The Very Best of Artie Shaw has two unbeatable advantages. Firstly, RCA own the original metal masters and so, in theory, they can get the cleanest transfers possible. Secondly, Artie Shaw himself made the selections. Who is going to gainsay the man himself when it comes to choosing his very best? As one might expect of such a maverick, there is solid good taste here (he's included the one commercial side Billie Holiday made with him during her brief stay in the band) along with the odd raised eyebrow (no "Frenesi", no "Blues in the Night", no "Traffic Jam", no "Serenade to a Savage"). RCA US have broken the habit of a lifetime and made good, sharp and clean transfers from their originals, making this perhaps the best-sounding reissue of this material. It's also a credit that "Star Dust", "Begin the Beguine", "Nightmare", "Concerto for Clarinet" (both parts) and "Chantez-les-bas" are included in the disc's 68 minutes. It's a cliché, but if you're only ever going to buy one Artie Shaw CD (and that'd be a pity), this should be it. --Keith Shadwick

Some of the coolest sounds around, 28 May 2000
This is a wonderful album of jazz by one of the great tenor saxophonists, Coleman Hawkins. Every note is played with feeling, tenderness and great skill. There's not a weak track on this album; each one is a carefully crafted piece of musicianship. At full price this would be highly recommended - at bargain price it more or less becomes an automatic choice. Coleman Hawkins should definitely be better known, and this album is a marvellous place to become acquainted with him and his music.

Some of the coolest sounds around, 28 May 2000
This is a wonderful album of jazz by one of the great tenor saxophonists, Coleman Hawkins. Every note is played with feeling, tenderness and great skill. There's not a weak track on this album; each one is a carefully crafted piece of musicianship. At full price this would be highly recommended - at bargain price it more or less becomes an automatic choice. Coleman Hawkins should definitely be better known, and this album is a marvellous place to become acquainted with him and his music.

Outstanding collection of a seminal jazzman's work., 08 May 2002
By choice I am a hard bop man but do collect widely for my jazz library. For some time now I have been adding Proper's box sets to my collection, thus I bought this one as a matter of course rather than specific interest - now I cannot stop listening to it.

All you Coltrane fans should go out and get it immediately: you will hear the foundations of the man's music in this and also hear the most thrilling soloist, on reed, prior to Parker, in jazz.

Add to that the comprehensive listings, excellent photographic reproductions and well-written musical biography and you are purchasing a true gem, and at the price of a large organic chicken!

This is a collection to be savoured; Bechet's work flows like a great river through it showing the way, to every future soloist, what jazz can sound like when played by a master.

Well done Proper, you have excelled yourself. Everyone who likes music from Bach to Marsalis should buy this one!

Some of the coolest sounds around, 28 May 2000
This is a wonderful album of jazz by one of the great tenor saxophonists, Coleman Hawkins. Every note is played with feeling, tenderness and great skill. There's not a weak track on this album; each one is a carefully crafted piece of musicianship. At full price this would be highly recommended - at bargain price it more or less becomes an automatic choice. Coleman Hawkins should definitely be better known, and this album is a marvellous place to become acquainted with him and his music.

Outstanding collection of a seminal jazzman's work., 08 May 2002
By choice I am a hard bop man but do collect widely for my jazz library. For some time now I have been adding Proper's box sets to my collection, thus I bought this one as a matter of course rather than specific interest - now I cannot stop listening to it.

All you Coltrane fans should go out and get it immediately: you will hear the foundations of the man's music in this and also hear the most thrilling soloist, on reed, prior to Parker, in jazz.

Add to that the comprehensive listings, excellent photographic reproductions and well-written musical biography and you are purchasing a true gem, and at the price of a large organic chicken!

This is a collection to be savoured; Bechet's work flows like a great river through it showing the way, to every future soloist, what jazz can sound like when played by a master.

Well done Proper, you have excelled yourself. Everyone who likes music from Bach to Marsalis should buy this one!

The Ideal Collection?, 01 Nov 2008
A ten CD set which gives a comprehensive overview of Artie Shaw's bands both small and large from the early Brunswicks until the end of the Second World War at a very reasonable price, this collection seems too good to be true! There is however a downside in that no discographical details are included and, much more importantly, all the tracks are taken from studio sessions. This is a pity as Shaw's bands very often sound better when recorded 'live' and in a number of cases airshot versions could well have been substituted for inferior studio tracks - 'Moonray' and 'Begin the Beguine' for example.

This carping apart, the set as a whole is a delight from beginning to end. Through one man's music we can hear the first tentative sounds of the swing era, one of the great bands of the late 1930's, the addition of strings and, finally, the influence of the deep romanticism of the closing years of the war. Of course one has one's favourite period - mine is the 1938/9 band with Helen Forrest, George Auld and Buddy Rich - but what is remarkable is the consistent high quality of all the groups featured in this anthology. Artie Shaw is the outstanding soloist throughout. He was one of the great clarinet players of jazz; easily as good as Benny Goodman - his great rival - but more melodic at slow tempo and with a richer tone.

The remastering has been well done. The packaging is perfectly adequate and, at the price asked, this must now be the very best introductory Shaw compilation in the current catalogue. An essential addition to any self-respecting big band collection.

Fabulous - Can't recommend this set of 10 discs highly enough , 10 Mar 2007
If Artie and his bands aren't the most listenable of bands, well then I'll be a monkey's uncle! I first heard the band on our only record, a shellac of Frenesi with Adios, Mariquita Linda ... on the back. I loved both sides but the "B" side better. Now of course Frenesi is justly famous but the B side is in my opinion an even better track, the Shaw solo is one of, if not in fact his best and the blend of strings and saxes /swing is very musically interesting. And it is this musicality that shines through from the early Shaw bands to those of disc 10 and even later though as far as I can work out this collection takes us up to the time Shaw joined the Navy, so about 1942 (I estimate), his best periods with one later exception. (I actually got this set to get the Adios Track and a CD version of the marvellous Chantez-Les Bas).
Wonderfully restored tracks, they seem better than the Blue Bird Portrait set and although some of the tracks are less current sounding, mainly those with singers, there is no doubting he had first rate singers with great voices and usually a swinging or bluesy backing and of course I challenge you to find any without a Shaw solo somewhere. Much sounds as fresh today as 50+ years ago, due in no small amount to Shaw's solos and his and his arranger's splendidly original sounds.
Absolutely great value and superb entertainment, its nice to hear the less familiar tracks and some are real gems; the studio Moon Ray for instance, almost exactly like the live recording without the background noise but still retaining its excitement. Then there is the opportunity to examine why so many of us love this mans music, check out if you can their recording of "A handful of Stars" with that by the Glen Miller Orchestra. Shaw is much less mushy and the female singer is working hard with the tempo and key/s and the end result is more fun without loosing sight of the basic premise of the song (essentially a fantasy quickstep or is it foxtrot?).
Can't recommend this set of 10 discs highly enough I had to wait a few weeks for my copy so be quick before they go out of print! The absence of any notes or dates for the recordings is a downside but they can be found elsewhere if you really care beyond the joy of the music. I would like to identify the singers though, they all sound like Helen Forrest although I know they aren't(the men especially and Billy Holiday is obvious)! Shaw talking about his recordings said they tried to avoid the more hackneyed pop songs of the day and I think that largely they did this!
You won't be disappointed with this bargain box every disc has treasures you haven't heard yet!!! How could they have recorded all this, played at night clubs and in theaters throughout the States and disbanded in between? Awesome players!

ARTIE SHAW; BEGIN THE BEGUINE 1909 - 2004, 21 Jun 2006
This collection is unsurpassable. Apart from the value, which is absolutely unbelievable, the sound quality is pristine, even on the earliest tracks, which are not easily found elsewhere. I am an Artie Shaw fan from way back with a very extensive collection of his recordings, yet I feel privileged to have acquired this set, which ought to have pride of place in any collection of big band swing, let alone a Shaw collection.

Down your hats,gentlemen!, 09 May 2006
This is IT!
Virtually all the Brunswick and Rca Victor recordings from June 11th 1936 to June 7th 1945 by the great Artie and his several bands,including the Gramercy 5s sessions.The package comes in a box set with the 10 cd s packed in simple cardboard envelopes,but who cares? check the price,and listen to the quality!I personally prefer the 1939 band,with Georgie Auld and all the boys you know,but all sessions are thrilling.
No personnel or discography are listed,but if you're an expert there's no need of it.I strongly suggest to buy The Vladimir Simosko Artie shaw's biography,and there you'll find everything.
If you're a newcomer,well.You'll be surprised.Those lads knew how to swing,and Artie is a modern clarinet player.Nobody can take such high notes!A big bargain,and a very complete record.

The great Artie Shaw at a great price!, 01 May 2005
I first saw this advertised in a Collectors Choice catalog for $50.00. I decided to look for it at Amazon, and finally found it here. It cost $23.00 U.S., so I ordered it. At that price, I didn't expect to get a product of this high quality! Most of the tracks are close to master quality; a few show surface noise from worn original 78 pressings. These performances start with Shaw's earliest Brunswick performances, and continue with his Bluebird and Victor releases up to about 1942. I'm sure these discs are remastered from original 78s, but again, they did a great job with the source material they used. The discgraphy is almost complete, according to Delaunay's "New Hot Discography." I have the complete Artie Shaw issues on RCA lp's during the 70's, and this CD set compares favorably with the lp's. One thing I'm grateful for, is that none of the original 78s were off center! I've had that experience with a few reissues, and that is unexcusable.

