"There's little doubt that the music is great. Still, when it says soundtrack you would expect to hear Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald sing the titles they performed in the movie, and they're not a part of this release.Its a shame too, since their voices represented some of the best parts of the movie. Still, the music is great."
No Better Blues
William J. Amrine | San Francisco, California | 02/17/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Actually, this album is mostly classic Twenties' jazz, played with a precision that, paradoxically, can only come from musicians who have mastered the improvisation that is jazz. Dick Cathcart's coronet is sharp and clear, and he punctuates his melodies with perfect tones, backed by Matty Matlock on clarinet and by other musicians of equal stature. Jack Webb narrates the list and poetically describes the age of jazz; the album is worth owning for Webb's comments alone. He states that "Somebody Loves Me" is his favorite song, and offers no excuses. I agree, and I think you'll place this album among your favorite jazz."
Pete Kelly's Blues soundtrack CD
justjazz6 | Lakewood, CA United States | 08/31/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a great re-release of the soundtrack from the film "Pete Kelly's Blues". The only downside is that it doesn't include the great vocals by Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald. It is strictly an instrumental soundtrack. Hmmm, that makes me wonder how it can be called a "soundtrack" if there were vocals in the film and there are none here????"
Excellent Small Group Portraying Music of the 20's in ....
Robert J. Ament | Ballwin, MO United States | 08/15/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Kansas City. All of the musicians involved provided the small band scoring of the original soundtrack.......BUT this recording is a separate studio session (Oct. 19, 1955). The original liner notes make this fairly clear! The songs are taken from the movie...but not the original soundtrack......else you wouldn't have a decent take of "Somebody Loves Me", where the alcoholic singer, played by Peggy Lee, tragically fails the lyrics enraging her gangster "sponsor", Edmond O'Brien. That said, it's excellent dixieland music carried off by musicians many of whom had backgrounds from that period. Some of the stuff reflects more of the 30's and early 40's to my ear such as the Goodman-esque clarinet by Matty Matlock on "What Can I Say....etc", the great horn harmony on "Breezin' Along With The Breeze", and the silky smooth tenor work by Eddie Miller on both of these tunes. Drummer Nick Fatool shows some really authentic period licks especially on the first two cuts.
If it wasn't for the music, which is excellent, the cd would be worth the price just for the laconic intros by Jack Webb which vividly evoke memories of his dead-pan dry monotone delivery.
A real collector's "must"."
Melt into this...
Robert J. Ament | 10/10/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is worth every penny for the sweet sounds of Dick Cathcart alone! Cathcart plays the way Ella sings- sweet, warm, bluesy, and oh so easy to listen to..."