Hoagy plays and sings!
John Dziadecki | Louisville, CO USA | 11/26/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Transfered from 78s recorded between 1939-1947, the CD does indeed reveal the limitations of the source materials. But in this case, who cares? These two dozen songs -- all but two sung by Hoagy Carmichael -- are a welcome compilation of "shaggy dog classics" from Decca, ARA and V-Disc that would otherwise be lost. Some informative liner notes to boot. Hoagy can really play that piano -- you may find your toes tapping while you listen. In addition to playing the piano, Hoagy is backed by various bands, studio orchestras, trios, and vocal groups. The music master even does short whistling solos on "Rockin' Chair", "Baltimore Oriole", "Old Man Harlem" and "Judy".I would love to hear these recordings with improved sonics but until that happens, this is a very enjoyable listen. BTW, if you want cleaner sound of different recordings, I highly recommend the excellent "Hoagy Carmichael and Friends: Stardust Melody" ASIN: B0000640NS."