With that said, there are no liner notes or personnel listings. The discs come in a neat CD-sized box, and each disc is inserted into a holder shaped like a miniature LP record cover. The package fits nicely on a shelf with other jewel case CD's.

My recommendation is to buy this set while it is available. It is a rare bargain; the real deal.

Some of the coolest sounds around, 28 May 2000
This is a wonderful album of jazz by one of the great tenor saxophonists, Coleman Hawkins. Every note is played with feeling, tenderness and great skill. There's not a weak track on this album; each one is a carefully crafted piece of musicianship. At full price this would be highly recommended - at bargain price it more or less becomes an automatic choice. Coleman Hawkins should definitely be better known, and this album is a marvellous place to become acquainted with him and his music.

Outstanding collection of a seminal jazzman's work., 08 May 2002
By choice I am a hard bop man but do collect widely for my jazz library. For some time now I have been adding Proper's box sets to my collection, thus I bought this one as a matter of course rather than specific interest - now I cannot stop listening to it.

All you Coltrane fans should go out and get it immediately: you will hear the foundations of the man's music in this and also hear the most thrilling soloist, on reed, prior to Parker, in jazz.

Add to that the comprehensive listings, excellent photographic reproductions and well-written musical biography and you are purchasing a true gem, and at the price of a large organic chicken!

This is a collection to be savoured; Bechet's work flows like a great river through it showing the way, to every future soloist, what jazz can sound like when played by a master.

Well done Proper, you have excelled yourself. Everyone who likes music from Bach to Marsalis should buy this one!

The Ideal Collection?, 01 Nov 2008
A ten CD set which gives a comprehensive overview of Artie Shaw's bands both small and large from the early Brunswicks until the end of the Second World War at a very reasonable price, this collection seems too good to be true! There is however a downside in that no discographical details are included and, much more importantly, all the tracks are taken from studio sessions. This is a pity as Shaw's bands very often sound better when recorded 'live' and in a number of cases airshot versions could well have been substituted for inferior studio tracks - 'Moonray' and 'Begin the Beguine' for example.

This carping apart, the set as a whole is a delight from beginning to end. Through one man's music we can hear the first tentative sounds of the swing era, one of the great bands of the late 1930's, the addition of strings and, finally, the influence of the deep romanticism of the closing years of the war. Of course one has one's favourite period - mine is the 1938/9 band with Helen Forrest, George Auld and Buddy Rich - but what is remarkable is the consistent high quality of all the groups featured in this anthology. Artie Shaw is the outstanding soloist throughout. He was one of the great clarinet players of jazz; easily as good as Benny Goodman - his great rival - but more melodic at slow tempo and with a richer tone.

The remastering has been well done. The packaging is perfectly adequate and, at the price asked, this must now be the very best introductory Shaw compilation in the current catalogue. An essential addition to any self-respecting big band collection.

Fabulous - Can't recommend this set of 10 discs highly enough , 10 Mar 2007
If Artie and his bands aren't the most listenable of bands, well then I'll be a monkey's uncle! I first heard the band on our only record, a shellac of Frenesi with Adios, Mariquita Linda ... on the back. I loved both sides but the "B" side better. Now of course Frenesi is justly famous but the B side is in my opinion an even better track, the Shaw solo is one of, if not in fact his best and the blend of strings and saxes /swing is very musically interesting. And it is this musicality that shines through from the early Shaw bands to those of disc 10 and even later though as far as I can work out this collection takes us up to the time Shaw joined the Navy, so about 1942 (I estimate), his best periods with one later exception. (I actually got this set to get the Adios Track and a CD version of the marvellous Chantez-Les Bas).
Wonderfully restored tracks, they seem better than the Blue Bird Portrait set and although some of the tracks are less current sounding, mainly those with singers, there is no doubting he had first rate singers with great voices and usually a swinging or bluesy backing and of course I challenge you to find any without a Shaw solo somewhere. Much sounds as fresh today as 50+ years ago, due in no small amount to Shaw's solos and his and his arranger's splendidly original sounds.
Absolutely great value and superb entertainment, its nice to hear the less familiar tracks and some are real gems; the studio Moon Ray for instance, almost exactly like the live recording without the background noise but still retaining its excitement. Then there is the opportunity to examine why so many of us love this mans music, check out if you can their recording of "A handful of Stars" with that by the Glen Miller Orchestra. Shaw is much less mushy and the female singer is working hard with the tempo and key/s and the end result is more fun without loosing sight of the basic premise of the song (essentially a fantasy quickstep or is it foxtrot?).
Can't recommend this set of 10 discs highly enough I had to wait a few weeks for my copy so be quick before they go out of print! The absence of any notes or dates for the recordings is a downside but they can be found elsewhere if you really care beyond the joy of the music. I would like to identify the singers though, they all sound like Helen Forrest although I know they aren't(the men especially and Billy Holiday is obvious)! Shaw talking about his recordings said they tried to avoid the more hackneyed pop songs of the day and I think that largely they did this!
You won't be disappointed with this bargain box every disc has treasures you haven't heard yet!!! How could they have recorded all this, played at night clubs and in theaters throughout the States and disbanded in between? Awesome players!

ARTIE SHAW; BEGIN THE BEGUINE 1909 - 2004, 21 Jun 2006
This collection is unsurpassable. Apart from the value, which is absolutely unbelievable, the sound quality is pristine, even on the earliest tracks, which are not easily found elsewhere. I am an Artie Shaw fan from way back with a very extensive collection of his recordings, yet I feel privileged to have acquired this set, which ought to have pride of place in any collection of big band swing, let alone a Shaw collection.

Down your hats,gentlemen!, 09 May 2006
This is IT!
Virtually all the Brunswick and Rca Victor recordings from June 11th 1936 to June 7th 1945 by the great Artie and his several bands,including the Gramercy 5s sessions.The package comes in a box set with the 10 cd s packed in simple cardboard envelopes,but who cares? check the price,and listen to the quality!I personally prefer the 1939 band,with Georgie Auld and all the boys you know,but all sessions are thrilling.
No personnel or discography are listed,but if you're an expert there's no need of it.I strongly suggest to buy The Vladimir Simosko Artie shaw's biography,and there you'll find everything.
If you're a newcomer,well.You'll be surprised.Those lads knew how to swing,and Artie is a modern clarinet player.Nobody can take such high notes!A big bargain,and a very complete record.

The great Artie Shaw at a great price!, 01 May 2005
I first saw this advertised in a Collectors Choice catalog for $50.00. I decided to look for it at Amazon, and finally found it here. It cost $23.00 U.S., so I ordered it. At that price, I didn't expect to get a product of this high quality! Most of the tracks are close to master quality; a few show surface noise from worn original 78 pressings. These performances start with Shaw's earliest Brunswick performances, and continue with his Bluebird and Victor releases up to about 1942. I'm sure these discs are remastered from original 78s, but again, they did a great job with the source material they used. The discgraphy is almost complete, according to Delaunay's "New Hot Discography." I have the complete Artie Shaw issues on RCA lp's during the 70's, and this CD set compares favorably with the lp's. One thing I'm grateful for, is that none of the original 78s were off center! I've had that experience with a few reissues, and that is unexcusable.

With that said, there are no liner notes or personnel listings. The discs come in a neat CD-sized box, and each disc is inserted into a holder shaped like a miniature LP record cover. The package fits nicely on a shelf with other jewel case CD's.

My recommendation is to buy this set while it is available. It is a rare bargain; the real deal.

Hypnotic Sidney Bechet.., 13 Apr 2008

Very nearly didn't buy this. No-one had reviewed it so I was rather in
the dark. Now that I have the disc I am addicted to Sidney Bechet! RCA
Victor has given us a first-rate recording - apart from only one track
from 1949 which is a little scratchy - but I still feel the 5 stars
are merited for the standard of Bechet's artistry. His rendition of
Petite Fleur and Le Marchand De Poisson is hypnotic...He demands your
full undivided attention - and gets it. If you don't know Bechet but
like jazz - buy this CD - and if you are already a Bechet fan, you
won't be disappointed.

Some of the coolest sounds around, 28 May 2000
This is a wonderful album of jazz by one of the great tenor saxophonists, Coleman Hawkins. Every note is played with feeling, tenderness and great skill. There's not a weak track on this album; each one is a carefully crafted piece of musicianship. At full price this would be highly recommended - at bargain price it more or less becomes an automatic choice. Coleman Hawkins should definitely be better known, and this album is a marvellous place to become acquainted with him and his music.

Outstanding collection of a seminal jazzman's work., 08 May 2002
By choice I am a hard bop man but do collect widely for my jazz library. For some time now I have been adding Proper's box sets to my collection, thus I bought this one as a matter of course rather than specific interest - now I cannot stop listening to it.

