Search - Helen O'Connell, Jimmy Dorsey :: Especially for You

Exellent

jimmy-jack-joe | 01/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"O'Connell was one of the finest swing singers from the 1940's era, and was without a doubbt Jimmy Dorsey's best girl singer. The music here is pretty hard to dislike, The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra is on every track, and you get Dorsey's hot sax solos. O'Connell often sort of used her charm and looks to communicate to audiences, but that charm comes right thru the 78's, and onto this well remstered cd! O'Connell pretty much brought Dorsey to the publics eye, with Amapola, Green Eyes, and When The Sun Comes Out. Square jaw singer Eberly would croon the 1st part(for slow dancers), then you'd hear a brief solo from Dorsey, and then Helen would sing hot, for the jitterbugs, and lindy hoppers! And Helen was a "Hot" singer, who puts pizazz, and swing into every songs she sings. She sounds especailly great on Six Lessons From Madame Lazonga and Arthur Murray Tought Me Dancing in A Hurry. She also was a more then able jazz singer as one can hear on All Of Me, When The Sun Comes Out, and One Sweet Letter From You(particlarly showing what an effective torch singer she was). A perfectly done cd, that leaves off a few of her hits with Eberly & Dorsey, but no USA record label has bothered(only a mail order Good Music Co., put out a better collection, but good luck finding that!).Buy it, you'll love it!"

Helen could swing, but she could do the romantic songs too

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 08/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Helen's most successful years were in the big band era, as female singer with Jimmy Dorsey's band. Bob Eberly was the male singer, but only three of the songs they did together are featured here (including the most successful of them all, Tangerine).



Jimmy's band certainly makes it's presence felt here, with plenty of instrumental breaks and brilliant backing for Helen, though Helen is always the star on these songs.



There is plenty of variety here, including uptemp swinging songs, romantic love songs and some amusing songs, all performed brilliantly by Helen.



This compilation was released to showcase Helen's lovely voice, so it's not by any means all the greatest hits of Jimmy Dorsey's band. Helen sang with Bob on many of the band's greatest hits. Great though some of them were, they didn't always show just what Helen was really capable of, which is why they were excluded from this collection. For more of the band, there are other Jimmy Dorsey compilations.



This is a real treasure, not to be missed if you like the music of the thirties, particularly if you (like me) have a soft spot for the ladies."

Helen Was Great!

Peter Durward Harris | 08/28/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The above reviewer (From the UK) pretty much says it all, but I would like to add a few more comments. This 24 song compilation is roughly half of Helen's recorded output with the great Jimmy Dorsey band. So hopefully there will be a "Volume Two"! Bob Eberly handled the ballads effectively, but Helen specialized in the 'Rhythm' numbers. On her earlier recordings, beginning in February, 1939, she tries to emulate Billie Holiday. Because she had trouble hitting the high notes she came up with the "cool and limpid" style of singing which was all her own!"