Ben Pollack Jazz Oracle recs?

[ghost of miles]

Hey all, I'm putting together a 2-CDR anthology for the big-band class I'm teaching and want to throw on something from the mid/late 1920s Pollack orchestra... any suggestions on which of the first four Jazz Oracle volumes are the best? I have V. 5 (1931).

Thanks much in advance, as always!

[LAL]

I have vols 1 to 5 and heard each of these only once so can't really say. Volume 5 seems one of the better ones IMO although 4 is good too but has many alternate takes and the same songs. I'd suggest including the tracks where Jack Teagarden takes the vocals. The others might sound too dated for listeners.

[jazzbo]

I like Volume 5 a lot as well. I have all of the volumes, including the Whooppee Makers ones, but that is not the full band. . . . I'd agree: try Volume 5 with some Jack vocals.

[AllenLowe]

yes, I have one word for you: Jack Teagarden -

[jazzbo]

That's two words.

There were some other good players in this band as well, as you know. . . .

[AllenLowe]

well, make that: Jackteagarden -

[Harold_Z]

Vol 5 is the one with "On Revival Day" - correct ?

Yeah...that's my fav of the series also. In addition to Jack T. , there's some very nice Benny G. on there too.

[AllenLowe]

you must mean Bennygoodman -

Edited April 12, 2005 by AllenLowe

[ghost of miles]

Yeah, I have V. 5 and like it quite a lot--the other entries have been on my hit-list for some time now. This weekend I ordered V. 1 and V. 4--will probably get 2 and 3 somewhere down the line.

[jazzbo]

Volume 4 is good too. Except for some great soloing by some members that was fun to hear from the start, this band seemed to get better as it went along.

I just realized I now have all the Jazz Oracles. Sheesh that was an expensive collecting. . . but a collection well worth having.

[jazzbo]

Hope they have more J. R. T. Davies remasterings in the can still. . . We're going to really miss that guy more as time passes I think.

[BERIGAN]

I have volumes 1,2, 3 and 6. The first cd has some nice numbers like Waiting for Katie, Memphis Blues...I enjoy the rougher Benny Goodman style that you hear back then...a fair number of Alternates on the first 2 volumes....I've always liked the novelty songs like Buy, Buy for Baby(or Baby Will Bye Bye You) so sue me! Heck, I even like Ben Pollack singing My Kinda Love(Volume 3), which appearently makes me an evil human being.

Edited April 16, 2005 by BERIGAN