Search - Jimmy Dorsey :: Kiss to Build a Dream on

Jimmy Dorsey in Hi-Fi 1949-1952

rayer@vlnk.net | Ventura, CA | 08/01/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is a bargain from Amazon.com. Featured is a latter period in Jimmy Dorsey's career, just before he returned to re-unite with brother Tommy. Sony is producing this CD, which in includes tunes originally released by the original label. The high fidelity enhances the great sound of this band. The liner notes fail to give personnel, but this is in all probability a studio band led by Jimmy (his regular touring band in these later years was rather mediocre). Jimmy displays his formidable technique on Sweet Georgia Brown and don't miss the great trumpet climax at the end. The aforementioned tune is the only instrumental on the CD. The brass is brilliant on the big band sides in general. Included are two dixie charts Rag Mop and Johnson Rag, the latter performed earlier as a big-band tune by Jimmy in the early 40's. The trumpter on the dixie tunes is likely to be Charlie Teagarden (brother of Jack). The big band vocals on Lost in a Dream (Ken Martin), The World Is Your Balloon (Sandy Evans) are a bit outdated in vocal style, being a bit behind the kinds of tunes that Sinatra was soon to make with Nelson Riddle. The female vocalist, Claire Hogan does a brilliant job on When They Ask About You and Fiddle Dee Dee, the band getting a nice modern sound due to harmonic influences at the time. A Kiss to Build A Dream On (the title track) is cute in the back and forth vocals of Evans and Pat O'Conner. Jump Back Hey has less semblance to jazz than r&b, but is a small forshadowing of the hit Jimmy had in 1956 on So Rare. Echoes is fairly dull and quite commercial. Nevertheless, these recordings provide a rare opportunity to hear Jimmy in hi-fi, and the band is tight and thilling to listen to."