Jimmy Dorsey – Forgotten Gems

Forgotten Gems offers a generous and revealing look at Jimmy Dorsey’s orchestra across more than a decade of recordings, from 1938 through 1951. The collection places particular emphasis on the vocalists who helped define the band’s sound during its most successful years, beginning with the dynamic June Richmond, heard here on I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart, If You Were in My Place and the spirited Joseph! Joseph! — performances that capture the band’s early swing energy.

Bob Eberly appears on elegant readings such as At a Perfume Counter, Love Walked In and If I Had You, while Helen O’Connell brings her trademark brightness to Go Fly a Kite, Minnie from Trinidad and He Didn’t Ask Me. Instrumental highlights like South Rampart Street Parade showcase the orchestra’s rhythmic drive and polished ensemble work.

The compilation also shines a light on Dorsey’s later vocalists. Teddy Walters — noted at the time for a vocal style strikingly close to Frank Sinatra’s — contributes warm, expressive performances on More and More, Twilight Time and I Should Care. Kitty Kallen adds charm and clarity to They’re Either Too Young or Too Old and When They Ask About You, while Dee Parker, Sandy Evans and others round out the vocal palette.

Bob Carroll, who scored a hit with Ballerina in 1947, features prominently in the later selections, including If I’m Lucky, The Same Little Chapel and I’ll Always Be in Love with You. These tracks reflect the smoother, more romantic direction the band embraced in the post‑war years.

Altogether, Forgotten Gems is a thoughtfully assembled journey through Jimmy Dorsey’s evolving sound — from lively pre‑war swing to the polished, crooner‑friendly arrangements of the late 1940s. It’s a warm, engaging tribute to one of the era’s most versatile bandleaders and the many voices that helped shape his legacy.

Track Listing

1. At A Perfume Counter – with Bob Eberly
2. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart – with June Richmond
3. Love Walked In – with Bob Eberly
4. If You Were In My Place – with June Richmond
5. Perfidia
6. Joseph! Joseph – with June Richmond
7. If I Had You – with Bob Eberly
8. Go Fly A Kite – with Helen O’ Connell
9. It Happened In Hawaii – with Bob Eberly & Helen O’ Connell
10. Minnie From Trinidad – with Helen O’ Connell
11. South Rampart Street Parade
12. More And More – with Teddy Walters
13. He Didn’t Ask Me – with Helen O’ Connell
14. Twilight Time – with Teddy Walters
15. They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old – with Kitty Kallen
16. I Should Care – with Teddy Walters
17. Begin The Beguine
18. If I’m Lucky – with Bob Carroll
19. When They Ask About You – with Kitty Kallen
20. The Same Little Chapel – with Bob Carroll
21. I’ll Always Be In Love With You – with Dee Parker
22. Ballerina – with Bob Carroll
23. Mine And Mine Alone – with Sandy Evans