Acoustic Swing [Import]

acoustic swing [import]

Track Listings

1. Gasology

2. Blues For Paradise

3. Old Gray Coat

4. Four On Six

5. So Much

6. Swing '51

7. New Walts

8. Fast Floyd

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Special Japanese Edition in an LP Style Sleeve of the 1979 Album Known as "Acoustics" in the USA Players Include Sam Bush and Mike Marshall on Mandolin, Richard Greene on Violin and Todd Phillips on Bass. Naturally, it Includes an Appearance by Rice's Day Boss David Grisman as Well.

Acoustic Swing,Tony Unit Rice,Vivid Sound,Rock

Acoustic Swing [Import]

Average customer rating:

A sure fire solid sender...
Great Album
Keep on Boppin'
Turntable Magic
A New Release from Big Sandy!!!

Turntable Matinee
Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys
Manufacturer: Yep Roc Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tulsa
Soldiers of Love
It's Time
Rockin' Big Sandy
What's Wrong with Right

ASIN: B000FZETD4
Release Date: 2006-07-11

Tracks:

Power Of The 45
Love That Man
The Great State Of Misery
Haunted Heels
Ruby Jane
Spanish Dagger
Mad
The Ones You Say You Love
You Don't Know Me At All
Yes (I Feel Sorry For You)
Lonesome Dollar
Slippin' Away
I Know I've Loved You Before
Power Of The 45 Pt.2

Amazon.com

The world can never have enough Buddy Holly songs. And as Holly hasn't been around since 1959, the music of Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys performs a public service, as Big Sandy not only channels the pure sincerity of Holly's tenor and the sweet innocence of that musical era, but writes songs such as "Love That Man" and "The Ones You Say You Love" that sound as fresh now as Holly's forever will. Yet Big Sandy and the Boys don't confine themselves to a single genre (neither, for that matter, did Holly and the Crickets), as the roadhouse twang of "The Great State of Misery," the horn-laden, Stax/Volt R&B of "Slipping Away," and the Western swing of "Yes (I Feel Sorry for You)" all combine for the platter party conjured by "The Power of the 45," which opens and closes the album. "Drop the needle in the groove and start to move," the song implores, and it's hard to resist the invitation. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

A sure fire solid sender..........2007-01-24

Having known Robert (Robert Williams, aka Big Sandy) for seemingly decades now, following and supporting them on tours since his days with the Fly Rite TRIO and back in the day when even Will B. and the legendary, untouchable T.K. Smith was playing guitar....it's good to see the boys still doing what they have always done. Sure there have been some personnel changes along the way, but Big Sandy has always been the pinnacle of this music, only rivaled by such cats as Dave and Deke when they were still together (Deke has gone on solo now - Dave too, but to a lesser extent), or possibly the Lucky Stars and the Horton Brothers. Still, Big Sandy and gang keep on keepin' on.

This latest is no exception. If you know this scene, then I really need to explain it or describe much further. But it is amazing, as usual. Get this latest one as soon as you can, and you won't regret it. Sounds of Speedy West, Jimmy Bryant, Bob Wills and such will come flooding from your hi-fi with a "modern" touch. You can't go wrong.

Great Album.......2007-01-10

This is a real fun album to listen to. It's up-beat and catchy.

Keep on Boppin'.......2006-11-04

If you are unfamiliar with Big Sandy, this is as good an album to begin with as any, solid tracks ready to provide the beat for your next house dance party. Those well versed in Big Sandy's medium will find no surprises here-another solid effort in the west coast rockabilly/country sounds for which he is known.

Turntable Magic.......2006-07-26

So, all right it's a c-d, but "Turntable Matinee" reminds those of us old enough to remember what it was like to set the needle in the groove and hear something special and not bat an eye at an occasional crackle or pop. This album is fantastic. Most are comparing it to Buddy Holly & the Crickets. There's some truth to that, but I'm hearing some Nick Lowe & Rockpile in there too. This album has a great "live" feel to it. I'm already looking to see what club they'll be coming to in my area.

A New Release from Big Sandy!!!.......2006-07-15

wow, sandy is back with a big time cd!! here's the deal

1. This album from the start is a lot faster than some of the other albums. Very energetic and very danceable.

2. of course, everyone is in top form musically.

3. another perfect mix of swing, rockabilly, some jump....

4. a fun, well produced, quickstep of an album. pick it up!!

Any new Sandy is always good.

Average customer rating:

Not just a gimmick
not a desert islander, but worth multiple listens
Two Masters of Their Craft
An excellent collection of acoustic music
Two masters at the height of their craft

Tone Poems
David Grisman
Manufacturer: Acoustic Disc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tone Poems 2
Tone Poems III: The Sounds of the Great Slide & Resophonic Instruments
Tone Poets
The David Grisman Quintet
The Pizza Tapes

ASIN: B000003915
Release Date: 1994-06-07

Tracks:

Turn Of The Century
The Prisoner's Waltz
Sam-Bino
Grandfather's Clock
Good Old Mountain Dew
I Am A Pilgrim
Mill Valley Waltz
Vintage Gintage Blues
I Don't Want Your Mandolins Mister
Dawg After Dark
Wildwood Flower
Morning Sun
Banks Of The Ohio
Swing '42
Watson Blues
O Solo Mio
Song For Two Pamelas

Customer Reviews:

Not just a gimmick.......2005-11-08

The whole idea sounded kind of gimmicky, but I bought it because I'm a Tony Rice fan who had become intrigued with the mandolin. I guess I expected that I'd listen to it once and then it would disappear into the dust-gathering depths of my CD collection. Even after the first listen I sort of still felt that way. But I've been going back to it more and more. This is beautiful music. The more I listen to this CD the more I like it. My favorites tunes here are Wildwood Flower (you'll want to take up the mandolin after listening to that one), Turn of the Century, Dawg After Dark, and Morning Sun.

