Bandleader
Eddy Duchin fronted a pop-dance band in the '30s whose initial popularity ended at the end of that decade. Unlike Ellington, Basie,
Fletcher Henderson, or
Benny Goodman,
Duchin was neither a brilliant arranger nor musician. He seemed content to play simple arrangements of contemporary pop tunes. This set showcases some of the least challenging swing music of the period, although it was never meant to do more than get people dancing, at which
Duchin succeeded. This 16-track Columbia compilation includes "Night and Day," "Ol' Man Mose," "Jenny," and "Down Argentine Way." ~ Al Campbell