All you Coltrane fans should go out and get it immediately: you will hear the foundations of the man's music in this and also hear the most thrilling soloist, on reed, prior to Parker, in jazz.

Add to that the comprehensive listings, excellent photographic reproductions and well-written musical biography and you are purchasing a true gem, and at the price of a large organic chicken!

This is a collection to be savoured; Bechet's work flows like a great river through it showing the way, to every future soloist, what jazz can sound like when played by a master.

Well done Proper, you have excelled yourself. Everyone who likes music from Bach to Marsalis should buy this one!

The Ideal Collection?, 01 Nov 2008
A ten CD set which gives a comprehensive overview of Artie Shaw's bands both small and large from the early Brunswicks until the end of the Second World War at a very reasonable price, this collection seems too good to be true! There is however a downside in that no discographical details are included and, much more importantly, all the tracks are taken from studio sessions. This is a pity as Shaw's bands very often sound better when recorded 'live' and in a number of cases airshot versions could well have been substituted for inferior studio tracks - 'Moonray' and 'Begin the Beguine' for example.

This carping apart, the set as a whole is a delight from beginning to end. Through one man's music we can hear the first tentative sounds of the swing era, one of the great bands of the late 1930's, the addition of strings and, finally, the influence of the deep romanticism of the closing years of the war. Of course one has one's favourite period - mine is the 1938/9 band with Helen Forrest, George Auld and Buddy Rich - but what is remarkable is the consistent high quality of all the groups featured in this anthology. Artie Shaw is the outstanding soloist throughout. He was one of the great clarinet players of jazz; easily as good as Benny Goodman - his great rival - but more melodic at slow tempo and with a richer tone.

The remastering has been well done. The packaging is perfectly adequate and, at the price asked, this must now be the very best introductory Shaw compilation in the current catalogue. An essential addition to any self-respecting big band collection.

Fabulous - Can't recommend this set of 10 discs highly enough , 10 Mar 2007
If Artie and his bands aren't the most listenable of bands, well then I'll be a monkey's uncle! I first heard the band on our only record, a shellac of Frenesi with Adios, Mariquita Linda ... on the back. I loved both sides but the "B" side better. Now of course Frenesi is justly famous but the B side is in my opinion an even better track, the Shaw solo is one of, if not in fact his best and the blend of strings and saxes /swing is very musically interesting. And it is this musicality that shines through from the early Shaw bands to those of disc 10 and even later though as far as I can work out this collection takes us up to the time Shaw joined the Navy, so about 1942 (I estimate), his best periods with one later exception. (I actually got this set to get the Adios Track and a CD version of the marvellous Chantez-Les Bas).
Wonderfully restored tracks, they seem better than the Blue Bird Portrait set and although some of the tracks are less current sounding, mainly those with singers, there is no doubting he had first rate singers with great voices and usually a swinging or bluesy backing and of course I challenge you to find any without a Shaw solo somewhere. Much sounds as fresh today as 50+ years ago, due in no small amount to Shaw's solos and his and his arranger's splendidly original sounds.
Absolutely great value and superb entertainment, its nice to hear the less familiar tracks and some are real gems; the studio Moon Ray for instance, almost exactly like the live recording without the background noise but still retaining its excitement. Then there is the opportunity to examine why so many of us love this mans music, check out if you can their recording of "A handful of Stars" with that by the Glen Miller Orchestra. Shaw is much less mushy and the female singer is working hard with the tempo and key/s and the end result is more fun without loosing sight of the basic premise of the song (essentially a fantasy quickstep or is it foxtrot?).
Can't recommend this set of 10 discs highly enough I had to wait a few weeks for my copy so be quick before they go out of print! The absence of any notes or dates for the recordings is a downside but they can be found elsewhere if you really care beyond the joy of the music. I would like to identify the singers though, they all sound like Helen Forrest although I know they aren't(the men especially and Billy Holiday is obvious)! Shaw talking about his recordings said they tried to avoid the more hackneyed pop songs of the day and I think that largely they did this!
You won't be disappointed with this bargain box every disc has treasures you haven't heard yet!!! How could they have recorded all this, played at night clubs and in theaters throughout the States and disbanded in between? Awesome players!

ARTIE SHAW; BEGIN THE BEGUINE 1909 - 2004, 21 Jun 2006
This collection is unsurpassable. Apart from the value, which is absolutely unbelievable, the sound quality is pristine, even on the earliest tracks, which are not easily found elsewhere. I am an Artie Shaw fan from way back with a very extensive collection of his recordings, yet I feel privileged to have acquired this set, which ought to have pride of place in any collection of big band swing, let alone a Shaw collection.

Down your hats,gentlemen!, 09 May 2006
This is IT!
Virtually all the Brunswick and Rca Victor recordings from June 11th 1936 to June 7th 1945 by the great Artie and his several bands,including the Gramercy 5s sessions.The package comes in a box set with the 10 cd s packed in simple cardboard envelopes,but who cares? check the price,and listen to the quality!I personally prefer the 1939 band,with Georgie Auld and all the boys you know,but all sessions are thrilling.
No personnel or discography are listed,but if you're an expert there's no need of it.I strongly suggest to buy The Vladimir Simosko Artie shaw's biography,and there you'll find everything.
If you're a newcomer,well.You'll be surprised.Those lads knew how to swing,and Artie is a modern clarinet player.Nobody can take such high notes!A big bargain,and a very complete record.

The great Artie Shaw at a great price!, 01 May 2005
I first saw this advertised in a Collectors Choice catalog for $50.00. I decided to look for it at Amazon, and finally found it here. It cost $23.00 U.S., so I ordered it. At that price, I didn't expect to get a product of this high quality! Most of the tracks are close to master quality; a few show surface noise from worn original 78 pressings. These performances start with Shaw's earliest Brunswick performances, and continue with his Bluebird and Victor releases up to about 1942. I'm sure these discs are remastered from original 78s, but again, they did a great job with the source material they used. The discgraphy is almost complete, according to Delaunay's "New Hot Discography." I have the complete Artie Shaw issues on RCA lp's during the 70's, and this CD set compares favorably with the lp's. One thing I'm grateful for, is that none of the original 78s were off center! I've had that experience with a few reissues, and that is unexcusable.

With that said, there are no liner notes or personnel listings. The discs come in a neat CD-sized box, and each disc is inserted into a holder shaped like a miniature LP record cover. The package fits nicely on a shelf with other jewel case CD's.

My recommendation is to buy this set while it is available. It is a rare bargain; the real deal.

Hypnotic Sidney Bechet.., 13 Apr 2008

Very nearly didn't buy this. No-one had reviewed it so I was rather in
the dark. Now that I have the disc I am addicted to Sidney Bechet! RCA
Victor has given us a first-rate recording - apart from only one track
from 1949 which is a little scratchy - but I still feel the 5 stars
are merited for the standard of Bechet's artistry. His rendition of
Petite Fleur and Le Marchand De Poisson is hypnotic...He demands your
full undivided attention - and gets it. If you don't know Bechet but
like jazz - buy this CD - and if you are already a Bechet fan, you
won't be disappointed.

Jackman the Shining Star, 23 Feb 2004
I heartily agree this CD would be best enjoyed if the show had been seen in person. This review, though, is based off the CD alone.

Pro: Following the life of Peter Allan, the Boy From Oz is an undeniably enthusiastic rendering of his life, using songs Allan wrote.
Con: This enthusiasm, however, does sometimes bleed over into happy "cheese." Many people have never heard of Peter Allan until now, and his music does have a somewhat dated sound (70s).

Note: If you don't like Liza Minnelli's voice in real life, you won't like how she's rendered here - it's pretty good! The same goes for the style. The Boy from Oz might be a bit like "Hair" - you either love it or hate it.

Pro: His music was meant to be performed from the get-go, few songs have been converted to the stage.
Con: The CD doesn't do a great job of conveying the character nuances you'd get from seeing a live performance.

Pro: Here Jackman proves his roots as a song and dance man. The Bonus Track "Tenterfield Saddler" (was it cut?) is probably the best as it really shows off Jackman's voice. Jarrod Emick as 'Greg' in "I Honestly Love You" is also talented.

Con: The majority of the show is so 'full on' that the other singers seem to go flat/sharp more often that they should on a professional recording. (In particular, 'Don't Cry Out Loud' is a bit soured because the actress goes sharp a number of times.)

Pro: The show matures as you listen. I tend to think Act II is much better than Act I.

Nitpick: I don't think the CD is that well produced, found a typo, and in 2 songs when 'Minnelli' is singing the sound goes a bit loud/fuzzy as if she's standing too close to the recording microphone. This should have been fixed! (I've checked, it's not my speakers). The pictures are great, however!

So why 4 stars?
Though I've highlighted a few 'cons', I think they generally balance out with the 'pros.' In the end you get a pretty good, busy CD with a lot a decent vocal talent. Jackman and a few others shine above the rest. I don't think it will be remembered forever, but it's not a bad addition to the musical genre.