I noticed a few other reviewers complaining that Tony and Dawg don't reer back let er rip on this disc. I'm not sure what they mean, unless they're complaining that the music is played at less than furious tempos. If so, this seems a silly criticism. There's certainly some improvising going on, though the solos aren't long. But the emphasis is on musicality rather than raw speed.

not a desert islander, but worth multiple listens.......2004-01-10

Some reviews of this are correct when they say there aren't any mind-blowing solos (though Rice does let loose a little in "Sam-Bino"). The music is indeed sweet, though. What's most interesting for me, though, is the clear differences in sound. I'm not much of a mandolin fan, so I can't tell an enormous difference there. The guitars, though, are almost shockingly different in their tones. With the extensive liner notes, it all adds up to a great CD.

Two Masters of Their Craft.......2001-01-22

I have been a fan of the music of David Grisman and Tony Rice for more than twenty years. The first time I heard them perform together was on Grisman's 1979 album Hot Dawg and Rice was the band's guitarist. On this outing, it's just Grisman (mandolin) and Rice (guitar) doing what they do best. They are two of the best practioners of their craft on their respective instruments. [If you want to adjust yor speakers, Rice plays through the left speaker and Grisman the right.] Their objective, however, is not to dazzle you with their speed--although they do at times--but rather "redirect some of the attention being paid to vintage guitars and mandolins back to their musical values" as Grisman points out in the liner notes.

The music can be reflective ("The Prisoner's Waltz"), playful ("Good Old Mountain Dew") or invigorating ("Sing '42"), but it's all played with style and taste. There's an informal, front porch feel to the music here and it all makes for enjoyable listening. Sit back and enjoy! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

An excellent collection of acoustic music.......2000-10-13

I have had this CD for several years and listen to it often. It is superb music. I have seen David Grisman in person and he is an excellent performer. This CD is the kind you can intently listen to (which I normally do with all music) or you can put it on for dinner music (which we occasionally do.) I would recommend this to anyone who loves good acoustic music. I have just ordered Tone Poems Vol. 2 and Tone Poems III based on the quality of this CD. Buy it; you'll love it.

Two masters at the height of their craft.......2000-07-06

David Grisman and Tony Rice are two of the best musicians playing today, and "Tone Poems" proves that this is no idle claim. Yes, the CD has a theme: play vintage-sounding tunes on vintage instruments; and yes, it comes with a 39-page booklet. Before this CD, I never paid any attention to the actual instruments played, but I do now! The booklet is likely to be most useful to musicologists and guitar/mandolin afficionados, but even a cross-fingered tone-deaf dolt like me can appreciate the instruments' beauty and diversity.

Most of the tunes are Grisman originals with an authentic old-time flavor. While most tunes are traditional folk songs, styles range from bluesy (Watson's Blues) to jazz (Django Reinhardt's Swing '42) to that mandolin classic, O Solo Mio.

Tracks:

Rukus Juice And Chittlin' - Memphis Jug Band
The Jazz Fiddler - Walter Jacobs And Lonnie Carter
Moanin' And Groanin' Blues - "Peg Leg" Howell And His Gang
Dance Hall Shuffle - Clifford Hayes' Louisville Stompers
My Four Reasons - Banjo Ikey Robinson And His Bull Fiddle Band
Wild Cow Blues - Joe Williams' Washboard Blues Singers
Knox County Stomp - Tennessee Chocolate Drops
Rustlin' Man - State Street Boys
Sister Maud Mule - Alec Johnson
G Rag - Georgia Yellow Hammers
Throw Me In The Alley - Peetie Wheatstraw And His Blue Blowers
If You Can't Make It Easy, Sweet Mama - Dixieland Jug Blowers
Bunker Hill Blues - Frank Stokes
I Got A Gal - James Cole's String Band
Sweet To Mama - State Street Boys
Doctor Medicine - South Memphis Jug Band
Cabo Verdranos Peca Nove - Abrew's Portuguese Instrumental Trio
Worried Man Blues - Joe Williams' Washboard Blues Singers
Georgia Crawl - Henry Williams And Eddie Anthony
Good Old Turnip Greens - Bo Chatman
Memphis Stomp - The Blue Boys
Get Up Off That Jazzophone - The Bubbling-Over Five
Rukus Juice Shuffle - Alabama Rascals
Lazy Lazy River - Mississippi Sheiks

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

A fantastic collection of old-time music, "Folks, He Sure Do Pull Some Bow!" captures vintage fiddle music at that rare crossroads where the blues, jazz, and something that would one day be called folk were all in their infancy. For fiddle virtuosos performing between 1927 and 1935, quite simply, anything goes. Banjo Ikey Robinson's red hot "My Four Reasons" swings with humor and pizzazz, the State Street Boys' "Rustlin' Man" features the down-and-out blues vocals and fiddling of Big Bill Broonzy , and the Mississippi Sheiks' jazzy, but blues-inspired "Lazy Lazy River" musically straddles both sides of the Mason Dixon Line. For many listeners, the more esoteric tracks will stick out: Bo Chatman (a.k.a. double-entendre blues king Bo Carter) is heard fiddling behind Alec Johnson's goofy vocals on "Sister Maud Mule" (and in the spotlight on his own "Good Old Turnip Greens"); the Georgia Yellow Hammers' "G Rag" is the product of a then-rare integrated recording session; and Abrew's Portuguese Instrumental Trio performs "Cabo Verdranos Peca Nove" with incredible fiddling on what must be one of the first attempts at a crossover world-music disc. It's all here--great remastering, in-depth liner notes, and wonderful playing. Each release from Old Hat--Violin, Sing the Blues for Me and Music from the Lost Provinces--feels definitive, and this gem is certainly no different. --Jason Verlinde

Album Description

"Beautifully assembled, meticulously annotated, Folks is yet another striking contribution by Old Hat to the reassessment, if not the rewriting, of blues history. This is wonderfully unexpected music which refuses to conform to any of the accepted conventions of 12-bar blues. It should serve as a reminder of why the world continues to be drawn to this music, described by early observers as something unaccountably wild and strange. Folks restores some of that wildness, strangeness, and incalculable beauty." Peter Guralnick - author Careless Love, Searching For Robert Johnson, Last Train To Memphis

"I love this CD. So much so that I am jealous and wish that I had done it!" Lawrence Cohn - producer American Odeon's Blind Willie McTell box set, Columbia/Legacy's Roots N' Blues Series

Customer Reviews:

A delight for the ears and eyes.......2007-01-04

Old Hat Records always goes the extra mile to present incredibly rare sides from vintage 78s. The sound quality is top-notch, and the generous booklet is packed with equally rare photography, highly-informative notes and thorough documentation.

