Misleading title, but decent music.
simnia | snowy bayou country, USA | 04/22/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I resent this deceptive album title. From the title one would assume this is a live recording of the band in Anaheim's Disneyland, but it's nothing like that. It's pure studio, and the album cover photo couldn't have been taken in Anaheim Disneyland because of the two ferris wheels. Maybe Disneyland Paris? But when? There is no date on this album, but the relatively recent songs from "The Lion King" (1994) and "The Little Mermaid" (1989) place this release in at least at the 1990s. Despite the deceptive title and ambiguous date, the music is good, especially if you like alternative versions of Disney songs. Many of these songs are surprisingly well-suited for Dixieland treatment, especially "The Ugly Bug Ball" (from the film "Summer Magic") and "Heigh-Ho." Many have vocals, but I thought the instrumentals sounded more traditional and timeless, such as in the two aforementioned songs."
Who'da thunk it was possible?
Particular Individual | California | 02/17/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've never been a particular fan of Disney tunes --aren't they for kids, mostly? But Ball and the band bring out the very high quality of writing in these songs. Well, now it occurs to me that my kids never went out of their way, either, to listen to cartoon songs. Yet this and all the other Ball album have become the music of choice for my nine year old son, Paddy --previously a devotee of the Baha Men and N Sync. Remarkably, a generation ago, I was just about his age when this same guy grabbed my attention forever with "Midnight in Moscow."To me, this is what Traditional Jazz is all about: taking any song and making it interesting, danceable, toe tapping, finger popping and forever fresh. I suppose they could take some old Russian folk song and make it funky, too."
This is the best trad-jazz disk in the whole world.
Particular Individual | 04/15/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"When I was a child I listened to this album on LP (remember them?) and about six years ago my battered and scratched copy finally went missing. I've been hunting a CD copy ever since but the LP was called "Pixie Dust" and the CD is called Kenny Ball in Disneyland. I can't recommend it highly enough. It is the most "up" album you will ever buy and I guarantee many smiles for every listener."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1