Magic Moments in the Theatre, 21 Dec 2003
You have to have seen the show to put this cast recording into the full emotional context of how Peter Allen's life and music have been portrayed on stage! Hugh Jackman's highly acclaimed performance ( conceded now as frontrunning for the 2003 Tony awards) brings to life the story of Peter - and he does it with great acting, appealing singing, solid dancing skills, and sheer charisma. His rapport and engaging manner with the audience wins him fans, from the show's critics and audience alike.

The songs in the album are presented in the context of the rewritten book of the musical, brought to life by wonderful emotive and vocal performances by Hugh and his amazing supporting cast. He brings such tenderness to the bonus track Tenterfield Saddler ( cut from the show but for good reasons), brings the audience to an emotional high with Once Before I Go ( often ended by a rare standing ovation before the end of a show), delights with the joyous or poignant displays in his duets with Judy, Liza, and Greg. His I Go to Rio is such an awesome spectacle you feel like doing the latin dance it evokes. Sadly, the BI-COASTAL number on the disc does not include the now famous audience interaction scenes which have become one the show's most enjoyable moments. Neither does the album fully capture the joyous spirit of Not The Boy Next Door and Everything Old Is New Again. But that is not the fault of this well-conceived album - you simply have to view the performance to capture the visual and vocal appeal of the musical score and its settings... Stephanie Block also delivers impressively in her numbers and Jarrod Emick imbues I Honestly Love You with such honest emotions...But my favourite song is turning out to be ALL THE LIVES OF ME - sung by Hugh with such a wry and poignant expression, one can almost feel the regrets and the joys which marked the life of Peter Allen.

Get the cast album - even better, save like mad and go to New York for that evening of pure entertainment. I have done it - no less than 6 times!

Some of the coolest sounds around, 28 May 2000
This is a wonderful album of jazz by one of the great tenor saxophonists, Coleman Hawkins. Every note is played with feeling, tenderness and great skill. There's not a weak track on this album; each one is a carefully crafted piece of musicianship. At full price this would be highly recommended - at bargain price it more or less becomes an automatic choice. Coleman Hawkins should definitely be better known, and this album is a marvellous place to become acquainted with him and his music.

Outstanding collection of a seminal jazzman's work., 08 May 2002
By choice I am a hard bop man but do collect widely for my jazz library. For some time now I have been adding Proper's box sets to my collection, thus I bought this one as a matter of course rather than specific interest - now I cannot stop listening to it.

All you Coltrane fans should go out and get it immediately: you will hear the foundations of the man's music in this and also hear the most thrilling soloist, on reed, prior to Parker, in jazz.

Add to that the comprehensive listings, excellent photographic reproductions and well-written musical biography and you are purchasing a true gem, and at the price of a large organic chicken!

This is a collection to be savoured; Bechet's work flows like a great river through it showing the way, to every future soloist, what jazz can sound like when played by a master.

Well done Proper, you have excelled yourself. Everyone who likes music from Bach to Marsalis should buy this one!

The Ideal Collection?, 01 Nov 2008
A ten CD set which gives a comprehensive overview of Artie Shaw's bands both small and large from the early Brunswicks until the end of the Second World War at a very reasonable price, this collection seems too good to be true! There is however a downside in that no discographical details are included and, much more importantly, all the tracks are taken from studio sessions. This is a pity as Shaw's bands very often sound better when recorded 'live' and in a number of cases airshot versions could well have been substituted for inferior studio tracks - 'Moonray' and 'Begin the Beguine' for example.

This carping apart, the set as a whole is a delight from beginning to end. Through one man's music we can hear the first tentative sounds of the swing era, one of the great bands of the late 1930's, the addition of strings and, finally, the influence of the deep romanticism of the closing years of the war. Of course one has one's favourite period - mine is the 1938/9 band with Helen Forrest, George Auld and Buddy Rich - but what is remarkable is the consistent high quality of all the groups featured in this anthology. Artie Shaw is the outstanding soloist throughout. He was one of the great clarinet players of jazz; easily as good as Benny Goodman - his great rival - but more melodic at slow tempo and with a richer tone.

The remastering has been well done. The packaging is perfectly adequate and, at the price asked, this must now be the very best introductory Shaw compilation in the current catalogue. An essential addition to any self-respecting big band collection.

Fabulous - Can't recommend this set of 10 discs highly enough , 10 Mar 2007
If Artie and his bands aren't the most listenable of bands, well then I'll be a monkey's uncle! I first heard the band on our only record, a shellac of Frenesi with Adios, Mariquita Linda ... on the back. I loved both sides but the "B" side better. Now of course Frenesi is justly famous but the B side is in my opinion an even better track, the Shaw solo is one of, if not in fact his best and the blend of strings and saxes /swing is very musically interesting. And it is this musicality that shines through from the early Shaw bands to those of disc 10 and even later though as far as I can work out this collection takes us up to the time Shaw joined the Navy, so about 1942 (I estimate), his best periods with one later exception. (I actually got this set to get the Adios Track and a CD version of the marvellous Chantez-Les Bas).
Wonderfully restored tracks, they seem better than the Blue Bird Portrait set and although some of the tracks are less current sounding, mainly those with singers, there is no doubting he had first rate singers with great voices and usually a swinging or bluesy backing and of course I challenge you to find any without a Shaw solo somewhere. Much sounds as fresh today as 50+ years ago, due in no small amount to Shaw's solos and his and his arranger's splendidly original sounds.
Absolutely great value and superb entertainment, its nice to hear the less familiar tracks and some are real gems; the studio Moon Ray for instance, almost exactly like the live recording without the background noise but still retaining its excitement. Then there is the opportunity to examine why so many of us love this mans music, check out if you can their recording of "A handful of Stars" with that by the Glen Miller Orchestra. Shaw is much less mushy and the female singer is working hard with the tempo and key/s and the end result is more fun without loosing sight of the basic premise of the song (essentially a fantasy quickstep or is it foxtrot?).
Can't recommend this set of 10 discs highly enough I had to wait a few weeks for my copy so be quick before they go out of print! The absence of any notes or dates for the recordings is a downside but they can be found elsewhere if you really care beyond the joy of the music. I would like to identify the singers though, they all sound like Helen Forrest although I know they aren't(the men especially and Billy Holiday is obvious)! Shaw talking about his recordings said they tried to avoid the more hackneyed pop songs of the day and I think that largely they did this!
You won't be disappointed with this bargain box every disc has treasures you haven't heard yet!!! How could they have recorded all this, played at night clubs and in theaters throughout the States and disbanded in between? Awesome players!

ARTIE SHAW; BEGIN THE BEGUINE 1909 - 2004, 21 Jun 2006
This collection is unsurpassable. Apart from the value, which is absolutely unbelievable, the sound quality is pristine, even on the earliest tracks, which are not easily found elsewhere. I am an Artie Shaw fan from way back with a very extensive collection of his recordings, yet I feel privileged to have acquired this set, which ought to have pride of place in any collection of big band swing, let alone a Shaw collection.

Down your hats,gentlemen!, 09 May 2006
This is IT!
Virtually all the Brunswick and Rca Victor recordings from June 11th 1936 to June 7th 1945 by the great Artie and his several bands,including the Gramercy 5s sessions.The package comes in a box set with the 10 cd s packed in simple cardboard envelopes,but who cares? check the price,and listen to the quality!I personally prefer the 1939 band,with Georgie Auld and all the boys you know,but all sessions are thrilling.
No personnel or discography are listed,but if you're an expert there's no need of it.I strongly suggest to buy The Vladimir Simosko Artie shaw's biography,and there you'll find everything.
If you're a newcomer,well.You'll be surprised.Those lads knew how to swing,and Artie is a modern clarinet player.Nobody can take such high notes!A big bargain,and a very complete record.

The great Artie Shaw at a great price!, 01 May 2005
I first saw this advertised in a Collectors Choice catalog for $50.00. I decided to look for it at Amazon, and finally found it here. It cost $23.00 U.S., so I ordered it. At that price, I didn't expect to get a product of this high quality! Most of the tracks are close to master quality; a few show surface noise from worn original 78 pressings. These performances start with Shaw's earliest Brunswick performances, and continue with his Bluebird and Victor releases up to about 1942. I'm sure these discs are remastered from original 78s, but again, they did a great job with the source material they used. The discgraphy is almost complete, according to Delaunay's "New Hot Discography." I have the complete Artie Shaw issues on RCA lp's during the 70's, and this CD set compares favorably with the lp's. One thing I'm grateful for, is that none of the original 78s were off center! I've had that experience with a few reissues, and that is unexcusable.

With that said, there are no liner notes or personnel listings. The discs come in a neat CD-sized box, and each disc is inserted into a holder shaped like a miniature LP record cover. The package fits nicely on a shelf with other jewel case CD's.

My recommendation is to buy this set while it is available. It is a rare bargain; the real deal.

Hypnotic Sidney Bechet.., 13 Apr 2008

Very nearly didn't buy this. No-one had reviewed it so I was rather in
the dark. Now that I have the disc I am addicted to Sidney Bechet! RCA
Victor has given us a first-rate recording - apart from only one track
from 1949 which is a little scratchy - but I still feel the 5 stars
are merited for the standard of Bechet's artistry. His rendition of
Petite Fleur and Le Marchand De Poisson is hypnotic...He demands your
full undivided attention - and gets it. If you don't know Bechet but
like jazz - buy this CD - and if you are already a Bechet fan, you
won't be disappointed.

