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- Artist: Joe Venuti
- Rating:
- Release Date: May 18, 2004
- Type: Compilation (best of)
- Genre: Jazz
Review
The recordings made under Joe Venuti's name during the years immediately following the sudden and premature death of Eddie Lang on March 26, 1933, often have a somewhat strange quality to them. Venuti was crushed by this personal loss and must have still been mourning the death of his friend and musical companion when the two opening tracks -- concluding the session that produced the thrilling "Vibraphonia" -- were recorded on May 8th. Six sides waxed in September of 1933 for the Banner label feature vocalist Don Elton, infinitely better on the upbeat novelties than as a crooner suspended in syrup. This smooth band had a young Max Kaminsky in the brass section and Bud Freeman in the reeds. The creamy, beautiful "Moon Glow" is one of Venuti's best-known sides from this period, and with good reason. The band on the completely instrumental Columbia session from one week later is the best group on the entire package, with Benny Goodman, Bud Freeman, and Adrian Rollini on the front line. It is worth noting that the great Dick McDonough was now established as Eddie Lang's replacement. His work on this session demonstrates exactly why. "In de Ruff" turns out to be King Oliver's "Dipper Mouth Blues," later known as "Sugar Foot Stomp." A Bluebird session from October 13th yielded four more instrumentals -- three of them by Will Hudson -- beginning with a rousing "Fiddlesticks." On "Phantom Rhapsody" and Benny Carter's "Everybody Shuffle," this band sounds a bit like Fletcher Henderson's, except of course for the fiddle. Venuti spent the rest of the year recording for Banner. Dolores Reade, presenting a couple of melodies by Irving Berlin, had more charm and substance than Howard Phillips and Slim Fortier put together. Even the least of these sides are fascinating for those who enjoy studying jazz and popular music from the early '30s. ~ arwulf arwulf, All Music GuideTracks
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Isn't It Heavenly? | E.Y. "Yip" Harburg | Joe Venuti | (3:18) |
| My Gypsy Rhapsody | Joe Venuti | (3:30) | |
| You're My Past, Present and Future | Harry Revel | Joe Venuti | (3:02) |
| I Want to Ring Bells | Joe Venuti | (3:02) | |
| Doin' the Uptown Lowdown | Harry Revel | Joe Venuti | (2:48) |
| Gather Lip Rouge While You May | Buddy DeSylva, Leo Robin, Richard A. Whiting | Joe Venuti | (3:06) |
| Moon Glow | Will Hudson, Eddie DeLange, Irving Mills | Joe Venuti | (2:56) |
| Cheese and Crackers | Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang | Joe Venuti | (2:58) |
| Sweet Lorraine | Mitchell Parish, |
Joe Venuti | (3:12) |
| Doin' the Uptown Lowdown | Harry Revel | Joe Venuti | (3:18) |
| The Jazz Me Blues | Tom Delaney | Joe Venuti | (3:09) |
| In de Ruff | Louis Armstrong, King Oliver | Joe Venuti | (3:09) |
| Fiddlesticks | Joe Venuti | (2:49) | |
| Everybody Shuffle | Benny Carter | Joe Venuti | (2:51) |
| Moon Glow | Irving Mills, Eddie DeLange, Will Hudson | Joe Venuti | (3:22) |
| Phantom Rhapsody | Joe Venuti | (3:08) | |
| Heat Wave | Irving Berlin | Joe Venuti | (3:09) |
| Easter Parade | Irving Berlin | Joe Venuti | (3:06) |
| Build a Little Home | Joe Venuti | (3:15) | |
| No More Love | Joe Venuti | (3:05) | |
| My Dancing Lady | Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh | Joe Venuti | (3:12) |
| Everything I Have Is Yours | Burton Lane, Harold Adamson | Joe Venuti | (3:07) |
| One Minute to One | John Frederick Coots, |
Joe Venuti | (3:04) |
| You Have Taken My Heart | Johnny Mercer, Gordon Jenkins | Joe Venuti | (3:00) |
