Search - Castle Jazz Band :: Five Pennies

Great Dixieland!

04/11/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you loved the movie you should like this CD. I listen to this CD probably more than any other. You can't help from tapping you toes and bopping around to the music. If you like swing or jazz (upbeat) I would add this to your collection. Note though this is not a soundtrack from the movie. It is their (FCJB) interpretation of the music from the movie. It also has interesting information about the movie and about Red Nichols on the CD cover."

A fairly good rendition of Danny Kaye's original recording.

02/16/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I would recommend it if you really loved the original movie..however, it still lacks the talent of Danny Kaye and Louie Armstrong. I wish the song, "The Five Pennies" had been recorded slower as it was in the original soundtrack."

Never heard of the Famous Castle Jazz Band?

Eugene U. Still | Portland, OR United States | 02/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well, don't be shy about it. Most people haven't, but if you love trad jazz and are new to it, you need to know about these guys. They stand atop of the pantheon of the gods of two-beat jazz! Along with so many others-- Turk Murphy, Lu Watters, Bob Scobey,Matty Matlock, well, you get the idea. The FCJB was big in the 30s-40s revival of trad jazz on the West coast. They hailed from Portland,OR and played mostly played there, the Bay Area, and a little in Seattle. (Believe it or not, Portland was the raucous party town where the entire West Coast came to play!) Except for leader Monte Ballou they were avocational players, but you'd never know it. They were simply as good as it gets. They recorded only twice that I know of-- "The Five Pennies" and their eponymous first album. If you admire trad jazz enough to read this review, you need to buy these albums! Call up the FCJB album and listen to a minute of "I've Been Floatin Down the Old Green River" for a taste. They have a good time and they cook-- and isn't that what it's all about? A previous reviewer marked this album down because they don't sound more like Danny Kaye's soundtrack. I suggest he just doesn't have the ears. Nichols and Kaye were both highly talented (and I loved that movie), but you just can't take anything away from Ballou and crew. (Monte was a friend--and I just had to come to his "defense." I knew several others of the players, but that's beside the point--we're talking about the music!) Buy these two albums. I'd put FCJB in the Top Ten of All Time for Trad Jazz. Enjoy."