There are lots of reissues of early recordings, but all the offerings from Old Hat are head and shoulders above the rest.

Sure, the pirates of the world can probably find this material in MP3 format, but despicable thievery aside, they're missing out on the complete package. The music combined with the ample booklet is the true prize. The true value is owning this release, holding it in your hand: listening, reading, viewing the rare photos.

Whether you're a hard-core collector or occasional enthusiast of early recordings of Jazz and Blues, you'll enjoy this truly superlative production.

old time magic........2006-12-26

a wonderful disc of old time fiddle/violin recordings. pianos, guitars, banjos, and vocals also are present on a 24 set of songs that all old time music lovers should possess.

People Music for Real People.......2006-07-27

Inspired by my recent review of Sam Ku West's cd of Hawaiian steel guitar from 1927 and '28, and his version of Memphis Blues contained therein, I decided I need to review Violin, Sing the Blues for Me which contains a killer Memphis Blues by the Mobile Strugglers. Then of course I had to review this, its equally compelling companion disc.

This stuff is history-come-alive. There's a fun tidbit for those folks who still think the blues began with Robert Johnson. Check Wild Cow Blues by Joe Williams' Washboard Singers, recorded in 1935... before RJ's earliest sides. RJ obviously listened to, liked, and studied this side. RJ's iconic vocal phrasings come straight from here, but RJ had the better voice, thus pulling them off more powerfully.

Rukus Juice features some serious fiddling over a hopping groove. Moanin' and Groanin' Blues has the best humming this side of one of the better Grateful Dead Candymans.

You also get Lonnie Johnson. You may largely think of him as one of the best lyricists and guitarists (both 6 and 12-string) the blues have ever known, or as one of the primal jazz guitarists, but had Lonnie gotten tired of the guitar he could have taken Stephane Grappelli's place in the QHCF with little problem. His Memphis Stomp glides and swirls through time in rather astounding fashion. Pre-war Lonnie Johnson was THE MAN. I still don't understand why there isn't a complete boxset of him from 1925-1932. But I digress...

From slow blues drawl, to a track like Peetie Wheatstraw's Throw Me in the Alley, which would have made King Oliver proud. There's a lot of ground covered here, much of it great. Just try to hold still during Doctor Medicine by the South Memphis Jug Band!

The heart and soul of both this and "Violin, Sing..." are the people you probably never heard of. People who may have only recorded a few sides total, and have rarely if ever before been presented on cd. The few tracks by the famous greats can be heard elsewhere, so it's those largely forgotten by time who make this such a gift.

Phenomenal!.......2005-12-05

Well, I completely disagree with the negative review below, and I have a feeling that the gentleman who wrote it, who claims to be a mediocre picker of several instruments, will remain mediocre for his entire life. Fiddle and violin are not the same thing. As the old joke goes, the difference between the two is that you shouldn't spill beer on a violin.

To expect rural and traditional black fiddlers from the Depression to play fiddle like classically trained modern fiddlers like Mark O'Connor or Allison Krauss is like expecting your country Grandma to make Hazelnut-crusted filet of Chilean Seabass with a Pomegranate and Wasabi reduction for Sunday dinner, instead of pot roast and mashed potatoes. It's an absurd expectation. This is the music of real people. Many of these musicians undoubtedly farmed or did other backbreaking labor all week, taking their only joy from the music they'd play on the weekend. Their faithful listeners were in the same boat.

Remember that for many of these recordings, the concept of "jazz" hadn't been invented yet. Bluegrass, for that matter, wouldn't be invented for a couple more decades.

Anyone with a genuine appreciation for American traditional and folk music will love this album. Yes, some of the recording quality is a little bit rough (many of the songs sound like they're playing on an old turntable instead of on a CD), but it's completely listenable, not nearly as difficult to listen to as many other re-released gems from this era. Listen to it with an open mind, and after you've heard the first few tunes, your brain will automatically tune out the static (which is minimal to begin with).

This album is one of the more brilliant re-releases and collections from this era. Get an idea of what real people were listening to and playing in this time period. You'll thank yourself for giving it a try.

If you want to hear "fiddle" music don't buy this!.......2003-04-13

This is a review for normal people. If you are a fan of standard fiddle do not buy this CD. It is a bunch of badly recorded, half hearted, boring and sloppy songs thrown together on an overpriced CD. Save yourself $... or if you like this type of music just go buy some old Little Rascals episodes on DVD. Then you will get the same music you hear on this plus the bonus of the Little Rascals. Now I know why we think of Blues guitar players not fiddle players when this music is discussed. The other reviewers seem to think some of the names on this CD will be familiar to you. Don't believe them, unless names like "Abrew's Portuguese Instrumental Trio" or "Dixieland Jug Blowers" are familiar to you. I am just hoping to prevent normal music lovers from stepping into this pile and losing $... like I did. I play banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dulcimer and guitar all badly, but I could get a gig with these bands and probably improve their sound. If you are the artsy type that digs this kind of stuff and you can't wait to grow a goatee, turn the lights down low, fill the room with smoke (oops, bad for your health), put your sunglasses on and crank this baby up; I hope you don't mind being stuck by yourself all the time because no one else is going to put up with this lousy music. Go find something with Chubby Wise in it if you want to hear some real fiddle playing. Help support some little known, up and coming fiddle players that need to buy food and pay rent with royalty checks by buying their music instead of making these labels, that get this junky music for free or almost free, super rich.

