Ben Pollack
led one of the most potentially significant little big bands during the second half of the 1920s. However listening to his recordings can be a bit frustrating in a similar way as it is to listen to
Jean Goldkette
's band with
Bix Beiderbecke
.
Pollack
's music was compromised by the leader's desire to balance the
jazz
with commercially accessible music although he himself was a fine drummer. All of
's early recordings as a bandleader are scheduled to be reissued in full (with all of the alternate takes) by the Canadian
Jazz Oracle
label.
Volume 1
covers a nearly two-year period and is highlighted by
"He's the Last Word,"
"Memphis Blues,"
"Buy Buy for Baby (Or Baby Will Bye Bye You),"
and
"The Whoopee Stomp"
(one of three numbers released as by
Jimmy McHugh's Bostonians
).
Benny Goodman
Glenn Miller
are heard in their recording debuts and the other key players include cornetist
Jimmy McPartland
and trombonist
, plus
Fud Livingston
,
Larry Binyon
, or
Bud Freeman
on tenor. The 15 songs are joined by ten alternate takes (placed at the end of the CD) and virtually every selection has at least one interesting
solo. The best of
's perfectly realized
CDs. ~ Scott Yanow