Issued by Europe’s Retrieval Records imprint,
Bring on the Girls 1926-1934 features 16 female jazz vocalists ranging from the well-known such as
Helen Morgan and
Annette Hanshaw to the obscure. The set’s producers claim that it contains previously unissued material, but this refers to the CD format only since these sides were originally released as 78s. It doesn’t matter much either way, since this is the only place you’re likely to find
Lee Morse's “’'T Ain't No Sin,” or Zelma O’Neal’s “I Want to Be Bad” on compact disc. Another notable aspect of this 24-track recording are the musicians who appear here, including
Eddie Lang,
Joe Venuti, the
Dorsey Brothers,
Benny Goodman, and
Red Nichols, to name a few. For the hardcore pre-
War music collector, this compilation provides a treasure trove of forgotten sides from the roaring '20s to the Depression-era '30s. ~ Thom Jurek