Bobby HACKETT & His Orch. – At The Jazz Band Ball 1938 – 1940

The two instrumentals from the first session, "At The Jazz Band Ball" and "That Da Da Strain", are typical Dixieland fare with interesting solos, especially from Pee Wee Russell. The other two sides, "You, You And Especially You" and "If Dreams Come True", are more commercially designed and have vocals by Lola Bard. The live version of "At The Jazz Band Ball" taken from a "Saturday Night Swing Club" broadcast, provides an interesting comparison with the one from the studio recording session and the solos are rather different, as one might expect from a jazz group."Blue And Disillusioned", with a nice vocal from Linda Keene, is the attempt for commercial success from the second session with two sides, "Ghost Of A Chance" and "Poor Butterfly", designed to show off Hackett's playing. The final side, "Doin' The New Lowdown", is more of a group jazz vehicle with good solos.Even as early as 1938 he had acquired a reputation for his ability to enhance the performance, not only by his discrete embellishments behind the vocal but his sympathetic solos as well. This dual ability is beautifully illustrated on Maxine Sullivan's "Night And Day".There are two outstanding Hackett performances on the standards, "Ain't Misbehaving" and "Embraceable You".Two sides with Hackett as leader have vocals and were obviously intended to strike a more commercial note but the two instrumentals, "Clarinet Marmalade" and "Singing The Blues", show Hackett at his best especially in his tribute to Bix Beiderbecke on the second of these - not that he recreates either the style or the sound of Bix but the flavour is certainly present.

Also available By Bobby Hackett JASCD374

Track Listing

1. AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL
2. YOU, YOU AND ESPECIALLY YOU v. Lola Bard
3. THAT DA DA STRAIN
4. IF DREAMS COME TRUE v. Lola Bard
5. AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL [live]
6. BLUE AND DISILLUSIONED v. Linda Keene
7. I DON'T STAND A GHOST OF A CHANCE
8. POOR BUTTERFLY
9. DOIN' THE NEW LOW DOWN
10. NIGHT AND DAY v. Maxine Sullivan
11. THAT'S HOW DREAMS SHOULD END
12. AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'
13. SUNRISE SERENADE
14. EMBRACEABLE YOU
15. TWELVE BARS STAMPEDE
16. BUGLE CALL RAG
17. I SURRENDER DEAR v. Claire Martin
18. JA DA
19. DARDANELLA
20. GOOD MORNING v. The Heidt-Lights
21. THAT OLD GANG OF MINE v. The Tune Twisters
22. CLARINET MARMALADE
23. AFTER I SAY I'M SORRY v. Larry Cotton
24. SINGIN' THE BLUES ('TIL MY DADDY COMES HOME)