Jackman the Shining Star, 23 Feb 2004
I heartily agree this CD would be best enjoyed if the show had been seen in person. This review, though, is based off the CD alone.

Pro: Following the life of Peter Allan, the Boy From Oz is an undeniably enthusiastic rendering of his life, using songs Allan wrote.
Con: This enthusiasm, however, does sometimes bleed over into happy "cheese." Many people have never heard of Peter Allan until now, and his music does have a somewhat dated sound (70s).

Note: If you don't like Liza Minnelli's voice in real life, you won't like how she's rendered here - it's pretty good! The same goes for the style. The Boy from Oz might be a bit like "Hair" - you either love it or hate it.

Pro: His music was meant to be performed from the get-go, few songs have been converted to the stage.
Con: The CD doesn't do a great job of conveying the character nuances you'd get from seeing a live performance.

Pro: Here Jackman proves his roots as a song and dance man. The Bonus Track "Tenterfield Saddler" (was it cut?) is probably the best as it really shows off Jackman's voice. Jarrod Emick as 'Greg' in "I Honestly Love You" is also talented.

Con: The majority of the show is so 'full on' that the other singers seem to go flat/sharp more often that they should on a professional recording. (In particular, 'Don't Cry Out Loud' is a bit soured because the actress goes sharp a number of times.)

Pro: The show matures as you listen. I tend to think Act II is much better than Act I.

Nitpick: I don't think the CD is that well produced, found a typo, and in 2 songs when 'Minnelli' is singing the sound goes a bit loud/fuzzy as if she's standing too close to the recording microphone. This should have been fixed! (I've checked, it's not my speakers). The pictures are great, however!

So why 4 stars?
Though I've highlighted a few 'cons', I think they generally balance out with the 'pros.' In the end you get a pretty good, busy CD with a lot a decent vocal talent. Jackman and a few others shine above the rest. I don't think it will be remembered forever, but it's not a bad addition to the musical genre.

Magic Moments in the Theatre, 21 Dec 2003
You have to have seen the show to put this cast recording into the full emotional context of how Peter Allen's life and music have been portrayed on stage! Hugh Jackman's highly acclaimed performance ( conceded now as frontrunning for the 2003 Tony awards) brings to life the story of Peter - and he does it with great acting, appealing singing, solid dancing skills, and sheer charisma. His rapport and engaging manner with the audience wins him fans, from the show's critics and audience alike.

The songs in the album are presented in the context of the rewritten book of the musical, brought to life by wonderful emotive and vocal performances by Hugh and his amazing supporting cast. He brings such tenderness to the bonus track Tenterfield Saddler ( cut from the show but for good reasons), brings the audience to an emotional high with Once Before I Go ( often ended by a rare standing ovation before the end of a show), delights with the joyous or poignant displays in his duets with Judy, Liza, and Greg. His I Go to Rio is such an awesome spectacle you feel like doing the latin dance it evokes. Sadly, the BI-COASTAL number on the disc does not include the now famous audience interaction scenes which have become one the show's most enjoyable moments. Neither does the album fully capture the joyous spirit of Not The Boy Next Door and Everything Old Is New Again. But that is not the fault of this well-conceived album - you simply have to view the performance to capture the visual and vocal appeal of the musical score and its settings... Stephanie Block also delivers impressively in her numbers and Jarrod Emick imbues I Honestly Love You with such honest emotions...But my favourite song is turning out to be ALL THE LIVES OF ME - sung by Hugh with such a wry and poignant expression, one can almost feel the regrets and the joys which marked the life of Peter Allen.

Get the cast album - even better, save like mad and go to New York for that evening of pure entertainment. I have done it - no less than 6 times!

Good time and easy listening trad jazz, 22 Nov 2001
This CD is a collection made up from earlier records with typical trad jazz input for which Monty Sunshine is famed. However it is not just Monty Sunshine clarinet dominated, as all the musicians are superb with particularly forceful contributions from trombone, trumpet and banjo. There are opportunities for solos in addition to excellent ensemble playing, and though sometimes a little strained the music is always professional. There is a mixture of live and studio recordings, but all are equally well produced.

The choice of numbers is trad jazz inspired with everything from traditional pieces and spirituals to popular tunes and anything melodic in between. The first track is a German cradle song "Sleep My Little Prince" and immediately a high standard is demonstrated. This is my favourite track on the CD and it sets the scene for all numbers being good time and easy listening. Jazz standards include great performances for such as "South", "Weary Blues" and "Savoy Blues", spirituals include a haunting rendition of "The Old Rugged Cross" and a melancholy vocal combined with low and high register clarinet on "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", and popular tunes abound with favourites such as "Bill Bailey", "Isle Of Capri", "You Are My Sunshine" and "Magnolia's Wedding Day".

For good time and easy listening jazz this CD has it all - good musicians giving professional performances of a superb selection of numbers.

Some of the coolest sounds around, 28 May 2000
This is a wonderful album of jazz by one of the great tenor saxophonists, Coleman Hawkins. Every note is played with feeling, tenderness and great skill. There's not a weak track on this album; each one is a carefully crafted piece of musicianship. At full price this would be highly recommended - at bargain price it more or less becomes an automatic choice. Coleman Hawkins should definitely be better known, and this album is a marvellous place to become acquainted with him and his music.

Outstanding collection of a seminal jazzman's work., 08 May 2002
By choice I am a hard bop man but do collect widely for my jazz library. For some time now I have been adding Proper's box sets to my collection, thus I bought this one as a matter of course rather than specific interest - now I cannot stop listening to it.

All you Coltrane fans should go out and get it immediately: you will hear the foundations of the man's music in this and also hear the most thrilling soloist, on reed, prior to Parker, in jazz.

Add to that the comprehensive listings, excellent photographic reproductions and well-written musical biography and you are purchasing a true gem, and at the price of a large organic chicken!

This is a collection to be savoured; Bechet's work flows like a great river through it showing the way, to every future soloist, what jazz can sound like when played by a master.

Well done Proper, you have excelled yourself. Everyone who likes music from Bach to Marsalis should buy this one!

The Ideal Collection?, 01 Nov 2008
A ten CD set which gives a comprehensive overview of Artie Shaw's bands both small and large from the early Brunswicks until the end of the Second World War at a very reasonable price, this collection seems too good to be true! There is however a downside in that no discographical details are included and, much more importantly, all the tracks are taken from studio sessions. This is a pity as Shaw's bands very often sound better when recorded 'live' and in a number of cases airshot versions could well have been substituted for inferior studio tracks - 'Moonray' and 'Begin the Beguine' for example.

This carping apart, the set as a whole is a delight from beginning to end. Through one man's music we can hear the first tentative sounds of the swing era, one of the great bands of the late 1930's, the addition of strings and, finally, the influence of the deep romanticism of the closing years of the war. Of course one has one's favourite period - mine is the 1938/9 band with Helen Forrest, George Auld and Buddy Rich - but what is remarkable is the consistent high quality of all the groups featured in this anthology. Artie Shaw is the outstanding soloist throughout. He was one of the great clarinet players of jazz; easily as good as Benny Goodman - his great rival - but more melodic at slow tempo and with a richer tone.

The remastering has been well done. The packaging is perfectly adequate and, at the price asked, this must now be the very best introductory Shaw compilation in the current catalogue. An essential addition to any self-respecting big band collection.

Fabulous - Can't recommend this set of 10 discs highly enough , 10 Mar 2007
If Artie and his bands aren't the most listenable of bands, well then I'll be a monkey's uncle! I first heard the band on our only record, a shellac of Frenesi with Adios, Mariquita Linda ... on the back. I loved both sides but the "B" side better. Now of course Frenesi is justly famous but the B side is in my opinion an even better track, the Shaw solo is one of, if not in fact his best and the blend of strings and saxes /swing is very musically interesting. And it is this musicality that shines through from the early Shaw bands to those of disc 10 and even later though as far as I can work out this collection takes us up to the time Shaw joined the Navy, so about 1942 (I estimate), his best periods with one later exception. (I actually got this set to get the Adios Track and a CD version of the marvellous Chantez-Les Bas).
Wonderfully restored tracks, they seem better than the Blue Bird Portrait set and although some of the tracks are less current sounding, mainly those with singers, there is no doubting he had first rate singers with great voices and usually a swinging or bluesy backing and of course I challenge you to find any without a Shaw solo somewhere. Much sounds as fresh today as 50+ years ago, due in no small amount to Shaw's solos and his and his arranger's splendidly original sounds.
Absolutely great value and superb entertainment, its nice to hear the less familiar tracks and some are real gems; the studio Moon Ray for instance, almost exactly like the live recording without the background noise but still retaining its excitement. Then there is the opportunity to examine why so many of us love this mans music, check out if you can their recording of "A handful of Stars" with that by the Glen Miller Orchestra. Shaw is much less mushy and the female singer is working hard with the tempo and key/s and the end result is more fun without loosing sight of the basic premise of the song (essentially a fantasy quickstep or is it foxtrot?).
Can't recommend this set of 10 discs highly enough I had to wait a few weeks for my copy so be quick before they go out of print! The absence of any notes or dates for the recordings is a downside but they can be found elsewhere if you really care beyond the joy of the music. I would like to identify the singers though, they all sound like Helen Forrest although I know they aren't(the men especially and Billy Holiday is obvious)! Shaw talking about his recordings said they tried to avoid the more hackneyed pop songs of the day and I think that largely they did this!
You won't be disappointed with this bargain box every disc has treasures you haven't heard yet!!! How could they have recorded all this, played at night clubs and in theaters throughout the States and disbanded in between? Awesome players!

