True meeting of the masters
Don Steiny | Santa Cruz, CA USA | 11/16/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This recording is one of my favorites. Each of the artists are pioneers in their area. Joe Venuti is more than just a hot fiddle player, he was one of the people that defined jazz in the early years. It is a matter of taste. The jazz here is not the edgy bop style of playing scales over chord changes. The solos are variations on the melody or melodies that stand on their own. I am an amateur musician and I tried to learn Eldon Shamblin's solo on "There Will Never Be an Other You." It is elusively simple, and the timing and the way it builds is sublime. It has that subtle distinction between great and genius. Joe Venuti is beyond praise. In some senses, a very good answer to the question "what is swing?" would be "how Joe Venuti plays." Since he was with the earlist improvising bands way back in the 20's, he influenced everyone since.Mandolin tends toward either the Eastern European or bluegrass, but Jethro Burns is firmly a swinger, and Curely Chalker is the defining voice of pedal steel guitar. Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys are synonymous with country swing.For anyone that is interested in Jazz and American music, this once only collaberation between these greats is something that has to be in their collection."
Pure musicianship
Brian Dahle | Nevada | 03/16/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There is absolutely no pretense to this recording. It is a sheer delight from start to finish. It's as if one of the four called the other three on the phone and said:"why not come over to my place and some fun." The neat part is that we the listeners get to share in this jubilation. Flying Fish is a label I've respected greatly for twenty five years. I certainly thank them for making this treat available, but have to wonder why the liner notes consist of only two lines. That said, this one is a keeper that will only continue to keep you smiling long after the last track has finished."
Unique
Jimmy M Kuykendall | Austin, Tx United States | 01/21/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For fans of truly unique swing and jazz type music, this is a rare find. Finding jazz type music with a strong steel guitar player is really a rare find. While all of the musicians on this cd are excellent, Curly Chalker and Jethro Burns really stand out. Know of anything else like this that doesn`t feature Buddy Emmons? E-mail me."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1