Search - Kenny Ball :: Kenny Ball & His Jazz Band

Traditional jazz with a pop flavor

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 01/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the twenties, thirties and early forties, a lot of pop music was jazz-based. The jazz influence in pop music faded rapidly during the 1940's, but jazz musicians staged a mini-comeback in the late fifties and early sixties in Britain. Chris Barber, Dave Brubeck and Acker Bilk all had one or two hits, but Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen had a whole string of hits. Kenny was a trumpeter. Other musicians played the trombone, drums, clarinet, banjo and bass. Most of their music was instrumental, but they did record some vocal tracks.Their first hit was Samantha, a cover of a song from the movie High Society. That was followed by their biggest and most famous hit, Midnight in Moscow. Other hits included March of the Siamese children, Green leaves of summer and Sukiyaki. This collection includes all their hits and many other tracks, including covers from a wide variety of sources. The covers include Teddy bears picnic, Waltzing Matilda, Puttin' on the Ritz, Swanee river, Zambesi, From Russia with love, When I'm sixty four, Your mother should know (the last two both Beatles songs), Hello Dolly, Cabaret, What a wonderful world (the last three all covers of Louis Armstrong classics) and Every time we say goodbye.Kenny jokes that his real career peak came in 1981 when he and the band played at the reception following the 1981 wedding of Charles and Diana. Despite that, and despite the excellence of their music, Kenny Ball and his jazzmen seem to be almost forgotten now. Only almost, because somebody remembered how good they were and put this compilation together."

Great Dixieland

Allan | Calgary, Alberta Canada | 03/29/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the definitive Kenny Ball collection. The liner notes are fascinating, and the music is great Dixieland. Ball created many wonderful recordings, and this 2 CD set gives you the best. Pye is to be commended for this CD and the others in the Jazz Anthology series (e.g. Aker Bilk)."