Down In The Basement: Joe Bussard's Treasure Trove of Vintage 78s 1926-1937 (Jewel Case)

Average customer rating:

ear candy
terrific collection of early songs
another great release from OLD HAT.
Will Interest Lovers of Roots Music
A total package

Down In The Basement: Joe Bussard's Treasure Trove of Vintage 78s 1926-1937 (Jewel Case)
Uncle Dave Macon , Rev Gary Davis , Big Bill Broonzy , Stripling Brothers , Kokomo Arnold , Bill Johnson's Louisiana Jug Band , Long Cleve Reed , Down Home Boys , Blind Blake , and Ernest Stoneman
Manufacturer: Old Hat Records / Enterprises
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

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Cowboy | Country | Styles | Music

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General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

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Good For What Ails You: Music of the Medicine Shows 1926-1937
Music From The Lost Provinces: Old-Time Stringbands From Ashe County, North Carolina & Vicinity 1927-1931
The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of
Violin, Sing The Blues For Me: African-American Fiddlers 1926-1949
The Paramount Masters

ASIN: B000GYHXYG
Release Date: 2003-06-17

Tracks:

The Lost Child - Stripling Brothers
How You Want It Done? - Big Bill
The (New) Call Of The Freaks - Luis Russell & His Orchestra
The School House Fire - Dixon Brothers
Greenback Dollar - Weems String Band
You Got To Go Down - Blind Gary
The Old Ark's A'Moving - A.A. Gray And Seven-Foot Dilly
Runnin' Wild - James Cole's Washboard Four
Keep It Clean - Charley Jordan
Get The "L" On Down The Road - Bill Johnson's Louisiana Jug Band
I Got A Bulldog - Sweet Brothers & Ernest Stoneman
Old Hen Cackle - Colman & Harper
Song From A Cotton Field - Bessie Brown
Atlanta Bound - Gene Autry
Easy Rider Blues - Soileau And Robin
Hot Lips - Bill Brown And His Brownies
Uncle Dave's Beloved Solo - Uncle Dave Macon
Hastings Street - Blind Blake And Charlie Spand
Ain't That Trouble In Mind - Fields Ward & The Grayson County Railsplitters
Give The World A Smile - The Corley Family
Original Stack O'Lee Blues - Long Cleve Reed And Little Harvey Hull (Down Home Boys)
Hot Town - Fess Williams And His Royal Flush Orchestra
Paddlin' Blues - Gitfiddle Jim
Plow Boy Hop - Grinnell Giggers

Album Description

Declan McManus Pumps It Up. Joe Bussard. "He's an eccentric record collector who's preserved all sorts of magical corners of music - although he says things like, 'There are no good jazz records made after 1927.'" Elvis Costello - Esquire UK October 2005

"This is the music of poor whites and blacks: wild-ass jazz and string-band hillbilly, surreal yodels and king snake moans, lightning-bolt blues and whorehouse romps and orgasmic gospel. It's all anti-pop, anti-sentimental: the raw sounds of the city gutter and the roadside ditch." Desperate Man Blues by Eddie Dean - Da Capo Best Music Writing 2000

"Joe has spent more than 50 years pursuing his purpose with a single-mindedness bordering on mania. And his purpose is no less than collecting and preserving the vast wealth of American vernacular music that was recorded on fragile shellac discs during the early decades of this century." A Visit and Interview with Record Collector Joseph E. Bussard, Jr by Marshall Wyatt - Old-Time Herald Spring 1999 - oldhatrecords.com/BussardInt.html

24 Rare Gems From The King Of Record Collectors - String Bands, Blues, Jazz, Country, Cajun, Gospel. Profusely illustrated, 28-page full-color booklet includes biographical essay, fully annotated discography, and (online) firsthand accounts of Joe's record collecting adventures. 72 minutes of newly, digitally remastered music. Jewel case, second edition.

Album Description

Re-issued with new packaging, with a 28-page color booklet and offered a new low price. Joe Bussard's Treasure Trove Of Vintage 78s 1926-1937. The 24-track sampler is drawn from longtime radio broadcaster Bussard's fabled collection. The Frederick, MD-based Bussard is said to have more than 25,000 of the rarest early blues, jazz and country 78s, all meticulously catalogued in a basement-cum-vault beneath his house. The triple-fold release comes with a full-color, 72-page booklet filled with funny stories about Bussard's door-knocking searches for old shellac, more than 40 photos and complete annotation.

Customer Reviews:

ear candy.......2007-06-26

Sell your shoes cause your goin to heaven after you play this one! You can finally say you've heard it all. Top drawer assemblage of roots, blues, and just plain fun. Uncle Joe say it ain't so... give us another, PLEASE!

terrific collection of early songs.......2007-02-13

If you're interested in the history of US music, as I am, you'll find this a fine addition. Cleaned up as well as can be expected but still some hum & hiss...but not enough to be distracting.

another great release from OLD HAT........2006-12-26

everything i've ever bought on the old hat label has been fantastic, and this is no exception. a must have disc for fans of old time music. and if you have no old time music discs, this would be as good a place as any to start with. great sound and a variety of musical styles make this disc a complete winner.

Will Interest Lovers of Roots Music.......2006-07-15

A generous 24-track helping of some of record collector extraordinare Joe Bussard's favorites. The examples included run the gamut of early 20th centruy roots music ranging from Hillybilly music to Blues, Jazz, Jug Bands and beyond.

Sound quality is top notch -- these guys really know how to do 78-RPM transfers. Also Joe's records seem to be in excellent condition to begin with so not a lot of noise reduction is required. This is one of the very finest sounding discs of 78-RPM transfers that I have heard.

Packaging is also lavish with a 70 page booklet that contains annotations for each of the 24 tracks, and lots of interesting photos of vintage record labels and packaging, as well as several essays and stories about Joe's record collecting career. There's much of interest here for those who love Roots music.

A total package .......2006-02-04

I had not heard of Joe Bussard before this collection though I consider myself an avid music enthusiast and budding collector. After having heard this disc (and having read the extensive liner notes) I'm more than a little green with envy over Bussard's collection.

This disc collects some of Joe's personal favourites with names more familiar (Big Bill Broonzy, Gene Autry, Uncle Dave Macon) and some that will prove obscure to all but the most investigative record collectors (A.A. Gray and Seven-Foot Dilly, Fields Ward and the Grayson County Railsplitters, The Stripling Brothers). It's also cross-genre so if you only like country, or only blues, or only gospel, this will not be the collection for you.

