Larry Clinton - The Very Best Of Larry Clinton His Orchestra (20 tracks) +Album Reviews

One of the few domestic CD's that feature vocalist Bea Wain

Amateur Historian | 06/29/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What is the primary reason we listen to Larry Clinton today? Well it's not for his unique sound, his band has a generic but great sound, much like Tommy Dorsey, of course because he used to arrange for Dorsey's band. For some people they listen to Larry Clinton for his big hit "My Reverie" but what made that song a hit? That's why we listen to Larry Clinton's records today for Bea Wain, she made the band what it was, her heartfelt vocals(often compared to a female Frank Sinatra, they both had the Brooklyn accents), and exquisite phrasing. Wain's jazz oriented delivery would not be heard again until Anita O'Day joined Gene Krupa, though wain's specialty was ballads, her biggest hits were with Larry Clinton "My Reverie", "Deep Purple", "Martha," and "Over The Rainbow." Here she is heard on a number of vocals with Clinton's Orchestra, his arrangements for her were great(although she deserved hotter, maybe Bob Crosby or Benny Goodam) and she is usually pretty playful with the melody and rhythms. This CD is great if you like baig bands and good jazz oriented singing. Or if you just like good music."

The biggest hits of an an all-but-forgotten big band leader

Amateur Historian | Jonesboro, AR USA | 08/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Unless you are a devoted fan of the Big Bands, you might not have heard of Larry Clinton, but he was an important part of the Big Band Era, as an arranger, composer, and, finally bandleader. Clinton was a gifted musician who managed to keep himself squarely in the stylistic center of the Big Band Era. He doesn't play the best "jazz" in the sense that word is used today, but his band swings with a solid beat on rhythm numbers. And their musicianship is top notch. This is no rinky-dink hotel band. Some jazz critics may say that he didn't write the most memorable works of the Big Band Era, but several of his songs are anthems of the Era. This collection is well restored by Collector's Choice music and sounds very good considering it came from original metal masters (this is pre-magnetic tape stuff), and has all of Clinton's biggest hits. I waited for decades to get a copy of the original version of Heart and Soul---one of his biggest hits---and his own composition---and it is right here along with all the rest of his best---many of which were top ten hits in their day. This is a most valuable chapter in the story of the Big Band era, and a must for any true fan of the Big Bands."

VINTAGE SWING

scotsladdie | 04/30/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Larry Clinton was a genius in that he took classical tunes and made them into popular songs i.e. "My Reverie", etc. Here we have a delightful collection of tunes with vocals by the eloquent Bea Wain and some snappy instrumentals which haven't been heard for ions! "I Double Dare You" is a good example of a frothy tune from 1938. "Deep Purple" is an underrated classic from the those magic years of the Great Band Era. While never a favorite vocalist of mine, (I thought she sounded too much like a glorified dame from the Bronx, which was exactly what she was) Bea Wain nevertheless had a clear bell-like quality to her voice and the instrumentals in this collection are terrific fun to listen to. Clinton wrote "The Dipsy Doodle" for Dorsey (vocal by the terrific Edythe Wright) and "Satan Takes a Holiday" not to mention the ingenious "Study in Brown". This collection is truly a treasure trove of fun for fanatics of swing. If you dig deeper into Clinton, listen for "Martha", "In a Persian Market" and "Dodging the Dean". Inspired Gold!"

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