The War / Reviews / TV DVDs

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The CDs are arranged by category: Sentimental Journey is a rich selection of ballads from the war era, I'm Beginning To See The Light spins the dance hits, Songs Without Words showcases the evocative classical music used for the programs, while the fourth CD mixes swing, blues, bluegrass and classical into a tempestuously tasty brew.

They're are all terrific, harkening back to a truly sparkling moment in the history of entertainment. I've always had a fascination with the 1940s, starting as a young boy. I suppose that's natural, my father served during the war as did all of his friends, so I was exposed to this music at an early age. These are collectively some of the best tunes ever etched to vinyl and this CD set does a bang up job of presenting the greatest artists the era had to offer.

I'm Beginning To See The Light unleashes the Big Band sound at it's very finest - Ellington, Dorsey, Miller, Barnet, Basie, Goodman alongside many other legendary band leaders. You get the greatest hits of the era, the best renditions of the tunes, all blended effectively - not the middle of the road, flat versions all too often trotted out when pop music from the early-1940s is dumped onto compilations.

This is the creme de' le' creme, the swingin' years in a nutshell. Start a party with this one:
1. C JAM BLUES Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra
2. FRENESI Artie Shaw & His Orchestra
3. IN THE MOOD Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
4. LET ME OFF UPTOWN Gene Krupa & his Orchestra
5. TAXI WAR DANCE Count Basie & His Orchestra
6. THE SHEIK OF ARABY Coleman Hawkins All Star Octet
7. PISTOL PACKIN MAMA Al Dexter & His Troopers, with vocal by Al Dexter
8. AMERICAN PATROL Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
9. FOR THE GOOD OF YOUR COUNTRY Count Basie & His Orchestra
10. CHEROKEE Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra
11. ROSE ROOM Benny Goodman Sextet
12. I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT Harry James & His Orchestra
13. TUXEDO JUNCTION Erskine Hawkins (the Twentieth Century Gabriel) & His Orchestra
14. ONE O CLOCK JUMP Count Basie & His Orchestra
15. I M CONFESSIN Artie Shaw & His Orchestra
16. (I'VE GOT A GAL IN) KALAMAZOO Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
17. BOOGIE WOOGIE Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
18. TAIN T WHAT YOU DO (IT S THE WAY THAT YOU DO IT) Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra
19. SING, SING, SING Benny Goodman & His Orchestra

Sentimental Journey is a leisurely jaunt through some of the most beautiful and haunting pop ballads of all time. Timeless classics every one, a joyously melancholy reflection of the times they were written for:

1. WE'LL MEET AGAIN Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
2. DANCING IN THE DARK Artie Shaw & His Orchestra
3. LITTLE BROWN JUG Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
4. I'LL BE SEEING YOU Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
5. MOONGLOW Artie Shaw & His Orchestra
6. MEMORIES OF YOU Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
7. I'LL GET BY Harry James & His Orchestra
8. ON THE ALAMO Benny Goodman & His Sextet
9. PENNIES FROM HEAVEN Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra
10. BODY AND SOUL Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra
11. LET'S GET LOST Frank Sinatra
12. BLUES IN THE NIGHT Cab Calloway & His Orchestra
13. THERE SHALL BE NO NIGHT Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra
14. ECHOES OF HARLEM Cootie Williams & His Rug Cutters
15. SKYLARK Earl Hines & His Orchestra
16. SATURDAY NIGHT IS THE LONELIEST NIGHT OF THE WEEK Frank Sinatra
17. PAPER DOLL The Mills Brothers
18. LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY Frank Sinatra
19. SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY Les Brown & His Orchestra
20. WAITING FOR THE TAIN TO COME IN Harry James & His Orchestra

Songs Without Words is moody and intense, melodic and soaring; perfect background music for most any endeavor. A great CD for a late night seduction - or cleaning the house, whichever you're better at. It's a little string-y for my tastes but if you're looking for a superior, all-purpose classical CD this is the one, it's an impressive selection.

The track listing:
1. WALTON: THE DEATH OF FALSTAFF Leonard Slatkin & London Philharmonic Orchestra
2. DVO ÁK: CELLO CONCERTO IN B 3.MINOR (SECOND MOVEMENT) Yo-Yo Ma, Kurt Masur & New York Philharmonic
3. COPLAND: CONCERTO FOR CLARINET, STRINGS, HARP AND PIANO Benny Goodman, Aaron Copland & Columbia Symphony Orchestra
4. LIGETI: LAMENTO FROM HOMMAGE Á BRAHMS Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Marie-Luise Neunecker, Saschko Gawriloff
5. FAURÉ: ÉLÉGIE, Op. 24 Steven Isserlis & Pascal Devoyon
6. LISZT: NUAGES GRIS Barry Douglas
7. COPLAND: GROVERS CORNERS FROM OUR TOWN Aaron Copland & New Philharmonia Orchestra
8. MEDELSSOHN: SONG WITHOUT WORDS Yo-Yo Ma & Emmanuel Ax
9. ELGAR: NIMROD FROM ENIGMA VARIATIONS Leonard Slatkin & London Philharmonic Orchestra

The War: A Ken Burns Film Soundtrack is just as effective as the other three, maybe more so, if you're looking for a party CD. This one reflects many moods and has a smattering of some more obscure jazz tunes that are sure to please. What an incredible array of smooth classics you get on this one by Kate Starr, Ellington, Nat King Cole, Count Basie, Bing and Les Paul.

The original music composed for the film that is included is tops, especially the thrilling Edgar Meyer, Joshua Bell, Sam Bush and Mike Marshall number. Check out the track listing:
1. American Anthem - Norah Jones
2. Walton, The Death of Falstaff - Leonard Slotkin & London Philharmonic Orchestra
3. The Wang Wang Blues - Benny Goodman Sextet
4. Movin' Back - Wynton Marsalis (composer & arranger)
5. How Long Blues - Count Basie
6. In the Nick of time - Edgar Meyer, Joshua Bell, Sam Bush & Mike Marshall
7. It's Been a Long, Long Time- Bing Crosby with Les Paul
8. America My Home (Excerpt) - Wynton Marsalis (composer & arranger)
9. If I could Be With You (One Hour Tonight) - Kay Starr, accompanied by the Capitol International Jazzmen
10. Blue As the Turquoise Night of Neyshabur (Excerpt) - Yo-Yo Ma & The Silk Road Ensemble
11. Until I'm In Your Arms Again - Wynton Marsalis
12. Variations For the Healing of Arinushka - Kalle Randalu
13. Basie Boogie - Count Basie & His Orchestra
14. Solitude - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
15. Concerto for Clarinet, Strings, Harp and Piano (Excerpt) - Benny Goodman, Aaron Copland & Columbia Symphony Orchestra
16. If You Can't Smile and Say Yes - The King Cole Trio
17. American Anthem - Amanda Forsyth & Bill Charlap

These surprisingly good soundtrack CDs from Ken Burn's The War would make an excellent addition to any music library, especially if you are craving the songs of the World War II era but don't know where to start.


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