Besides the songs themselves, which would be enough to make this a good buy, the packaging tells you a lot about WHO Bussard is (been collecting records since 12, once ran a pirate radio station), WHY he collects ("You ever smell the sleeves? They got that real funny wood smell to 'em.") along with some great stories about the "finds" he's made over the years. He's enough of a character that I'd love to watch the documentary about him. You also get brief bios for each of the performers included (a paragraph or two) as a nice bonus.

HIGHLIGHTS:
Twin fiddle workout "The Lost Child" has served as the radio theme for Bussard for years and I can see why. It's a keeper that alternates smooth fiddling with some nice staccato that implies the child might be "skipping" at play. Jazz-blues "The (New) Call of the Freaks" has an insistent chorus ("Stick out your cans/Here come the garbageman...") while Blind Gary (AKA Rev. Gary Davis) does a great gospel blues sermonette in "You Got to Go Down" ("You got to learn how to treat everybody/cuz you got to go down...ashes to ashes and dust to dust"). Charley Jordan's risque blues "Keep it Clean" is a standout as well. Autry's "Atlanta Bound" is far from the cheerful image of the man who sang "Rudolph": he's promising to kill the "rounder" who's dallying with his wife.

LOWS:
The only tune here I found unlistenable is the gratingly off-key family gospel tune "Give the World a Smile" by the Corley Family. Despite the nice sentimental lyric, I just couldn't stomach the singers themselves.

BOTTOM LINE:
If you have an interest in early music that's not restrictive to a single style, this is a very nice collection with some gems that would otherwise be lost.

Average customer rating:

It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got that Latin Tinge
oscar oscar oscar
Great guitar/mediocre accompaniment
For Western Swingers Not about Django
Maybe not Django, but still great!

Swing Guitar Masterpieces 1938-1957
Oscar Alemán
Manufacturer: Acoustic Disc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Latin Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Django in Rome 1949-1950
The New York Sessions 1926-1935
Plays Hawaiian Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele and Guitar
Nada Mas Que un Poquito de Swing
Hawaiian String Virtuoso: Steel Guitar Recordings of the 1920's

ASIN: B00000391R
Release Date: 1998-02-17

Tracks:

Sweet Sue
Limehouse Blues
Nobody's Sweetheart
Whispering
Russian Lullaby
Just A Little Swing
Dear Old Southland
Jeepers Creepers
Sweet Georgia Brown
In The Mood
Hombre Mio (Man Of Mine)
I've Got Rhythm
Begin the Beguine
Bye Bye Blues
Negra De Cabello Duro
Besame Mucho
Tico Tico No Fuba
Temptations
I Never Knew
Caminos Cruzados (Malaguena)
Limehouse Blues
Scartunas
You Made Me Love You
Cherokee
Stardust
Honeysuckle Rose

Tracks:

Lady Be Good
Doin' The New Lowdown
Improvisaciones Sobre Boogie Woogie
Swingin' On A Star
Melancolla
Sentimental of Journey
Como Te Llamas
Bugle Call Rag
Darktown Strutter's Ball
I'm Beginning To See The Light
Blue Skies
Twelfth Street Rag
Diga Diga Do
Swanee River
Vieni Sul Mar
Delicado
Scartunas
Mia Casita Pequenita
Crazy Rhythm
Daphne
Dolores
April In Portugal
You Belong To Me
Who's Sorry Now?
Tiger Rag
Tea For Two

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

Lingering in the shadows of prebebop guitar legends such as Django Reinhardt, Oscar Alemán has been rendered to barely a blip in jazz history. First reason is his non-American, non-European status, as precious few jazzers from outside these regions ever garnered acclaim. Second reason is his sound, which upon first hearing smacks very strongly of Django. These two generous CDs point out, however, that Alemán was in fact very much a genius unto himself. He did the swing circuit, as an ensemble member mostly, but few of these tunes were ever his in any real sense. The set is in every way a wonderful piece of work, from the great "Improvisaciones Sobre Boogie Woogie" to Alemán's colorful commentary on "Darktown Strutter's Ball." --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got that Latin Tinge.......2004-10-02

Great set from a great and often overlooked guitarist. Aleman swings for sure, and although there are shades of Lang and Venuti here, comparisons with Django are inevitable; both guitarists played hot as hell. The biggest difference between the two, however, lies in how where they came from shaped the fire that flew from their fingertips. Where Django had the European gypsy influence running through his work, Aleman, being from Argentina, had what Jellyroll Morton called the "Latin tinge" running through his. The "Latin tinge," according to Jellyroll, was a necessary element for Jazz to succeed and Aleman's playing goes a long way to prove Morton right.
On the first disc "Nobody's Sweetheart" is two minutes and eighteen seconds of pure Tricone bliss. Aleman does things with his brass-bodied National guitar in this solo run that nobody else was doing on these instruments at the time. It's exhilarating listening to it and the piece can hold it's own against anything Django - or any other Jazz guitarist, past or present - has ever put to wax. "Russian Lullaby" is equally impressive, as is "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Hombre Mio," "I've Got Rhythm," "Bye Bye Blues," and the odd, yet utterly fascinating, "Cherokee." In fact, there's something - some kind of nugget or flash of brilliant audacity - in every song on the first disc that is downright astonishing. Whether it's a solo, a lick or a lead in, you'll hear something in every track that will prick up your ears and boggle your mind.
The second disc starts out as strong as the first, but starts to lose it halfway through. Whoever conceived these songs to be done the way they are here, did to these recordings what Phil Spector did to "Let it Be." In this setting, there is the unwelcome addition of, what sounds like an entire orchestra section of violins - actually it's only three violins, but they're so high in the mix it sounds like more. And while the improved recording technology of the fifties lets us hear Aleman's playing crisp and clean, the strings push the sound and songs so far over the top it it made me feel like I was listening to the score of a Douglas Sirk movie. This is not to say that there isn't any magic here. There is. "Delicado" uses the "Latin tinge" to wondrous effect and there are stellar versions of "Crazy Rhythm" and the Aleman original "Scartunas." Overall though, none of this is essential listening. That said, these string-heavy songs do a very good job of charting the progress and artistic journey of a very important player. For anyone who is a fan of Jazz and for anyone who plays guitar, this disc is a must.

oscar oscar oscar.......2004-02-29

i have been a big fan of Django Reinhardt since 1953...i can still get chills listening to certain tracks....but finding
Oscar Aleman was such a suprise...he doesn't send chills down
my spine, but he does keep my interest.....really well.

something else i have noticed...there is a great radio
station on the net "Hot Club Radio" on the Live 365 net;
and of all the Gypsy guitarists: Oscar Aleman is right in
there with all the other Gypsy/European guitarists...

so those of you new to Oscar; give him a listen.

john m.

