EVERYBODY DANCED
Barry McCanna | Normandy, France | 11/11/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This second volume of Joe Loss recordings from Vocalion covers the same period as the first, but takes in also a couple of 1940 recordings. To begin with Joe was based at the Kit Cat (not Kit Kat!) Restaurant, before returning to the Astoria Ballroom in Charing Cross Road. From the outset he achieved from his band ensemble playing of a very high order, with a pulsating beat driving the proceedings along. Just listen to the opening "Sentimental Gentleman From Georgia" as a prime example, and wonder how much vocalist Jimmy Messini had lubricated his tonsils beforehand!
The compilation includes two extremely rare recordings Joe made for the short-lived Octacros label in late 1934, which were issued as by Joe Loss and his Kit-Cat Band at the Astoria Dance Salon. A real collector's item."