Monk the pianist in take-no-prisoners mode, look no further than this beautiful package.



4. The only weakness in this release, is the fact
   that on the third CD (with Miles Davis, also
   elsewhere available as Bag's Groove) there's
   midway a lot of background noise mixed in with
   the musicians and instruments, coming from the
   tape recording machine itself, which is very
   annoying. For some reason, in the first half of
   the third CD, it doesn't come across almost at
   all, until it becomes annoying, as I said, in the
   final half of the third CD.

   Another weakness, is that the CD's are packaged
   as 3 distinct, separate jewel case, taking up
   a lot of space, when a small, triple CD jewel
   case could have held all 3 of the CD's.

   The strong points, is the excellent sound, excellent
   compositions, excellent performances, excellent
   artistic and performance value in the perspective
   of the listener, and all this, coming from a moment
   when little money, mass media attention, or public
   recognition was given to Monk, jazz, label owners
   or even, to the importance of recording technology,
   in the studio, back in 1948 or 1950.

   All in all, great music ...a keeper. The artwork and
   commentary, is a bonus, also. Very nice.




5. Monk's years at Prestige are often overlooked, in comparison with the attention given to his Riverside and Columbia years. This well-priced collection offers wonderful selections with Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, Colman Hawkins and Max Roach. The real gem here is disc 3, containing the famous Christmas Eve 1954 session with Miles and Milt Jackson. The 20-Bit remastering is truly outstanding!!! In fact, if they ever re-do the pricey Riverside Box in this mannor, I may just have to buy that as well!!! Wonderful stuff.....

5 comments about Solo Concerts: Bremen & Lausanne.

1. I have almost ALL Keith Jarret solo CDs, and this is my favorite.
   Maybe I am biased since it was my first Keith Jarret CD back in high school (wow that was LONG ago), but still it is beautiful.



2. Koln is Jarrett's best known solo piano album. But between Koln and Bremen/Lausanne, the latter is musically the better album. But, my all-time favorite is Facing You, Jarrett's first solo piano album. I own all three in their original vinyl, but I own only Facing You in CD. It is THAT good. Facing You is the kind of music that grows on you. It doesn't pretend to be anything but honest, simple music. Listen with your heart and you will understand what I mean.



3. An enormous work of art.
   
   IMHO, this recording and Jarrett's "Facing You" stand as the pillars on which all of Jarrett's efforts sit. For anyone just getting into Jarrett's work, do not listen to the Koln Concert before you absorb this album. This is the essential Jarrett solo concert album; the one that will give you an even greater appreciation for Jarrett's growth throughout the years of his groundbreaking solo efforts.
   
   I can still smell the vinyl and feel the goose bumps of that first listen.
   
   Listening to it again on CD, after a dozen or so years. I'm still moved to tears.



4. 5 stars? 5 billion stars. An incredible work of TRUE genius. Like so
   many other listeners, I had that green ECM 3 record box set that I listened to more times than I can remember when I was in college. I now
   have the 2 cd set, without all of the pops, clicks, etc. that one had to
   hear as well (since they were vinyl records, and it was a solo piano con-
   cert with many quiet passages). I actually first heard a "cut" of one of
   the record sides one night out of a Rochester, New York radio station (even though I lived in Lexington, KY), and went out and got it the next
   day. A pricey purchase for a 3 record set, but I didn't care. From the
   first gorgeous note to the last, this is utter brilliance. My favorite
   Jarrett recording (and I have many). It still amazes me, since the whole
   thing was totally improvised on the spot in front of a mesmerized German
   audience who were obviously witnessing something VERY special. It has to
   be heard to be believed.



5. I guess my story with this album(s) is a lot like others; my roommate in college bought this set back in 1979 and I had the entire 3 LP collection burned into my consciousness a month later. We listened to this constantly in the 1979-80 school year; I can't count the number of times I would come back to my dorm room late at night and my roommate would be fast asleep and this record would be blaring out of the stereo speakers (perhaps blaring is not the right word...)
   
   When we parted ways in May, I made sure to hold onto my cassette tape. I've listened to it every 5 years or so since then; 25 years later, I still have that tape and it's held up well, but I can't wait to pick up the CD version- I was not aware that it was on CD until I jostled the name out of my memory recently.
   
   Few albums evoke more good memories for me than this album.

5 comments about The Golden Years: 1938-1942.

1. I've only recently "discovered" that I like Big Band music. We Boomers grew up loving our rock 'n roll and mostly thought of the Glenn Miller Band and others like it as relics of our parents' days in the Depression and World War II. After rap came to the forefront of popular "music", I listened to Classical music exclusively and got very comfortable with the music of Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, and many others.
   
   Through a series of odd coincidences I tuned in several times to an AM radio station here in Colorado Springs that plays a lot of orchestral and band music from the 30's through the early 60's. To my surprise, I found myself listening to all this stuff from Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and others.
   
   Lo and behold, I was completely captivated by this delightful music. It's so, well, civilized! It's joyous, lovely, whole-hearted American music from a time when we were truly at our best as a nation. Moreover, it's masterfully constructed, and, in this collection, performed as well as I could have hoped for.
   
   The search began for a good GM collection that "had it all", and I spent a lot of time here on Amazon browsing literally dozens of offerings, listening to samples for hours, and reading many fine, informative reviews. I knew that there was a great variance of opinion about the quality of the audio transfers, and not a few people were very upset about the noise of scratches, pops, and thin, "tinny" reproduction along with an overall loss of full fidelity.
   
   This research by a complete neophyte in the subject material led me to the conclusion that I definitely wanted a collection that had the 18 songs I wanted most, including many of those the band is so well known for. This 4-CD set was the only one that had them, except for one much larger set that costs quite a lot. I got mine through MovieMars, one of the Amazon dealers, and everything was perfect.
   
   This set is ideal in every way. It has superb audio quality with none of the distractions that evidently exist in some other collections. Here, the sound envelope is fully reproduced: you can hear the bass viols clearly without any "muddiness"; the reed instruments are sharp and bright without being shrill and tinny; the brass is clear and mellow, but also bold; the vocals are warm and round with the singers' resonance.
   
   Well, that's the recommendation of an admitted newcomer to all this. Don't wait too long to decide on this collection because I've seen that the availabilities and prices for it fluctuate quite a lot.



2. This is the best collection of Glenn Miller! It doesn't sound "tinny" like so many remastered CDs. The only one you need.



3. I think I was born in the wrong time! I love this old stuff.



4. This box-set is an wonderful musical document, and an exceptional value for the money. The 40-page booklet of bio, session & discography info makes for pleasant reading while listening. I'm going to enjoy this for a long time. The only minor disappointment was that the compiler was unable to find room for "St. Louis Blues March", a personal favorite & memorable selection from Hollywood's The Glenn Miller Story (1953) -- an excellent film, the DVD of which is also available here on Amazon.



5. If you love Big Band, This set is a must have.! Definitely worth the money!