2 comments about Cradle of Jazz.

1. This box set has a good mix of well known and influential jazz music from the 20s, 30s, and 40s, and with 40 CDs each about an hour long, it took me quite a long time just to listen to all of them enough times to start to recognize the songs.

   However, after having listened to all of the CDs about a dozen times over the last few years, I feel that I have cultivated a broad knowledge of jazz standards. Now, when I go to a jazz club or even just listen to the radio, I can frequently name songs that my friends mistakenly assume are originals.

   The drawback of this collection is that many of the recordings, and the ones from the 20s, in particular, are inevitably of poor quality. In fact, it often sounds like the drummer was banging on a pie tin or the vocalist sang underwater. Nevertheless, more than two-thirds of the recordings are of acceptable sound quality, and I urge any one looking to expand his knowledge of early jazz for a pittance to buy this collection.

   I am giving this collection 5 stars despite the sometimes poor sound quality because it is such a bargain and provides a good, if not entirely comprehensive education in early jazz.




2. Nearly 40 hours of digitally remastered original 78s and 45s for less than $1 each. No, you aren't getting the 1000 greatest hits of the 30s & 40s, but this is a great collection, but at 10% of the price, you get a lot of standards.

   Also see the similarly priced "Big Band Box" and "Great Vocalists of Jazz and Entertainment" collections by the German "History" label.

2 comments about Blow Man, Blow!.

1. If you love the late King Curtis, this is a necessary purchase!
   This set contains all of his Capital recordings from 1962-1965.
   The set is an import from Germany on Bear records. This is the reason the set is expensive! It contains only 3 CD's, but the music is outstanding! The booklet is very nice with pictures as well as a description of the kind of man King Curtis was.

   I personally don't believe there has been a better R&B horn player. Bottom line, a great set!




2. If you're a total newcomer to King Curtis, get Sam Cooke's "Live at Harlem Square" and hear the man blow. If you don't dig that, you are dead. Your next logical step would be Curtis's "Instant Groove" - the best one-CD collection of hits. But there's no such thing as too much King Curtis, so I suggest you check this baby out. He's the most influential rock/R+B/soul saxophonist, and he worked with some amazing backing bands. Listen to this set, and you'll hear the best there ever was --- plus you'll hear the evolution of soul music from the late fifties to the early seventies, from R+B to funk. Buy the box, brothers and sisters!

No comments about Late Night Jazz.

No comments about Jazz Greats.

2 comments about The History of Pop Radio: 1920-1951.

1. If you are interested in the history of popular recordings from 1920 to 1951, this 15 CD collection of these great songs and recordings is a must. Except for the 1920s, and due to the poorer sound of those early recordings, the AAD remastering is quite good. Included in this box set is an 80 page short bio of each artist that may be helpful, but is rather poorly written and not authoritative. But otherwise, what a great bargain, and what a great pleasure to have listened to these 300 full length recordings, many of which are rare and interesting including the many old standbys. Recommended!



2. It was only with the advent of radio that people all over the nation were able to listen to the same versions of the same music by the same artists and as the record companies produced them, and with this the pop song was born.

   The aptly titled History of Pop Radio traces popular music from 1920-1951 and does a good job of introducing a diverse mix of both well-known and forgotten melodies.

   The sound quality is generally good and this box set includes the 15 CDs, each with around 20 songs and approximately an hour long. It also contains an 80-page booklet in lieu of liner notes, but the information contained in it isn't particularly noteworthy.

   The real problem with this collection is the quality of the music. when I listened to these CDs I discovered that I don't really like the hits of yesterday any better than currently popular music. Of course there are a good number of gems by the likes of Arthur Cruddup, Louis Jordan, and Glen Miller, but these songs are greatly outnumbered by syrupy crooners like Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore.

   Listening to the 15 CDs was interesting and so I recommend it as a learning experience, but there's only about 2-3 CDs worth of good music here.

No comments about Star Box: Jo Stafford.

No comments about Ladies of Jazz.

No comments about For Lovers.

1 comments about Golden Big Band Era.

1. This CD is great! It sounds like a restored version of the original recordings becuase they are playing the original arrangements (I would know because I have played most of them) and they are great players! The musicians are fabulous. The only complaint I have is what the mixer did to "Sing, Sing, Sing" (he shortened it and jumped around). For under 10 bucks, this is one of the best deals I have seen!

No comments about Best of Swing.