The Ultimate Chick Webb collection
Jim A. Lipman | Livermore, CA | 07/05/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Chick Webb, the King of the Savoy in the 1930s, did more than make great music. He discovered a 17-year old Ella Fitzgerald in 1935. This collection of Chick Webb Orchestra pieces, many with Ella, captures so much of swing music in the Art Deco era. This is an amazingly complete collection, from standards like "Tain't What You Do its the Way that Cha Do It" to the little known, but fabulous, "Gotta Pebble in My Shoe." This is the CD collection that will bring you back to the Harlem dance club days in the 30s, when everyone moved to the music."
Wonderful collection of Swing music featuring Chick Webb and
Roger Berlind | NY, USA | 01/05/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is another great value box set from Proper filled with great Big Band music. While it is ostensibly focused on drummer/bandleader Chick Webb, it could easily have been labeled a Chick Webb & Ella Fitzgerald set since the young Ella is featured quite heavily on disks 2-4. While doing this might have helped Proper sell more copies, I respect and approve of their decision to title this the way they did since most of the recordings were originally released as being by "Chick Webb and his Orchestra". While Ella's singing helped Chick Webb's orchestra climb the charts, it would have been wrong to have diminished the importance of Chick's leadership of the band. That being said, it is surprising that Proper does not mention Ella on the back of the box or even in the entry for this set in their catalog which they include in all their box sets. For people like me who love Ella but mostly know her Verve Songbook albums, this collection is probably the best way to hear her at an earlier stage in her career when her voice was younger and brighter.
But the set of energetic swing music also has dynamic drumming from Chick, excellent arrangements from Edgar Sampson and Benny Carter, and great instrumental solos by trumpeters Taft Jordan and Bobby Stark, trombonist Sandy Williams, saxophonists Elmer Williams and Louis Jordan, and clarinetist Chauncey Haughton. Taft Jordan, Charles Linton, and Louis Jordan also contribute vocal variety with their own distinctive styles. Additionally, you can hear two of the monster hits of the Swing era, "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Don't be that Way", as originally performed by Chick Webb's band in performances that swing harder and have more energy than the later hit versions released by Benny Goodman."
Great collection...
D. Alder | Michigan | 03/24/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Chick Webb was one of the fathers of this style of swing drumming. This is a great collection, especially if you appreciate the historical context in which the tracks were recorded. The sound is suprisingly good. Check it out!
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Track Listings (25) - Disc #1
