There's a Cradle in Caroline - Bix Beiderbecke, Ahlert, Fred E.
Just an Hour of Love - Bix Beiderbecke, DeRose, Peter
I'm Wonderin' Who - Bix Beiderbecke, DeRose, Peter
In jazz's childhood, Bix Beiderbecke was the only cornet player to rival Satchmo in terms of influence on other musicians and on the development of the genre. Armstrong's syncopated delivery, his blues shadings, his unique... more » phrasing--in short, his swing--became, rightly so, the benchmark, the standard by which jazz improvisation was not only judged, but actually defined. In a way, Bix represented both a practical and symbolic alternative to Armstrong. Though he was completely self-taught and couldn't read music, Bix's tone was incredibly pure, full, and lush, and his style was cooler, more restrained (but not reserved), and more plaintive than Louis's hot, ebullient playing--even though his actual tone remained bright and his note choices forceful. All of these 20 cuts come from 1927, and many of them rank among the finest performances of that classic era nudged between Dixieland and swing. A key component of these successes is Frankie Trumbauer, a remarkably fluent and lyrical C-melody sax player who was Beiderbecke's close friend and musical kindred spirit. The septet cuts from February and May are uniformly excellent, but "Singin' the Blues" (featuring Eddie Lang's prominent single-string guitar support), "Riverboat Shuffle," "I'm Comin' Virginia," and "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" are astonishing landmarks in jazz history. Also worth noting are two trio cuts featuring Beiderbecke on piano supporting Trumbauer and Lang, and "In a Mist (Bixology)," a Bix piano solo full of bold, unorthodox melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. --Marc Greilsamer« less
In jazz's childhood, Bix Beiderbecke was the only cornet player to rival Satchmo in terms of influence on other musicians and on the development of the genre. Armstrong's syncopated delivery, his blues shadings, his unique phrasing--in short, his swing--became, rightly so, the benchmark, the standard by which jazz improvisation was not only judged, but actually defined. In a way, Bix represented both a practical and symbolic alternative to Armstrong. Though he was completely self-taught and couldn't read music, Bix's tone was incredibly pure, full, and lush, and his style was cooler, more restrained (but not reserved), and more plaintive than Louis's hot, ebullient playing--even though his actual tone remained bright and his note choices forceful. All of these 20 cuts come from 1927, and many of them rank among the finest performances of that classic era nudged between Dixieland and swing. A key component of these successes is Frankie Trumbauer, a remarkably fluent and lyrical C-melody sax player who was Beiderbecke's close friend and musical kindred spirit. The septet cuts from February and May are uniformly excellent, but "Singin' the Blues" (featuring Eddie Lang's prominent single-string guitar support), "Riverboat Shuffle," "I'm Comin' Virginia," and "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" are astonishing landmarks in jazz history. Also worth noting are two trio cuts featuring Beiderbecke on piano supporting Trumbauer and Lang, and "In a Mist (Bixology)," a Bix piano solo full of bold, unorthodox melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. --Marc Greilsamer
"One of the other reviews commented how this disc had no surface noise? Well, they're right. The noise reduction (sounds like an older analog process) removed enough of the upper frequencies that the label chose to add echo after the fact to cover up their handiwork. So, "Blue River" is a brilliant performance . . . but it appears here in mediocre sound. For my money, the best sounding set out there NOT on Mosaic is the 2-cd 'Jazz Tribune Vol 48' on RCA (a US release).
There is a WORSE sounding Beiderbecke cd out there, with Orrin Keepnews' name on it yet. BUT . . . that's another story."
Epitomizes Easy Listening
Nawbdy | Wharton, NJ USA | 02/02/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've had this CD for a couple years now. I never tire of it. No matter what the circumstances of my life, I can't help but smile when I play this CD. If I'm feeling down Bix lifts me up. If I feeling good Bix helps me celebrate. I can think of no better recommendation."
Six-star music, docked for outdated restoration
Thomas Bumbera | Maplewood, NJ USA | 05/14/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"In addition to being among the most influential and beautiful jazz sides ever recorded, the original Okeh 78s were exceptionally well-recorded for their day, as any collector lucky enough to own one will tell you. Digital remastering was in its early days when Columbia issued this and its companion Bix disc, and it shows; the sound is flat, with the brilliance of the highs all but gone. It's shameful that Sony/BMG, which now owns nearly EVERYTHING Bix recorded, including the Columbia and Victor Whiteman sides, has not done justice to Bix by releasing the beautiful boxed set that collectors worldwide would welcome. In the meantime, the best restorations thus far are the "Bix Restored" sets, and that's where you should begin if you have interest in Bix or the best of late 20s jazz in general."
Those Pretty Notes Went Right Through Me
Glenda T. Childress | Knoxville, TN USA | 08/27/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My teenage music passion was early jazz, and one LP I absolutely wore out (playing it on a portable player with the type of needle that looked like a sharpened pencil lead) was the George Avakian production The Bix Beiderbecke Story Volume 2: Bix and Tram. I still have it, but trying to listen to it is painful, given the pops and skips it accumulated during those thousands of playbacks.
I serendipitously discovered the availability of this album on CD, and when it came it was a moving experience to hear "Singin' the Blues" in all its remastered beauty. Recorded between February and September of 1927, this album offers a good overview of the Bix and Tram recordings, some of the best of Twenties jazz, from small ensemble "dixieland" jazz to some of the larger orchestral arrangements for occasions when the guys put on their tuxedos and played posh places.
The best of this album are the aforementioned "Singin' the Blues," with perhaps Bix's most famous solo, each note perfect and achingly beautiful, "I'm Coming Virginia," "Ostrick Walk," "Clarinet Marmalade," and "Riverboat Shuffle" which feature this group of virtuosos at the top of their form. Also included are two Bix, Tram, and Eddie cuts and "In A Mist." Although "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," may seem a bit hackneyed at first hearing, it's important to remember that that is the case only because their style and arrangement has been copied by every dixieland group on the planet since.
Some great Bix & Tram classics are not included in this grouping, but are available as downloads from The Complete Bix Beiderbecke and Frank Trumbauer Collection, which also includes some fluffy pop songs of the era, valuable just for the flashes of Bix's magic, and some interesting later pieces in a clearly "swing" style which suggest what might have been had Bix lived longer.
These guys were cool before the word was invented. Louis Armstrong said about Bix, "Those pretty notes went right through me." Me, too, Louie. They still do."