Search - Joe Venuti :: Stringing the Blues

Stringing the Blues
Joe Venuti
Stringing the Blues
Genres: Blues, Jazz
 
Kudos to Koch Records for unearthing this essential 1962 double-album Columbia set featuring the work of two vital jazz pioneers. Guitarist Eddie Lang and violinist Joe Venuti were central figures in the jazz world of the ...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Joe Venuti
Title: Stringing the Blues
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Naxos Records
Release Date: 7/15/2004
Genres: Blues, Jazz
Style:
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
Other Editions: Stringing the Blues
UPC: 636943261422

Synopsis

Amazon.com
Kudos to Koch Records for unearthing this essential 1962 double-album Columbia set featuring the work of two vital jazz pioneers. Guitarist Eddie Lang and violinist Joe Venuti were central figures in the jazz world of the late 1920s and early 1930s, gigging with bands of all shapes, sizes, and styles and taking their respective instruments to places they hadn't been previously. These 32 cuts range from 1928 to 1933, and they are not only wonderful examples of the genius of Lang and Venuti, but they give a vivid picture of the complete jazz landscape of the day. Everyone from Bing Crosby to Clarence Williams to Tommy Dorsey (on trumpet) to Frankie Trumbauer to King Oliver pops up on the set. Lang and Venuti are also heard leading their own magnificent duets, trios, and quartets, and there's a handful of the landmark blues duets featuring Lang (billed as Blind Willie Dunn) and Lonnie Johnson. Highlights are plentiful: Listen to the incredibly tricky arrangement on Venuti's aptly named barnburner "The Wild Dog." Or how a stately intro gives way to an ebullient romp on "I've Found a New Baby." Or how on "It's Right Here for You," Lang effortlessly moves from superb single-string soloing to vibrant rhythm work. Both musicians love to teeter in the upper registers--Venuti on "I Got Rhythm," Lang on "Church Street Sobbin' Blues." Hear Venuti mischievously plucking away on "Cheese and Crackers." Across novelties and standards alike, the duo display a wonderful sense of humor that never devolves into camp, technical mastery that never gets in the way of flair or fun, and a magical effervescence that still glows decades later. --Marc Greilsamer
 

CD Reviews

Venuti & Lang doin' what they do best...
Aaron The Baron | 09/28/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Joe Venuti perhaphs the finest jazz violenist ever and Ediie Land perhaphs the greatest jazz guitarist ever(with the exception of Django Reinhart) are together here for some red hot duets, leading their own groups and appearing with different vocalists or as sidemem, whatever it is they get plaenty of solos space, and this CD is consistantly enjoyable. This is an essentail set well worh the price."
Great Collection From Jazz Pioneers Lang and Venuti!
bix lang | Davenport, Iowa USA | 09/23/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)

"From "Dinah" to "Tiger Rag" this collection illuminates the magnificent musical abilities of the first great Jazz violinst, Joe Venuti and his equally innovative buddy, Eddie Lang (born Salvatore Massaro), who practically invented jazz guitar in the 1920s. Long before Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, and Stephane Grappelli, there was Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang, both musical prodigies from South Philadelphia who had brilliant careers that began in the early days of Jazz. Lang's career was cut tragically short when he died of complications from surgery for infected tonsils at the age of 31 in 1933 (remember, this was long before the discovery of antibiotics). Like Venuti, Lang recorded with such immortals as Bix Beiderbecke, Hoagy Carmichael, Bing Crosby (who was Lang's best friend), Mildred Bailey, Red Norvo, and Frankie Trumbauer, among many others. Lang was a magnificent accompanist as well as a creative lead player who put single string improvisational guitar-playing on the musical map. That's Eddie playing incredibly behind and around Bix on the immortal "Sing'n the Blues." Venuti was the first violinist to play stunning lead solos on an instrument that previously was not even accepted in the jazz world. Whether playing a haunting ballad or an uptempo eight-to-the-bar number, Venuti was an incredible improvisor. It should be noted by Jazz afficionados that Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli in the 1930s modeled their playing on that of Lang and Venuti in the 1920s. This collection is a marvelous one, and I enthusiastically recommend it to all jazz buffs who appreciate two true immortals of the genre."