ARTIE SHAW; BEGIN THE BEGUINE 1909 - 2004, 21 Jun 2006
This collection is unsurpassable. Apart from the value, which is absolutely unbelievable, the sound quality is pristine, even on the earliest tracks, which are not easily found elsewhere. I am an Artie Shaw fan from way back with a very extensive collection of his recordings, yet I feel privileged to have acquired this set, which ought to have pride of place in any collection of big band swing, let alone a Shaw collection.

Down your hats,gentlemen!, 09 May 2006
This is IT!
Virtually all the Brunswick and Rca Victor recordings from June 11th 1936 to June 7th 1945 by the great Artie and his several bands,including the Gramercy 5s sessions.The package comes in a box set with the 10 cd s packed in simple cardboard envelopes,but who cares? check the price,and listen to the quality!I personally prefer the 1939 band,with Georgie Auld and all the boys you know,but all sessions are thrilling.
No personnel or discography are listed,but if you're an expert there's no need of it.I strongly suggest to buy The Vladimir Simosko Artie shaw's biography,and there you'll find everything.
If you're a newcomer,well.You'll be surprised.Those lads knew how to swing,and Artie is a modern clarinet player.Nobody can take such high notes!A big bargain,and a very complete record.

The great Artie Shaw at a great price!, 01 May 2005
I first saw this advertised in a Collectors Choice catalog for $50.00. I decided to look for it at Amazon, and finally found it here. It cost $23.00 U.S., so I ordered it. At that price, I didn't expect to get a product of this high quality! Most of the tracks are close to master quality; a few show surface noise from worn original 78 pressings. These performances start with Shaw's earliest Brunswick performances, and continue with his Bluebird and Victor releases up to about 1942. I'm sure these discs are remastered from original 78s, but again, they did a great job with the source material they used. The discgraphy is almost complete, according to Delaunay's "New Hot Discography." I have the complete Artie Shaw issues on RCA lp's during the 70's, and this CD set compares favorably with the lp's. One thing I'm grateful for, is that none of the original 78s were off center! I've had that experience with a few reissues, and that is unexcusable.

With that said, there are no liner notes or personnel listings. The discs come in a neat CD-sized box, and each disc is inserted into a holder shaped like a miniature LP record cover. The package fits nicely on a shelf with other jewel case CD's.

My recommendation is to buy this set while it is available. It is a rare bargain; the real deal.

Hypnotic Sidney Bechet.., 13 Apr 2008

Very nearly didn't buy this. No-one had reviewed it so I was rather in
the dark. Now that I have the disc I am addicted to Sidney Bechet! RCA
Victor has given us a first-rate recording - apart from only one track
from 1949 which is a little scratchy - but I still feel the 5 stars
are merited for the standard of Bechet's artistry. His rendition of
Petite Fleur and Le Marchand De Poisson is hypnotic...He demands your
full undivided attention - and gets it. If you don't know Bechet but
like jazz - buy this CD - and if you are already a Bechet fan, you
won't be disappointed.

Jackman the Shining Star, 23 Feb 2004
I heartily agree this CD would be best enjoyed if the show had been seen in person. This review, though, is based off the CD alone.

Pro: Following the life of Peter Allan, the Boy From Oz is an undeniably enthusiastic rendering of his life, using songs Allan wrote.
Con: This enthusiasm, however, does sometimes bleed over into happy "cheese." Many people have never heard of Peter Allan until now, and his music does have a somewhat dated sound (70s).

Note: If you don't like Liza Minnelli's voice in real life, you won't like how she's rendered here - it's pretty good! The same goes for the style. The Boy from Oz might be a bit like "Hair" - you either love it or hate it.

Pro: His music was meant to be performed from the get-go, few songs have been converted to the stage.
Con: The CD doesn't do a great job of conveying the character nuances you'd get from seeing a live performance.

Pro: Here Jackman proves his roots as a song and dance man. The Bonus Track "Tenterfield Saddler" (was it cut?) is probably the best as it really shows off Jackman's voice. Jarrod Emick as 'Greg' in "I Honestly Love You" is also talented.

Con: The majority of the show is so 'full on' that the other singers seem to go flat/sharp more often that they should on a professional recording. (In particular, 'Don't Cry Out Loud' is a bit soured because the actress goes sharp a number of times.)

Pro: The show matures as you listen. I tend to think Act II is much better than Act I.

Nitpick: I don't think the CD is that well produced, found a typo, and in 2 songs when 'Minnelli' is singing the sound goes a bit loud/fuzzy as if she's standing too close to the recording microphone. This should have been fixed! (I've checked, it's not my speakers). The pictures are great, however!

So why 4 stars?
Though I've highlighted a few 'cons', I think they generally balance out with the 'pros.' In the end you get a pretty good, busy CD with a lot a decent vocal talent. Jackman and a few others shine above the rest. I don't think it will be remembered forever, but it's not a bad addition to the musical genre.

Magic Moments in the Theatre, 21 Dec 2003
You have to have seen the show to put this cast recording into the full emotional context of how Peter Allen's life and music have been portrayed on stage! Hugh Jackman's highly acclaimed performance ( conceded now as frontrunning for the 2003 Tony awards) brings to life the story of Peter - and he does it with great acting, appealing singing, solid dancing skills, and sheer charisma. His rapport and engaging manner with the audience wins him fans, from the show's critics and audience alike.

The songs in the album are presented in the context of the rewritten book of the musical, brought to life by wonderful emotive and vocal performances by Hugh and his amazing supporting cast. He brings such tenderness to the bonus track Tenterfield Saddler ( cut from the show but for good reasons), brings the audience to an emotional high with Once Before I Go ( often ended by a rare standing ovation before the end of a show), delights with the joyous or poignant displays in his duets with Judy, Liza, and Greg. His I Go to Rio is such an awesome spectacle you feel like doing the latin dance it evokes. Sadly, the BI-COASTAL number on the disc does not include the now famous audience interaction scenes which have become one the show's most enjoyable moments. Neither does the album fully capture the joyous spirit of Not The Boy Next Door and Everything Old Is New Again. But that is not the fault of this well-conceived album - you simply have to view the performance to capture the visual and vocal appeal of the musical score and its settings... Stephanie Block also delivers impressively in her numbers and Jarrod Emick imbues I Honestly Love You with such honest emotions...But my favourite song is turning out to be ALL THE LIVES OF ME - sung by Hugh with such a wry and poignant expression, one can almost feel the regrets and the joys which marked the life of Peter Allen.

Get the cast album - even better, save like mad and go to New York for that evening of pure entertainment. I have done it - no less than 6 times!

Good time and easy listening trad jazz, 22 Nov 2001
This CD is a collection made up from earlier records with typical trad jazz input for which Monty Sunshine is famed. However it is not just Monty Sunshine clarinet dominated, as all the musicians are superb with particularly forceful contributions from trombone, trumpet and banjo. There are opportunities for solos in addition to excellent ensemble playing, and though sometimes a little strained the music is always professional. There is a mixture of live and studio recordings, but all are equally well produced.

The choice of numbers is trad jazz inspired with everything from traditional pieces and spirituals to popular tunes and anything melodic in between. The first track is a German cradle song "Sleep My Little Prince" and immediately a high standard is demonstrated. This is my favourite track on the CD and it sets the scene for all numbers being good time and easy listening. Jazz standards include great performances for such as "South", "Weary Blues" and "Savoy Blues", spirituals include a haunting rendition of "The Old Rugged Cross" and a melancholy vocal combined with low and high register clarinet on "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", and popular tunes abound with favourites such as "Bill Bailey", "Isle Of Capri", "You Are My Sunshine" and "Magnolia's Wedding Day".

For good time and easy listening jazz this CD has it all - good musicians giving professional performances of a superb selection of numbers.

One of evolution's dead ends, 08 Jan 2009
Jazz has evolved over the last century or so and it is easy to see how one form has grown almost seamlessly out of another. That is not to deny the immense importance and originality of giants like Armstrong or Parker but they did come out of an established tradition, and their influences were absorbed into that ongoing tradition.

Like any other form of evolution there are side branches which develop from time to time but which go nowhere. In jazz most of these will probably never get much beyond the rehearsal room but some go on to have a brief life before simply dying out and without leaving any progeny. Two examples might be Artie Shaw's use of strings in some of his big band performances, and the "progressive jazz" of Stan Kenton.

Of more interest, I think, are the so-called "pianoless" groups of the 1950s. The most important and best-known of these are the quartets led by Gerry Mulligan, with two horns, bass and drums.

