Search - Bert & Orchestra Ambrose :: Swing Is in the Air

The Best Of Ambrose

Barry McCanna | Normandy, France | 07/28/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the most reissued of the great British dance bands was that of Ambrose, both on LP and now CD. In fact the choice confronting the potential purchaser is quite bewildering. Well, if you want to know where to start, this 2-CD set is the best point, because it provides over 50 of his best recordings, spanning the years 1933 to 1939, at an unbeatable price. It's accurately titled, and shows that Ambrose could hold his own with the top American bands.



Apart from the numbers Ambrose made his own, many (like Cotton Pickers' Congregation, Hick Stomp, Streamline Strut, and B'Wanga) written by Sid Phillips, the set includes such standards as Copenhagen, Limehouse Blues, Memphis Blues, Caravan, and Deep Henderson. The band was strong in every department; a superb rhythm section, exceptional soloists, and great vocalists. Topping it all was Ambrose himself, who was renowned for his ability to translate an arrangement into a performance. The remastering is fantastic, and there's a 10-page liner note and discography. Go get it!

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