Great guitar/mediocre accompaniment.......2003-05-01

Aleman is a wonderful player, and there are
some nice arrangements. A lot of the music
is pretty dull when he isn't soloing though.
It doesn't compare well to other small group
jazz of the time. Aleman sings and scats
in a harsh "jive" style, and the violin players
range from OK to not so good. I love swing but
don't tend to listen to Aleman's music often.
Try Cats and the Fiddle or especially Spirits
of Rhythm for joyful rhythmic playing, though
their soloists aren't as good as Aleman.

For Western Swingers Not about Django.......2002-12-20

If you like Western Swing, especially the three and four fiddle section music of the Spade Cooley Orchestra, then you are going to love the second volume of this wonderful collection. When he returned to Argentina, Aleman recorded a lot of music with three and four fiddle sections that sound a whole lot like Spade Cooley, except unlike Cooley, who forced his musicians to maintain a staid conservative "businessman's bounce" (Cooley's term not mine) Aleman and his groups really swing out. The music is great and it is clearly a direction beyond where Rheinhart went. We know that Stephen Graphelli followed Western Swing fiddlers especially Farr who ended up playing for Cooley's first band and later for Tex William's first band (composed of almost everyone in Cooley's orchestra except cooley when cooley fired them all.) There is almost no doubt listening here that there was some interchange between Aleman and his fiddlers and the Cooley sound.
Of course the first CD is excellent too. Despite the guitar shown on the Album, Aleman performed most of his prewar music on a national steel guitar.
Finally, this CD set should be in every home.

Maybe not Django, but still great!.......2002-11-22

It's probably inevitable that Oscar Aleman would constantly be compared with Django Reinhardt. They were contemporaries and friends, and often would be playing different clubs in Paris on the same night and then get together afterwards to jam into the wee hours of the morning. (One can only wish that some of those sessions had been recorded and preserved!) In a way it's an unfair comparison, because there's probably never been any guitarist anywhere who could play like Django Reinhardt (and many have tried). Whether or not he measures up to Django's untouchable standard, though, doesn't take anything away from the greatness of Oscar Aleman. He had his own style and virtuousity, and I'm sure that anyone who enjoys listening to Django would love these recordings as well. In fact, on those songs that they both recorded (Limehouse Blues, Sweet Georgia Brown, Honeysuckle Rose, Tea for Two, etc.) it's a lot of fun to hear their different approaches. As David Grisman wrote in his introductory notes: "Aleman's contributions to an idiom pioneered by Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti and, of course, Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli are substantial. His arrangements are perhaps the most inventive and his playing is gutsy, virtuosic and inspired. Although Django's genius is unquestionable, it has always been a mystery to me as to why this other remarkable proponent of acoustic swing guitar has been so ignored and unrecognized in relation to his very celebrated friend and peer." Well, maybe with the release of this 2-CD set the oversight will begin to be corrected. In any case, it's fortunate for all of us who appreciate great acoustic guitar music that these recordings still exist, along with those old classics of Django Reinhardt.

Average customer rating:

Swingtime is Swing'n
very addictive
A fun, relaxed live set

Swing Time
Wayne Hancock
Manufacturer: Bloodshot Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A-Town Blues
Thunderstorms and Neon Signs
Wild, Free & Reckless [ENHANCED CD]
Tulsa
That's What Daddy Wants

ASIN: B0000A55U5
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Tracks:

Lose Your Mind
Louisiana Blues
Big City Good Time Gal
Juke Joint Jumpin'
Thunderstorms And Neon Signs
Johnny Law
Tag Along
Route 66
Highway 54
We Three
Hoy Hoy Hoy
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Bonus Track 1

Amazon.com

Wayne "The Train" keeps a-rollin' as the Austin honky-tonk hero struts his stuff in live sessions on his home turf, energizing the dancers and putting a smile on the face of anyone who prefers country music with an old-fashioned kick. The ex-Marine is a hard-core country traditionalist, but his devotion to swing--Western and otherwise--gives his honky-tonk fluidity. Swing Time, produced by Texan Lloyd Maines, makes excellent use of crack guitarists Paul Skelton and Dave Biller, who deftly combine vintage licks with contemporary energy. Steel guitarist Eddie Rivers is equally effective, especially on songs like "Louisiana Blues," "Flatland Boogie," and "Big City Good Time Gal." Still it's Watson's no-nonsense vocals and 21st-century Hank Williams persona that makes the music click. Hancock reprises several songs from previous recordings, adding a quick trip down "Route 66" and an intriguing take on the standard "Summertime." --Michael Point

Customer Reviews:

Swingtime is Swing'n.......2004-12-15

Wayne and the band are having a great time with their music and all throughout this record you can hear that the crowd loves it too.

Excellent music, Excellent sound, great drive. It'll get your toes a tapping.

very addictive.......2004-02-25

I recently disovered the wonders of Accuradio and, in particular, the station TWANG. It is awesome. There are a few CD's that are in heavy rotation other than Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson. This is one of them, and for good reason. It sounds new and old, and Wayne's voice does have an uncanny resemblance to a certain Hank Williams. The music has this quality that you rarely hear of being familiar and completely unique at the same time. Hat's off to the band for making it sound oh so easy. It's toe tapping heaven.