I think the term "pianoless" is somewhat misleading. It had been uncommon, but by no means rare, to have pianoless jazz groups from a long way back. But these groups would invariably have a guitar or (in earlier days) banjo to provide a chordal backing. What was new about the "pianoless" groups of the 1950s was the complete absence of any instrument which could play chords and set the harmonic pattern of the tune being played.

The Jimmy Giuffre Three goes one step beyond Mulligan in that they drop drums as well. And although Jim Hall plays guitar he plays it as a melodic and not chordal instrument, only very occasionally playing two strings together. Giuffre himself plays alto, tenor or clarinet and the fine bass player is Ralph Pena.

So what does this trio sound like? Well, all bar one of the numbers were written by Giuffre, and all were tightly arranged by him. There is relatively little space for solos. Giuffre's sax sound is a very breathy one and he carries this over to the clarinet in a way which I can't recall hearing before. There is little doubt as to who is the boss on these recordings.

The performances themselves are very good: indeed, in such groups they have to be because there is nowhere to hide and nothing to cover up any slips. At times the question might rise unbidden "But is it jazz?" to which the answer must be an ever-so-slightly hesitant "Yes". But hard bop it certainly ain't, and (dreadful to say) there are times when - to this listener at least - the music doesn't really swing.

So do I recommend this CD? With the reservations I have given the answer is "Yes". At the lowest level it is always interesting and tuneful. But this style of jazz was probably always going to be something which was a side branch on the evolutionary tree and wasn't really going anywhere.



experimental yet accessible, 12 Aug 2007
A wonderfully weightless experiment in ambient jazz before such a term existed. The playing is restrained yet exploratory. The lack of drums - or even a strict tempo at times - gives it a very light feeling - but because it's edging into free territory it's also pretty heavy. Unstructured yet disciplined, light but heavy - it's also VERY cool!

Fantastic fifties laid back grooves, 13 Mar 2001
Remember the film, "Jazz on a summer's day"?
Remember the first shots of the lake, of the marquee being put up; of summer hep cats hanging out? It's the Jimmy Giuffre Trio playing, and they're playing "The Train and The River".
My parents met and they both had this album - it was the hippest thing you could possibly own back in '61, and when we discovered it 25 years later, on vinyl that would barely play, the grooves were so worn (yet, note: lovingly and carefully kept to keep the record free of scratches) it's a wonder the needle didn't skid right across the record.
And it's goooooood. So mellow, so funky, so "hot summer's afternoon", it's a little forgotten masterpiece.
So buy it immediately!

Clarinetist Jimmy Giuffre was solidly established as the leader of unorthodox but coolly restrained groups when he enlisted pianist Paul Bley and bassist Steve Swallow in 1961. With this trio, he would take listeners into challenging terrain and offer the avant-garde a different direction--witness the 2-CD reissue 1961. Often taking its style cues from European modernism, this group mixed pointillism and atonality while moving seamlessly between composition and free improvisation. Free Fall, from 1962, was the group's ultimate recording and Giuffre's most radical statement, balancing duos and trios with unaccompanied clarinet improvisations that explored novel sounds, spontaneous structure, and uncommon brevity. Quietly revolutionary and brilliant in itself, this music was the culmination of the "Third Stream" synthesis and also paved the way for a younger generation of radicals. Today it still sounds fresh. This CD restores edited portions and adds five unissued clarinet solos that range from spiky inventions to the original lyricism of "Future Plans." -- Stuart Broomer

Some of the coolest sounds around, 28 May 2000
This is a wonderful album of jazz by one of the great tenor saxophonists, Coleman Hawkins. Every note is played with feeling, tenderness and great skill. There's not a weak track on this album; each one is a carefully crafted piece of musicianship. At full price this would be highly recommended - at bargain price it more or less becomes an automatic choice. Coleman Hawkins should definitely be better known, and this album is a marvellous place to become acquainted with him and his music.

Outstanding collection of a seminal jazzman's work., 08 May 2002
By choice I am a hard bop man but do collect widely for my jazz library. For some time now I have been adding Proper's box sets to my collection, thus I bought this one as a matter of course rather than specific interest - now I cannot stop listening to it.

All you Coltrane fans should go out and get it immediately: you will hear the foundations of the man's music in this and also hear the most thrilling soloist, on reed, prior to Parker, in jazz.

Add to that the comprehensive listings, excellent photographic reproductions and well-written musical biography and you are purchasing a true gem, and at the price of a large organic chicken!

This is a collection to be savoured; Bechet's work flows like a great river through it showing the way, to every future soloist, what jazz can sound like when played by a master.

Well done Proper, you have excelled yourself. Everyone who likes music from Bach to Marsalis should buy this one!

The Ideal Collection?, 01 Nov 2008
A ten CD set which gives a comprehensive overview of Artie Shaw's bands both small and large from the early Brunswicks until the end of the Second World War at a very reasonable price, this collection seems too good to be true! There is however a downside in that no discographical details are included and, much more importantly, all the tracks are taken from studio sessions. This is a pity as Shaw's bands very often sound better when recorded 'live' and in a number of cases airshot versions could well have been substituted for inferior studio tracks - 'Moonray' and 'Begin the Beguine' for example.

This carping apart, the set as a whole is a delight from beginning to end. Through one man's music we can hear the first tentative sounds of the swing era, one of the great bands of the late 1930's, the addition of strings and, finally, the influence of the deep romanticism of the closing years of the war. Of course one has one's favourite period - mine is the 1938/9 band with Helen Forrest, George Auld and Buddy Rich - but what is remarkable is the consistent high quality of all the groups featured in this anthology. Artie Shaw is the outstanding soloist throughout. He was one of the great clarinet players of jazz; easily as good as Benny Goodman - his great rival - but more melodic at slow tempo and with a richer tone.

The remastering has been well done. The packaging is perfectly adequate and, at the price asked, this must now be the very best introductory Shaw compilation in the current catalogue. An essential addition to any self-respecting big band collection.

Fabulous - Can't recommend this set of 10 discs highly enough , 10 Mar 2007
If Artie and his bands aren't the most listenable of bands, well then I'll be a monkey's uncle! I first heard the band on our only record, a shellac of Frenesi with Adios, Mariquita Linda ... on the back. I loved both sides but the "B" side better. Now of course Frenesi is justly famous but the B side is in my opinion an even better track, the Shaw solo is one of, if not in fact his best and the blend of strings and saxes /swing is very musically interesting. And it is this musicality that shines through from the early Shaw bands to those of disc 10 and even later though as far as I can work out this collection takes us up to the time Shaw joined the Navy, so about 1942 (I estimate), his best periods with one later exception. (I actually got this set to get the Adios Track and a CD version of the marvellous Chantez-Les Bas).
Wonderfully restored tracks, they seem better than the Blue Bird Portrait set and although some of the tracks are less current sounding, mainly those with singers, there is no doubting he had first rate singers with great voices and usually a swinging or bluesy backing and of course I challenge you to find any without a Shaw solo somewhere. Much sounds as fresh today as 50+ years ago, due in no small amount to Shaw's solos and his and his arranger's splendidly original sounds.
Absolutely great value and superb entertainment, its nice to hear the less familiar tracks and some are real gems; the studio Moon Ray for instance, almost exactly like the live recording without the background noise but still retaining its excitement. Then there is the opportunity to examine why so many of us love this mans music, check out if you can their recording of "A handful of Stars" with that by the Glen Miller Orchestra. Shaw is much less mushy and the female singer is working hard with the tempo and key/s and the end result is more fun without loosing sight of the basic premise of the song (essentially a fantasy quickstep or is it foxtrot?).
Can't recommend this set of 10 discs highly enough I had to wait a few weeks for my copy so be quick before they go out of print! The absence of any notes or dates for the recordings is a downside but they can be found elsewhere if you really care beyond the joy of the music. I would like to identify the singers though, they all sound like Helen Forrest although I know they aren't(the men especially and Billy Holiday is obvious)! Shaw talking about his recordings said they tried to avoid the more hackneyed pop songs of the day and I think that largely they did this!
You won't be disappointed with this bargain box every disc has treasures you haven't heard yet!!! How could they have recorded all this, played at night clubs and in theaters throughout the States and disbanded in between? Awesome players!

ARTIE SHAW; BEGIN THE BEGUINE 1909 - 2004, 21 Jun 2006
This collection is unsurpassable. Apart from the value, which is absolutely unbelievable, the sound quality is pristine, even on the earliest tracks, which are not easily found elsewhere. I am an Artie Shaw fan from way back with a very extensive collection of his recordings, yet I feel privileged to have acquired this set, which ought to have pride of place in any collection of big band swing, let alone a Shaw collection.

Down your hats,gentlemen!, 09 May 2006
This is IT!
Virtually all the Brunswick and Rca Victor recordings from June 11th 1936 to June 7th 1945 by the great Artie and his several bands,including the Gramercy 5s sessions.The package comes in a box set with the 10 cd s packed in simple cardboard envelopes,but who cares? check the price,and listen to the quality!I personally prefer the 1939 band,with Georgie Auld and all the boys you know,but all sessions are thrilling.
No personnel or discography are listed,but if you're an expert there's no need of it.I strongly suggest to buy The Vladimir Simosko Artie shaw's biography,and there you'll find everything.
If you're a newcomer,well.You'll be surprised.Those lads knew how to swing,and Artie is a modern clarinet player.Nobody can take such high notes!A big bargain,and a very complete record.

