Search - Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra :: No Name Jive [Past Perfect]

Adequate but filled with junk

J. C Clark | Overland Park, KS United States | 02/20/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The Casa Loma Orchestra could swing. A great arranger and a fine leader made some exquisite music. On this collection, on a few selections, they do just that.But there are many tame vocals on here, softer sounding songs with a non-descript vocalist who inspires little admiration. There's a reason you don't (or at least I don't) know Kenny Sargent (and some of the other vocalists listed in the notes but not identified with their performaces): they aren't very good. They range from blah to downright dreadful: The Fable of the Rose and Would'st I but Kiss Thy Hand, Oh Babe, two songs that go so wrong you wonder how a good arranger could listen and feel pleased.Well, tastes change, and what sounded cool in the Thirties sometimes sounds awful. If these ever sounded good, they no longer do.Some good swing, when the singers stay away, but even at a budget price, this leaves much to be desired."