Search - Lee Wiley :: Lee Wiley Completists Ultimate Collection 4

The Cole Porter Songbook

Jasper | New England | 03/31/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Lee Wiley's songbooks are widely considered to be her greatest work. This is the definitive deluxe collection of her exquisite Cole Porter songbook. Not only will you hear the eight classic tunes in their entirety, but you will also hear alternative versions, breakdowns, and fascinating studio talk as they work up to constructing these marvelous pieces. You are not likely to ever hear these recordings taken from better sources or perfectly pitched as they are here (there are pitch problems on many releases of the Lee Wiley songbooks). The sound here is absolutely perfect, and the Completists' Ultimate Collection series is THE DEFINITIVE way to hear these classic, timeless works.



Recorded in NYC on April 10th and 15th, 1940, you will hear the likes of jazz greats Bunny Berigan, Sid Weiss, George Wettling, and Joe Bushkin in a small band session for the first half of the album, and an octet featuring Joe Bushkin and directed by Paul Weston for the second half.



It's hard to overstate the quality and magic of this music. This is one of the ultimate moments of jazz and jazz vocals ever recorded. We are supremely blessed that we can enjoy it thusly.



Running time is 1.3 hours."

Lee Pitched Properly At Last!

Thomas Bumbera | Maplewood, NJ USA | 06/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These performances, among the greatest Songbook interpretations ever, are heard here for the first time at the correct pitch, with transfers from the original acetates (as opposed to the usual fifth-generation tape dubs). If you like Lee Wiley at all, you must own the complete series! God bless Ted Ono."