Search - Joe Loss & His Orch :: In Mood - 48 Golden Classics

The Joe Loss Orchestra equals historic ballroom

J. Wakefield | SLC, Utah | 05/15/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I love the Joe Loss Orchestra! These are wonderful recordings and deserve some play as "historic ballroom" at parties and dances. About two-thirds of these have vocals. This is not too horrid for dancers that don't care for vocals, because a typical arrangement allows the band to play about half of the piece through before the vocalist begins singing.



A few points of critique must be made. There is substantial hiss on many of these recordings. The selection is somewhat unfortunate, because almost all of this is in four-four time. There are only two waltzes. A few are slow enough to try West Coast Swing. A couple others might work with Lindy, swing, or jive. But almost everything else is slow foxtrot, faster foxtrot, or quickstep. Also, there is no information about when the original recordings were made. Joe Loss started his band in 1929, and quickly expanded it to an orchestra. By 1937, they were, arguably, the top orchestra in Great Britain. They spanned almost 60 years of recording. It seems most of this is from the forties and fifties. Chick Henderson died in the Second World War.



As I post this review, I caution there are several inaccuracies on the Amazon track listing. They lost two tracks, and there are numerous spelling errors. "My bad too," but in someone's name? Ouch! Here are the titles, durations, suggested dance, and the artists for all forty-eight tracks:



Disc One:

In the mood, 3:10, Swing, Joe Loss Orchestra

Begin the Beguine, 3:29, Rumba, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson

I'm nobody's baby, 3:13, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Paula Greene

You made me care, 3:19, Waltz, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson

Five o'clock whistle, 2:46, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra & Bette Roberts

Where in the world, 3:15, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Harry Kaye

Barrel house boogie, 2:41, Swing, Joe Loss Orchestra

I'm beginning to see the light, 3:05, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey

If I should fall in love again, 3:22, Waltz, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson

There's a harbor of dreamboats, 3:18, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Harry Kaye

Fur trapper's ball, 3:14, Swing, Joe Loss Orchestra

Where's my love, 3:18, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Harry Kaye

That lovely weekend, 3:21, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson

Oasis, 3:33, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra

Yeah man, 2:53, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey

Goodnight children everywhere, 3:14, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson & Shirley Lenner



Disc Two:

My paradise, 2:20, Rumba, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson

Shoo shoo baby, 3:06, WCSwing, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey

Soft shoe shuffle, 3:16, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra

I wish I knew, 3:09, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Harry Kaye

Scrub me mama, 3:14, Jive, Joe Loss Orchestra & Bette Roberts

Seems like old times, 2:54, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones

In pinetops footsteps, 2:54, Jive, Joe Loss Orchestra

Thanks for everything, 2:58, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Chick Henderson

On the bridge of Avignon, 2:57, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey

Little old mill, The, 2:54, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey

Candy, 3:03, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Harry Kaye

Stage coach, 3:15, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra

Sweetheart of all my dreams, 2:58, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey

I wonder why, 2:56, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Harry Kaye

My guy's come back, 3:12, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra

Into each life some rain must fall, 3:16, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones



Disc Three:

Chattanooga choo-choo, 2:51, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra

No need for words, 3:22, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones

Washington whirligig, 2:46, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra

It couldn't be true, 2:57, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey

Good, good, good, 2:46, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey & Howard Jones

Accordion, 3:25, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones

Skyliner, 3:03, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra

Oh, what it seemed to be, 2:55, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones

Let him go, let him tarry, 3:10, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey

I dream of you, 3:24, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones

Gotta be this or that, 2:50, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey

Bounce me brother with a solid four, 2:54, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra

Save a piece of wedding cake, 3:24, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones

Tunisian trail, 3:22, Quickstep, Joe Loss Orchestra

It had to be you, 2:34, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Elizabeth Batey

I'll buy that dream, 3:06, Foxtrot, Joe Loss Orchestra & Howard Jones"