A fun, relaxed live set.......2003-08-20

A great live set recorded down in Austin by hard-country hero Wayne The Train Hancock and his band, featuring Dave Biller on guitar, a bit of trombone tootling by Bob "Texaco" Stafford, and solid, lively backing by all the others. From the album title, I had expected Hancock to indulge his interest in jazz-standards and swing, but I ain't complaining that this is a strait-up country album instead -- not by a longshot! Really, it's amazing to hear anyone playing such as rough and rowdy, yet accomplished and historically aware kinda country these days, and this disc captures the energy and charm of Hancock's live shows pretty well. High points include his new version of "Thunderstorms And Neon Signs," which may actually outdo the original -- overall, another top-notch release! Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Gotta love this one...it's The Cowboy Way!
western (cowboy) music at its best

Silver Jubilee
Riders in the Sky
Manufacturer: Acoustic Disc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Cowboy Way
Riders In The Sky Present: Davy Crockett, King Of The Wild Frontier

ASIN: B0000DFZZV
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Tracks:

Texas Plains
Cool Water
Back In The Saddle Again
Compadres In The Old Sierra Madres
Sidekick Heaven
Blue Bonnet Lady
(Ghost) Riders In The Sky
The Line Rider
We're Burnin' Moonlight
Phantom Of The Chuckwagon
La Malaguena
Here Comes The Santa Fe
The Arms Of My Love
Salting Of The Slug
Way Out There
Tumbling Tumbleweeds

Tracks:

Ride Cowboy Ride
Ringo
The Biscuit Blues
Lonely Yukon Stars
That's How The Yodel Was Born
Blue Mountain Skies
Woody's Roundup
Reincarnation / Sundown In Santa Fe
My Oklahoma
Wah-Hoo
Early Autumn
Rawhide
You're Wearing Out Your Welcome Matt
Questions
There's A Blue Sky Way Out Yonder
Riders Radio Theatre Medley/So Long Saddle Pals
The Cowboy Way

Customer Reviews:

Gotta love this one...it's The Cowboy Way!.......2004-02-04

Tasteful, newly recorded versions of songs that Riders' fans have been enjoying for the past quarter century. This double CD set is an honest-to-goodness national treasure! I love every track. The Riders have always sounded great on record and the addition of Joey Miskulin as producer and resident accordion genius adds a refreshing new dimension to the Riders' recent efforts. Purchasing "Silver Jubilee" is a no-brainer for all self respecting Riders fans, and would be a fantastic introduction for new listeners. Also, if you ever have a chance to see the group *live* ...don't miss them!! The Riders in the Sky are incredible musicians and hilarious performers.

western (cowboy) music at its best.......2003-11-17

Riders in the Sky rounded out their year long 25th anniversary by releasing a totally acoustic version of fan favorites. Even if you own any/all of their cds/records/cassettes, you need to buy this one. It is so clean sounding, you would swear you were sitting right next to them. There is bonus material, live performance material. 25 years is quite a bit of time, blazing new musical trails, rounding up new fans, fans who might have strayed away or should I say lured away by the glitz and glamour of today's pop sounding country. Run, don't walk, to your keyboard and order this one. Don't let it get away !

Average customer rating:

Tone Poems II : A must have for any one who
A Masterpeice Icon of the 20th century.
tone poems II

Tone Poems 2
David Grisman
Manufacturer: Acoustic Disc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000391F
Release Date: 1995-10-31

Tracks:

Swanee
Teasin' The Frets
It Had To Be You
Please
Mood Indigo
Anything Goes
Blue Moon
Lulu's Back In Town
Tears
Jeepers Creepers
Over The Rainbow
Musette For A Magpie
Mairzy Doats
Besame Mucho
Unforgettable
Here's That Rainy Day
My Romance
Out Of Nowhere
Crystal Silence

Amazon.com

David Grisman's duo project with Scottish jazz guitarist Taylor, is a sequel to 1994's Tone Poems by Grisman and Tony Rice. That one explored the bluegrass side of Grisman's music through the use of vintage fretted instruments, and Poems II explores the jazz side the same way. As the lavishly illustrated, 48-page booklet that comes with this single CD explains, the 19 tunes on Tone Poems II are sequenced in the order they were written and are played on instruments built within a few years of the composition. Thus "Blue Moon," written by Richard Rodgers in 1934, is played on a 1935 Epiphone Deluxe guitar by Taylor and on a 1932 Epiphone Windsor mandolin by Grisman. A must for vintage-instrument obsessives. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

Tone Poems II : A must have for any one who.......2001-02-23

The music is superb. Anyone who likes accoustic music will love this. Included with the CD is a booklet describing the instruments Grisman and Taylor use. While listening to the tunes, you can flip through this booklet and get a short history of the different vintage guitars, mandolins, ect. they use in this album. This is an excellent piece of work and artistry.

A Masterpeice Icon of the 20th century........2000-02-22

Every now and then a collector of fine wines will go down to his cellar when nobody else is about and secretly crack open a bottle of the very finest wine and enjoy it's contents slowly, taking in every sip and savouring the moment. "Tone Poems II" is as fine as it gets to anybody intersted in Jazz guitar and/or mandolin world. The instruments collected here are second to none and the playing is equally exquisite. The interaction between the two artists demonstrates how great a duet setting can be - leader and supporter. Martin's solo playing (as on Lulu's Back in Town", "Tears" on a tenor Gibson and "My Romance" on a 1989 D'Aquisto New Yorker) is, as always, superb. Where else can you sit back and hear two Gibson Super 400s roaring and soaring while swinging like a gate. From an early Style U Gibson Harp guitar all the way through D'Angelicos, D'Aquistos, Strombergs, Martins, Epiphones and many many pre war Gibsons all the way up to John Monteleone's ground breaking masterpeices, these fantastic instruments that most of us can only dream about, are recorded hear with the finest quality allowing us to hear exactly the character of each intstrument, played at it's best in the style it was built for. The accompanying booklet is equally well presented with great photos of each and every intstrument played and a page or two of it's history. Any serious guitar or mandolin collector or just fanatic really should have this CD on their shelf for those moments when they have a chance to really sit back and relax, savouring each track one by one.

tone poems II.......1999-12-06

This is a masterful interpretation of these old chestnuts. The rapport of the musicians is terrific. The enclosed folder on the vintage instruments used is fascinating also.

You have to be an ACOUSTIC MUSIC fan to fully appreciate this, but nowhere else will you find a contemporary interpertation of "Teasin' the frets".

