Another good Boswell collection
Micaloneus | the Cosmos | 05/06/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This import collection is one of the finest in the Boswell Sister CD catalog. It's an interesting mix of their most popular songs along with some of their rarer tracks. This disc is also free of heavy noise reduction.
If you already have the "Shout Sisters Shout! 1925-1934" CD on the Jazz Legends label, this collection will give you a lot of new Boswell tunes you haven't heard yet. Highly recommended."
A Generous Serving with Fairly Good Sound
Johnny Hodges | Clark Fork, ID United States | 03/06/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This was my third attempt at getting a good sounding Boswell Sisters CD. While there is a small amount of surface noise on some tracks, the remastering does capture the subtlties of vocal harmony lost to noise reduction on the other imports I tried. The generous serving of 25 recordings mixes some of their more commercial (as opposed to the jazz slant of most other collections) offerings. But even the smaltz comes very alive when run through the sisters' harmony machine. While I prefer the jazzier numbers, I think the CD as a whole plays better with the great variety here. Oh, not familiar with the Sisters Boswell? Quite simply the best female harmony group at any time on any planet. Really? Exhibit A: Andrew Sisters admit to emulating them when they started out; Exhibit B: Ella Fitzgerald admitted to trying to be another Connie Boswell when she was starting out."
A Must-Have
Carol J. Shriver | NYC | 08/05/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the music my mother grew up with as a child: The Boswell Sisters AND Connee Boswell who went on to have a highly respected solo career. GOOGLE Connee Boswell and you will wonder why everybody doesn't know about this talented, ground breaking woman. Ella Fitzgerald's mother played Connee Boswell records when Ms. Fitzgerald was a young girl and young Ella wanted to sing like Connee. And Connee began her singing career greatly influenced by another, earlier, great female Jazz singer, Mamie Smith. The beautiful story of these three women, the pattern of the older influencing the younger, is a sweet reminder that great music is colorblind.
Anyone with a mother (or father, if he is into this type of music) over the age of 80 (if not younger) should buy this for their elderly parent, or any older person they care about, no matter what. My mother is 87, independent, and healthy, HOWEVER, if you know an older person who is not doing so well, you REALLY need to buy this album, and related music. NOTHING heals and wakes up an older person like music, ESPECIALLY the music of THEIR youth. Chances are very high that they heard this music on the radio growing up, and have forgotten about it. For an older person to hear it again would be one of the greatest gifts you could give them.
I bought this CD along with two Connee Boswell CD albums: "Moonlight & Roses" and "They Can't Take These Songs" and I have to say that all of these CDs are EXCELLENT both in terms of the songs and the QUALITY of the recordings. I also purchased a fantastic CD box set of Peggy Lee's Singles (that I wish I had for myself) and my mother was thrilled.
All of the old songs that have been surfacing from my mother's memory for years, she now has. AND, I find this CD, the Connee Boswell CDs, and of course, Peggy Lee, very relaxing to listen to, which surprised me because some of it is a bit bouncy, but in a relaxing, easy way. The ballads are exquisitely beautiful in a delicate way that we hardly ever hear from today's current artists. All of these CDs are treasures.
I closely studied all of the excellent reviews about this CD of the Boswell Sisters, the Connee Boswell CDs, and the Peggy Lee Singles box set, and my research paid off. Do NOT buy a specific CD just because it is cheaper and has the same songs. You really do get what you pay for with CDs as far as the actual recordings and the quality of the re-mastering.
Of course there can be big differences in how much different sellers will charge for the exact same CD, then you have to decide which one is most reliable as far as delivery and service. I recommend always buying from a seller that says "factory sealed." That is just common sense.
Having said that, the recording quality is so important, and this particular CD album, "Nothing Was Sweeter," by the Boswell Sisters, in addition to Connee Boswell's "Moonlight & Roses" and "They Can't Take These Songs," is as good as it gets, and considering how old the original recordings are, the quality is really quite remarkable. And quality recording is ESPECIALLY important for an older person with a hearing aide! If you get this for yourself, be sure to load it onto your iPod, then go see someone in a nursing home, stick the earbuds in their ears and make their day. You'll probably make their whole year. Indeed, "Nothing Was Sweeter.""
Track Listings (25) - Disc #1
