Search - Geraldo :: Very Best of

THE VERY BEST IS YET TO COME

Barry McCanna | Normandy, France | 03/26/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

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This compilation falls into two distinct halves, as shown below:



Disc 1: Rhapsody For Reeds; Yours (DC/LC); Maria Elena (LC); Someday I'll Meet You Again (SD); Saturday Night (LC); Summertime (SD); Concerto For Drums; Starlight Serenade (DC); June Comes Around Every Year (AL); While The Music Plays On (DC); There's A Harbour Of Dreamboats (LC); You Came Along (AL); You And I (DC); I'll Be Seeing You (LC); You Too Can Have A Lovely Romance (DC); Aurora (GE); Goodnight Wherever You Are (SD); Saint Mary's In The Twilight (LC); Keep An Eye On Your Heart (DoV-TH); By Candlelight (LC); Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree (GE-3B&G); Starlight Souvenirs; Miss You (BeD); Out Of This World; The Old Piano Roll Blues (ND)



Disc Two: If I Had Only Known (SD); My Golden Baby; I Do, I Do, I Do (DeV, DL): Song Of Capri (AL); Serenade Waltz; The Echo Told Me A Lie; Dear Hearts And Gentle People; The Old Master Painter (CG); Tennessee Waltz; You're Only Dreaming; I Still Love You; Across The Wide Missouri; Day Dream Island (BoD); A Bouquet Of Roses; Enjoy Yourself; Lake Macquarie (BoD); C'est Si Bon (CG); All My Love; Oh You Sweet One; Medley: Who's Sorry Now/Whispering/Three Little Words; Music, Music, Music; If; Orange Coloured Sky; Candy And Cake; The Ferry Boat Inn



Vocalists* DC - Dorothy Carless LC - Len Camber BeD - Beryl Davis BoD - Bob Dale ND - Nadia Dore SD - Sally Douglas GE - George Evans AL - Archie Lewis DL - Doreen Lundy TH - The Top Hatters 3B&G - Three Boys & A Girl DeV - Denny Vaughan DoV - Doreen Villiers *where identifiable



The first CD concentrates on Geraldo's wartime recordings, when the emphasis was on smooth orchestrated arrangements, and the band featured a roster of great vocalists, of whom Sally Douglas and Archie Lewis merit special mention (the latter sings "Out Of Nowhere", not "You Came Along" as shown.)



In contrast, the second CD is set in the late forties/early fifties, when the role of the orchestra had become secondary to that the vocalist, who often took label precedence. The difference was not merely one of designation either; the vocal pervaded the recording instead of being confined to the middle section. To my mind it's arguable whether this period, when the orchestra was relegated to the background, ranks as "the very best of Geraldo". Still, fans of Bob Dale will be delighted at the inclusion of two rare tracks from 1952.



Given that this is a release from EMI, it is curious (to put it no more strongly) that the track listing omits details of vocalists and recording dates. To compound the felony, a 78 record and sleeve has been mocked up for the cover, but it shows a Brunswick sleeve which contains a Regal Zonophone record, the label of which carries a catalogue number that refers to a 1937 Joe Loss release! So what we are offered is shadow rather than substance, with the exception of the liner note. In summary, I think that for collectors of Geraldo's recordings, the merits of the set are confined mainly to the first CD.

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