Tracks:

Back To Back
Diane
In A Mellotone
Real Laid Back
Flickin' My Pick
Moonlight Waltz
Jethro's Tune
Swing '39
Out Of Nowhere
Tickle Toe
Tiny's Rag
Groovin' High
Maiden's Prayer

Tracks:

Back To Back (Take 2)
Diane (Rehearsal)
In A Mellotone (Take 2)
Real Laid Back (Take 4)
Flickin' My Pick (Take 3)
Moonlight Waltz (Take 1)
Jethro's Tune (Take 2)
Swing '39 (Take 1)
Out Of Nowhere (Take 1)
Tickle Toe (Take 1)
Tiny's Rag (Take 1)
Groovin' High (Take 1)
Maiden's Prayer (Take 2)

Customer Reviews:

Their improvisational skills are something to appreciate.......2005-03-02

"Back To Back" presents music that resulted from an historic 1979 summit of two superb jazz mandolinists, Tiny Moore and Jethro Burns. Both were 59 years old at the time and full of maturity and vitality in their playing. This 2004 release includes a second disc of previously unreleased alternate takes and a bonus track ("Maiden's Prayer"). At the session, Moore and Burns were accompanied by some stellar musicians -- Eldon Shamblin (guitar), Ray Brown (bass) and Shelly Manne (drums). Producer David Grisman also plays on three tunes (Moonlight Waltz, Tiny's Rag, Maiden's Prayer), and the third mandolin imparts a powerful intensity particularly on the slower tunes.

During his fifty years in the business, Jethro Burns made a big name for himself as half of the comedy duo Homer & Jethro. His playing is distinctive and picturesque. Texan Tiny Moore began working with western swing legend Bob Wills in 1946 and created his own unique style on a 5-string, solid-body electric mandolin. The 1979 recording session marked the first meeting of these legendary mando-giants, and you can hear the excitement in their playing.

The title cut, "Back to Back," comes from the repertoire of Wes Montomery. Tiny's electric flair blends nicely with Jethro's unparalleled acoustic sense. The interpretive twists added along the way supplant some tunes with new life (like jazzy progressions Bill Monroe's "Moonlight Waltz"). They push the envelope on a number of jazz standards. A dazzling display of gypsy jazz permeates a cover of the Reinhardt/Grappelli favorite "Swing '39," while the two masters take Duke Ellington's "In a Mellotone" and Count Basie's "Tickle Toe" to places these songs have never been before. Impressively virtuosic playing is the trademark of this recording. Perhaps the most illustrious offerings are their own originals. With their veteran sidemen, they romp through "Jethro's Tune" and "Flickin' My Pick," both certainly jaw-dropping performances. Their improvisational skills are something everyone should appreciate and study closely. Moore's poignant "Real Laid Back" and bouncy "Tiny's Rag" are similarly breathtaking.

The recently discovered alternate takes that comprise the second disc reveal "golden insight into what made these cats swing so hard," as jazz mandolinist Don Stiernberg writes in the liner notes. A bit of laughing and chatting on disc two, and their variations on the themes allow us to further study this music. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

Average customer rating:

Picking at its best
Great Solo Stuff - No edits or remixing
Brilliant example of solo guitar
Is this Django's ghost?

Blues for a Gypsy
Frank Vignola
Manufacturer: Acoustic Disc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005J72I
Release Date: 2001-06-26

Tracks:

Donna Lee
Blues For A Gypsy
Tears
Cryin'
Gypsy Bach
By The Fire
Laura
Fishing With Django
Angel Eyes
Limehouse Blues
Misty
Gypsy Dreams
Please
I Surrender Dear
Train Ride
Manoir De Mes Reves

Customer Reviews:

Picking at its best.......2005-10-09

Frank Vignola shows no mercy to his instrument and plays like hell. He is no doubt the best swing-guitarist around at this time. Look at his collaboration with Mark O'Connor to see him at work with Tiko-Tiko.

Great Solo Stuff - No edits or remixing.......2005-01-03

Frank proves that he is one of the more versatile guitarists on the scene today. Great solo stuff. Check him out live...a great act.

Brilliant example of solo guitar.......2002-10-31

This is a delightful recording for anyone who likes traditional jazz and solo guitar, and will be especially appreciated by jazz guitarists. Although the influence of Django Reinhardt and the gypsy paradigm is evident, this is not an attempt to clone Django--Vignola has a voice of his own. And I would guess that Vignola would list Joe Pass among his influences; there are a couple of moments on this solo recording that remind me of Pass's Virtuoso album. In fact, the two recordings share two of the same selections.

Vignola's playing is fresh and expressive, never cloying or trite. The CD starts with a gorgeous version of Donna Lee, starting with a rubato head then moving to a rhythmic improvisation. His arrangement is rich, full of lovely voice leading. He is otherwise a master of the solo guitar, never taking us along on a single-note line too long without returning to remind us of the underlying rhythm and chord structure. He also displays impressive technique, hard to imagine how he does it, but it's not ostentatious. However, although I enjoy Misty on this CD, this version does not really bring anything new to the table.

By The Fire is an odd 23-second piece with frantic full-chord strumming. Train Ride, another shorty at 48 seconds, has a pedal tone played as machine-gun 16th notes with strums punched in intermittently without missing a stroke. This is akin to juggling an egg and a bowling ball.

Another oddity--maybe a practical joke to see who's paying attention, I don't know--the final selection, Manoir de Mes Reves, is listed as 4:01, but the selection actually lasts 6:43. At 4:01, there is a pause of 51 seconds before the music resumes, this time a different song.

Is this Django's ghost?.......2001-07-10

Wonder what Django Reinhardt would be playing if he was still around these days? You don't need a Gypsy fortune teller... Just check out Frank Vignola's latest, and greatest, "Blues For A Gypsy." The style and sound is very, very Reinhardt, right down to his vintage Selmer-Maccaferri Gypsy guitar, and flamboyant Gypsy styling he employs with such incredible feeling and touch on every song. Fell in love with Vignola when we saw him live with Mark O'Connor and have been waiting over a year for this CD to be released. The wait was well worth it. If you are a fan of the jazz and blues style of Django, interpreted by Frank Vignola... arguably today's number one Gypsy guitar master... this is it! It's "DJANGO 2001!"

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