At Carnegie Hall - 1938 - Complete ( Remastered) [Audio CD] Benny Goodman

At Carnegie Hall - 1938 - Complete ( Remastered) [Audio CD] Benny Goodman

Disc: 1
1    Benny Goodman 1950 Introduction
2    Don't Be That Way - Benny Goodman Big Band
3    Sometimes I'm Happy
4    One O'Clock Jump - Benny Goodman Big Band
5    Applause, Transition to Twenty Years of Jazz
6    Sensation Rag
7    I'm Coming Virginia
8    When My Baby Smiles at Me
9    Shine
10    Blue Reverie
11    Applause; Transition Back to Goodman Orchestra
12    Life Goes to a Party
13    Setting Up for Jam Session
14    Honeysuckle Rose
15    Applause; Setting Up & Tuning Up for BG Small Groups
16    Body and Soul
17    Applause as Lionel Hampton Enters
18    Avalon
19    The Man I Love - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
20    I Got Rhythm - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
21    Pause Track
Disc: 2
1    Blue Skies
2    Loch Lomond - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
3    Applause; Benny Goodman's 'No Encore' Announcement
4    Blue Room
5    Swingtime In the Rockies - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
6    Applause; Martha Tilton Returns to Stage
7    Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
8    Applause; Setting-up for BG Small Groups
9    China Boy
10    Stompin' at the Savoy
11    Applause; BG Quartet Continues but Change Program
12    Dizzy Spells
13    Applause; Transition Back to Goodman Orchestra for Finale
14    Sing Sing Sing (With a Swing) - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
15    Applause Until Encores
16    If Dreams Come True
17    Applause for Second Encore
18    Big John's Special
19    Pause Track
20    Introduction
21    Don't Be That Way
22    Twenty Years of Jazz
23    Blue Reverie
24    Life Goes to a Party
25    Body and Soul
26    Avalon
27    Swingtime In the Rockies
28    Conclusion

In jazz, live recordings not only document an artist or group's sound in its purest form but, in rare cases, herald the arrival of a musical genre. That's the case with this invaluable, two-CD collection that captures clarinetist Benny Goodman's historic 1938 Carnegie Hall concert, which exemplified the so-called "swing era." Originally released in 1950, it contains rare commentary from Goodman and music from the entire event, which was a unique mix of formality and spontaneity. Goodman's perfect intonation and lyrical improvisation front the big band here, featuring the smooth solos of trumpeter Harry James, the percussive power of Gene Krupa--jumping the blues on "Don't Be That Way"--and the Fletcher Henderson- arranged "Sometimes I'm Happy" and "One O'Clock Jump." Another segment of the evening, called "Twenty Years of Jazz," takes Goodman to New Orleans with a lickety-split reading of "Sensation Rag" and "When My Baby Smiles at Me." A spirited jam session follows with Count Basie on the keys, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophonists Johnny Hodges, Lester Young, and Harry Carney, along with trumpeter Buck Clayton. Goodman hangs tough with the crew on a rollicking read of Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose." The spotlight turns to Goodman's color-line breaking small combos. His trio with Krupa and the elegant, fleet-fingered Teddy Wilson on piano delivers a harmonically delicious version of "Body & Soul" that would give Coleman Hawkins's version a run for its money. When vibraphonist Lionel Hampton gets into the mix and makes it a quartet, the standards "Avalon," "The Man I Love," and "I Got Rhythm," as well as "Stompin' at the Savoy," are transformed into timeless vehicles of improvisation. The big band returns with growling grandeur on Irving Berlin's optimistic "Blue Skies" and the British Isle balladry of "Loch Lomond," with the majestic vocals of Martha Tilton. One listen to Goodman and company's rockhouse romp on "Sing, Sing, Sing" will testify to the success of this event, which still reverberates today. --Eugene Holley Jr.