Search - Larry Clinton & His Orchestra :: My Reverie

Bea Wain steals the show

Ukrit Patnoi | Bangkok, Thailand | 07/31/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I ordered this CD out of curiosity. During the span of two years (1938 and 1939), Bea Wain and the Larry Clinton orchestra had numerous hits on the chart, surpassing the Tilton/Goodman and Forrest/Shaw collaborations. I wondered whether they were that good. Half way through the CD, I developed an admiration for Bea Wain. Her style might be typical of the female vocalists hired by the dance bands, but she had a beautiful voice and she could sing the swing songs better than most others. Interestingly, two of her greatest hits, My Reverie and Deep Purple, are ballads. Deep Purple, in particular, showcases her deep and powerful voice. Personally, I still prefer the Forrest/Shaw version, but I can understand why the Wain/Clinton version took the top spot. I enjoy very much all the 14 songs sung by her in this collection. There are four other songs performed by two male vocalists. They are unexceptional but enjoyable. I don't take a fancy to the Clinton numbers sans vocalists, but that doesn't mean they are bad. Larry Clinton had a unique style and to like or dislike him is a matter of taste. For me the 14 songs by Bea Wain are already worth more than the price of the CD. If you happen to enjoy the rest as much, then this is a great bargain. The sound quality of each track varies as one might expect from any collections of the 78s. Three of them are merely acceptable, but the rest are either good or very good.



If you are not sure whether you will like Ms. Wain or not, I advise you go to YouTube. There is a video clip of her singing Heart and Soul (one of her no.1 hits). You should listen to it and decide for yourself."

Excellent sampling of the Clinton band at its peak; fidelity

Scott MacGillivray | Massachusetts, USA | 03/23/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're a big-band fan, you've probably heard at least a few of the Larry Clinton orchestra's songs on various ""greatest hits of the swing era" compilations. Here the maestro gets his due with an entire CD. There's a nice blend of chart-topping hits ("My Reverie," "Martha," "The Dipsy Doodle") and several tunes that are almost forgotten but got quite a bit of attention in their day ("Summer Souvenirs" is a standout). Bea Wain, one of the very best big-band vocalists, is the featured singer. The few male vocals are supplied by two of Clinton's musicians, Ford Leary and Dick Todd.



Collectors will appreciate the selection here. Clinton is known for his "A Study in Brown" but this CD goes four better with Studies in Brown, Red, Blue, Green, and Scarlet! The titles may suggest somber mood pieces, but they're really up-tempo jump numbers. Clinton's talents as an arranger are shown in his clever adaptations of old standards. His version of "In a Persian Market" is special: listen for some daring effects, with the band alternately stopping in its tracks and embellishing the melody with ideas heard in Ray Noble's more famous "Cherokee."



The careful audio engineering gives the late-1930s recordings amazing sparkle and definition. Sound fidelity is leagues ahead of the original 78s. With the exception of a couple of radio transcriptions, the cuts derive from the original commercial releases.



An excellent collection from Britain's Living Era series. Highly recommended."

Ironic that Bea Wain should sing 'Martha' and not Martha Til

Jonathan Rickard | Connecticut River Valley, USA | 09/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a child it was impossible for me to avoid the music my parents loved; the big bands and the 'girl singers,' Helen Ward, Helen O'Connell, Sarah Vaughn, Martha Tilton ("The Liltin' Miss Tilton"), and many others. But the one that always astonished me was Bea Wain singing 'Martha'--the ease with which she would cruise along in mid range and then hit an impossibly high note with such clarity. Of course those recordings were 78s, with some finding their way in time onto LPs. I was thrilled to stumble on this CD of Larry Clinton with Bea Wain singing that oh so memorable tune. I recommend it to anyone who treasures that era but also to anyone fascinated by the female voice and fine songwriting."