Artist: Harry James And His Orchestra
Album: 1939
Genre: Big Band, Swing
Label: Classics
Released: 1997
Quality: FLAC (tracks+.cue)
Tracklist:
- And the Angels Sing (3:17)
- Indiana (2:46)
- Got No Time (2:39)
- King Porter Stomp (3:08)
- Comes Love (2:31)
- I Can't Afford to Dream (2:46)
- I Found a New Baby (2:46)
- Fannie-May (2:52)
- From the Bottom of My Heart (3:23)
- Sugar Daddy (3:12)
- Melancholy Mood (3:09)
- Avalon (2:52)
- My Buddy (3:00)
- Vol Vistu Gaily Star (2:46)
- Flash (2:59)
- It's Funny to Everyone But Me (2:58)
- Here Comes the Night (2:53)
- Willow, Weep for Me (2:34)
- Feet Draggin' Blues (3:04)
- All or Nothing at All (3:00)
- On a Little Street in Singapore (2:52)
- Who Told You I Cared? (2:40)
- Sleepy Time Gal (2:47)
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The second Harry James CD put out by the Classics label, this set traces the trumpeter's recording career during a six-month period when his big band was struggling financially. It is surprising that James did not catch on immediately, considering how popular he had been with Benny Goodman and since his band at the time was pretty good. Other than the leader, there were no major soloists in the orchestra (altoist Dave Matthews was perhaps best-known), but the arrangements for the instrumentals (including "Indiana," "I Found a New Baby," a surprisingly cooking "Willow Weep for Me" and "Feet Draggin' Blues") were excellent. A little over half of the 23 selections on this reissue have vocals (eight are Frank Sinatra's first appearances on record, including the minor hit "All or Nothing at All"), but the high points are an interesting, unreleased version of "Flash" and "Sleepy Time Gal," which showcases James with just the rhythm section. Recommended for swing fans bored with the usual Harry James greatest-hits sets.
Review by Scott Yanow