• Artist: Les Paul
• Flags: Compilation (best of)
• Type: Compilation
• Rating:
• Styles: Traditional Pop, Swing, Pop
• Track Picks: "Lazy River," "What Is This Thing Called Love?," "Who's Sorry Now?"

Review

It's virtually impossible to imagine modern music without the contributions of Les Paul. Not only was he a brilliant jazz guitarist with no fear of pop or country, he literally laid the framework for how a good electric guitar should be made when he designed his famous Les Paul model for Gibson Guitars. Add in the fact that he single-handedly invented multi-track recording with the release of "Lover" in 1948, and his influence is pervasive, if not always acknowledged, even in today's 21st century hip-hop world. This delightful collection brings together rare 16" radio transcription discs Paul did in 1944 and 1945, shortly after he was discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces. Although billed as a trio, the band here is really a quartet, with Paul on lead guitar, Cal Gooden, Jr. on rhythm guitar, Clint Nordquist on upright bass, and probably Bob Armstrong on piano (Paul used several piano players during this time period, but Armstrong is the most likely candidate for these sessions). The music is smooth and elegant swing, featuring delightfully unexpected stops, starts, and redirects, all tempered by Paul's liquid guitar lines, full of brilliant sustained notes. Highlights include a cover of Isham Jones' 1923 hit "Who's Sorry Now" (which became an even bigger hit for Connie Francis in 1958), an expansive version of Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love," and an elegant take on Hoagy Carmichael's "Lazy River." The real treats, though, are the three tracks that close the disc, featuring Paul's band plus vocals from the sultry Kay Starr and the violin playing of the great Joe Venuti. Smooth and fresh as rainwater running off a leaf, the transcriptions that make up Crazy Rhythm don't sound dated at all, and the sound is clear as a bell. Paul's most innovative and representative recordings were still in the future when these sessions were held, but the joyful elegance in his playing was already well established. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Who's Sorry Now?	...	Bert Kalmar, Harry Lubin	Les Paul	(1:30)
You Took Advantage of Me	...	Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart	Les Paul	(2:38)
For You	...	Al Dubin, Joe Burke	Les Paul	(2:36)
What Is This Thing Called Love?	...	Cole Porter	Les Paul	(2:44)
I Never Knew	...	Thomas Pitts, Roy Marsh, Raymond Egan B.	Les Paul	(2:15)
Won't You Tell Me	...	Les Paul	Les Paul	(2:17)
It's Only a Paper Moon	...	E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, Billy Rose	Les Paul	(2:35)
Nice Work If You Can Get It	...	George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin	Les Paul	(2:38)
I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me	...	Jimmy McHugh, Clarence Gaskill	Les Paul	(2:34)
The Man I Love	...	George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin	Les Paul	(3:27)
Crazy Rhythm	...	Irving Caesar, Roger Wolfe Kahn, Jordan Meyer	Les Paul	(2:38)
'Deed I Do	...	Fred Rose, Walter Hirsch	Les Paul	(1:50)
Lazy River	...	Hoagy Carmichael, Sidney Arodin	Les Paul	(2:04)
Melodic Meal	...	Traditional	Les Paul	(3:00)
It Had to Be You	...	Isham Jones, Gus Kahn	Les Paul	(2:29)
My Future Just Passed	...	Richard Whiting, George Marion, Jr.	Kay Starr, Les Paul, Joe Venuti & His Orchestra	(2:53)
There's a Lull in My Life	...	Mack Gordon, Harry Warren	Kay Starr, Les Paul, Joe Venuti & His Orchestra	(2:44)
What a Diff'rence a Day Made	...	María Mendez Grever, Stanley Adams	Kay Starr, Les Paul, Joe Venuti & His Orchestra	(3:03)

Credits

Kay Starr (Vocals), Les Paul (Guitar), Cary E. Mansfield (Producer), Phil York (Digital Remastering), Athan Maroulis (Producer), Athan Maroulis (Compilation), Athan Maroulis (Research), Athan Maroulis (Annotation), Bill Pitzonka (Art Direction), Bill Pitzonka (Design), Clinton Nordquist (String Bass), Peggy Logan (Copy Editing), Cal Gooden (Guitar (Rhythm)), Bob Armstrong (Piano), Joe Venutti (Violin)