The second volume of hit songs from Victor's vaults follows the format of its predecessor, using an all-over-the-road approach that mixes pop tunes with big-band swing classics. Starting with
Rudy Vallée & His Connecticut Yankees' "Maine Stein Song" from 1930, we now enter the age of the vocalist in front of the big band with
Bing Crosby fronting
Duke Ellington's on "Three Little Words,"
Mildred Bailey with
Paul Whiteman on "Rockin' Chair,"
Skinnay Ennis with
Hal Kemp on "Got a Date with an Angel," and
Russ Columbo (
Crosby's predecessor) on "Paradise." Pop and torch songs were still big, and
Leo Reisman's "Brother Can You Spare a Dime?"
Helen Morgan's "Frankie and Johnny," and
Jeanette MacDonald and
Nelson Eddy's "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life" were all indicative of the era. But the big news was jazz making the pop charts, and
Glenn Miller's "In the Mood,"
Louis Armstrong's "St. Louis Blues,"
Coleman Hawkins' classic "Body and Soul" and
Benny Goodman's "Sing Sing Sing" were as much signposts of an era as anything else. Transfers using the CEDAR noise reduction system make these old tracks shine brightly, especially given that most of them are 60 years old or older. ~ Cub Koda