The great Artie Shaw at a great price!, 01 May 2005
I first saw this advertised in a Collectors Choice catalog for $50.00. I decided to look for it at Amazon, and finally found it here. It cost $23.00 U.S., so I ordered it. At that price, I didn't expect to get a product of this high quality! Most of the tracks are close to master quality; a few show surface noise from worn original 78 pressings. These performances start with Shaw's earliest Brunswick performances, and continue with his Bluebird and Victor releases up to about 1942. I'm sure these discs are remastered from original 78s, but again, they did a great job with the source material they used. The discgraphy is almost complete, according to Delaunay's "New Hot Discography." I have the complete Artie Shaw issues on RCA lp's during the 70's, and this CD set compares favorably with the lp's. One thing I'm grateful for, is that none of the original 78s were off center! I've had that experience with a few reissues, and that is unexcusable.

With that said, there are no liner notes or personnel listings. The discs come in a neat CD-sized box, and each disc is inserted into a holder shaped like a miniature LP record cover. The package fits nicely on a shelf with other jewel case CD's.

My recommendation is to buy this set while it is available. It is a rare bargain; the real deal.

Hypnotic Sidney Bechet.., 13 Apr 2008

Very nearly didn't buy this. No-one had reviewed it so I was rather in
the dark. Now that I have the disc I am addicted to Sidney Bechet! RCA
Victor has given us a first-rate recording - apart from only one track
from 1949 which is a little scratchy - but I still feel the 5 stars
are merited for the standard of Bechet's artistry. His rendition of
Petite Fleur and Le Marchand De Poisson is hypnotic...He demands your
full undivided attention - and gets it. If you don't know Bechet but
like jazz - buy this CD - and if you are already a Bechet fan, you
won't be disappointed.

Jackman the Shining Star, 23 Feb 2004
I heartily agree this CD would be best enjoyed if the show had been seen in person. This review, though, is based off the CD alone.

Pro: Following the life of Peter Allan, the Boy From Oz is an undeniably enthusiastic rendering of his life, using songs Allan wrote.
Con: This enthusiasm, however, does sometimes bleed over into happy "cheese." Many people have never heard of Peter Allan until now, and his music does have a somewhat dated sound (70s).

Note: If you don't like Liza Minnelli's voice in real life, you won't like how she's rendered here - it's pretty good! The same goes for the style. The Boy from Oz might be a bit like "Hair" - you either love it or hate it.

Pro: His music was meant to be performed from the get-go, few songs have been converted to the stage.
Con: The CD doesn't do a great job of conveying the character nuances you'd get from seeing a live performance.

Pro: Here Jackman proves his roots as a song and dance man. The Bonus Track "Tenterfield Saddler" (was it cut?) is probably the best as it really shows off Jackman's voice. Jarrod Emick as 'Greg' in "I Honestly Love You" is also talented.

Con: The majority of the show is so 'full on' that the other singers seem to go flat/sharp more often that they should on a professional recording. (In particular, 'Don't Cry Out Loud' is a bit soured because the actress goes sharp a number of times.)

Pro: The show matures as you listen. I tend to think Act II is much better than Act I.

Nitpick: I don't think the CD is that well produced, found a typo, and in 2 songs when 'Minnelli' is singing the sound goes a bit loud/fuzzy as if she's standing too close to the recording microphone. This should have been fixed! (I've checked, it's not my speakers). The pictures are great, however!

So why 4 stars?
Though I've highlighted a few 'cons', I think they generally balance out with the 'pros.' In the end you get a pretty good, busy CD with a lot a decent vocal talent. Jackman and a few others shine above the rest. I don't think it will be remembered forever, but it's not a bad addition to the musical genre.

Magic Moments in the Theatre, 21 Dec 2003
You have to have seen the show to put this cast recording into the full emotional context of how Peter Allen's life and music have been portrayed on stage! Hugh Jackman's highly acclaimed performance ( conceded now as frontrunning for the 2003 Tony awards) brings to life the story of Peter - and he does it with great acting, appealing singing, solid dancing skills, and sheer charisma. His rapport and engaging manner with the audience wins him fans, from the show's critics and audience alike.

The songs in the album are presented in the context of the rewritten book of the musical, brought to life by wonderful emotive and vocal performances by Hugh and his amazing supporting cast. He brings such tenderness to the bonus track Tenterfield Saddler ( cut from the show but for good reasons), brings the audience to an emotional high with Once Before I Go ( often ended by a rare standing ovation before the end of a show), delights with the joyous or poignant displays in his duets with Judy, Liza, and Greg. His I Go to Rio is such an awesome spectacle you feel like doing the latin dance it evokes. Sadly, the BI-COASTAL number on the disc does not include the now famous audience interaction scenes which have become one the show's most enjoyable moments. Neither does the album fully capture the joyous spirit of Not The Boy Next Door and Everything Old Is New Again. But that is not the fault of this well-conceived album - you simply have to view the performance to capture the visual and vocal appeal of the musical score and its settings... Stephanie Block also delivers impressively in her numbers and Jarrod Emick imbues I Honestly Love You with such honest emotions...But my favourite song is turning out to be ALL THE LIVES OF ME - sung by Hugh with such a wry and poignant expression, one can almost feel the regrets and the joys which marked the life of Peter Allen.

Get the cast album - even better, save like mad and go to New York for that evening of pure entertainment. I have done it - no less than 6 times!

Good time and easy listening trad jazz, 22 Nov 2001
This CD is a collection made up from earlier records with typical trad jazz input for which Monty Sunshine is famed. However it is not just Monty Sunshine clarinet dominated, as all the musicians are superb with particularly forceful contributions from trombone, trumpet and banjo. There are opportunities for solos in addition to excellent ensemble playing, and though sometimes a little strained the music is always professional. There is a mixture of live and studio recordings, but all are equally well produced.

The choice of numbers is trad jazz inspired with everything from traditional pieces and spirituals to popular tunes and anything melodic in between. The first track is a German cradle song "Sleep My Little Prince" and immediately a high standard is demonstrated. This is my favourite track on the CD and it sets the scene for all numbers being good time and easy listening. Jazz standards include great performances for such as "South", "Weary Blues" and "Savoy Blues", spirituals include a haunting rendition of "The Old Rugged Cross" and a melancholy vocal combined with low and high register clarinet on "Just A Closer Walk With Thee", and popular tunes abound with favourites such as "Bill Bailey", "Isle Of Capri", "You Are My Sunshine" and "Magnolia's Wedding Day".

For good time and easy listening jazz this CD has it all - good musicians giving professional performances of a superb selection of numbers.

One of evolution's dead ends, 08 Jan 2009
Jazz has evolved over the last century or so and it is easy to see how one form has grown almost seamlessly out of another. That is not to deny the immense importance and originality of giants like Armstrong or Parker but they did come out of an established tradition, and their influences were absorbed into that ongoing tradition.

Like any other form of evolution there are side branches which develop from time to time but which go nowhere. In jazz most of these will probably never get much beyond the rehearsal room but some go on to have a brief life before simply dying out and without leaving any progeny. Two examples might be Artie Shaw's use of strings in some of his big band performances, and the "progressive jazz" of Stan Kenton.

Of more interest, I think, are the so-called "pianoless" groups of the 1950s. The most important and best-known of these are the quartets led by Gerry Mulligan, with two horns, bass and drums.

I think the term "pianoless" is somewhat misleading. It had been uncommon, but by no means rare, to have pianoless jazz groups from a long way back. But these groups would invariably have a guitar or (in earlier days) banjo to provide a chordal backing. What was new about the "pianoless" groups of the 1950s was the complete absence of any instrument which could play chords and set the harmonic pattern of the tune being played.

The Jimmy Giuffre Three goes one step beyond Mulligan in that they drop drums as well. And although Jim Hall plays guitar he plays it as a melodic and not chordal instrument, only very occasionally playing two strings together. Giuffre himself plays alto, tenor or clarinet and the fine bass player is Ralph Pena.

So what does this trio sound like? Well, all bar one of the numbers were written by Giuffre, and all were tightly arranged by him. There is relatively little space for solos. Giuffre's sax sound is a very breathy one and he carries this over to the clarinet in a way which I can't recall hearing before. There is little doubt as to who is the boss on these recordings.

The performances themselves are very good: indeed, in such groups they have to be because there is nowhere to hide and nothing to cover up any slips. At times the question might rise unbidden "But is it jazz?" to which the answer must be an ever-so-slightly hesitant "Yes". But hard bop it certainly ain't, and (dreadful to say) there are times when - to this listener at least - the music doesn't really swing.

So do I recommend this CD? With the reservations I have given the answer is "Yes". At the lowest level it is always interesting and tuneful. But this style of jazz was probably always going to be something which was a side branch on the evolution