Search - Various Artists :: Oscillatin Rhythm

Big Band Swing without the scratchy "Lo-Fi" sound

Christopher Tune | No. Hollywood, CA USA | 04/28/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is one of the few historical "Swing Compilations" I have found that has excellent sound quality. The tunes seem largely to have been recorded in the late 1950's at Capitol Records. That is probably why the sound quality is so good. Capitol is know for breaking ground in audio quality. This company was one of the first to record using the early multi-track recorders (three tracks--stereo background and separate vocal track). This company had an underground chamber designed for reverb.The music on the recording is also of the highest quality and largely "up-tempo", danceable tunes. There is plenty of Basie and Ellington, Goodman, James and special recreations by the Glen Gray Casa Loma Orchestra. These Glen Gray tunes along with others by Billy May's orchestra (for those who don't know one of Sinatra's favorite band leaders) ultimately became "The Swing Era" issued by Time Life Records in roughly 1970. These were extremely faithful recreations, in beautiful stereo, of the original arrangements (AND IMPROV SOLOS) taken down from the original 1930's 1940's, etc. recordings. Instead of having digital fixups done on old metal parts, you have great big band musicians originally recorded with modern equipment and supremely beautiful audio quality. This is what makes this album so great!Listening to this you can imagine what it would have been like to take your date down to the Palomar Ball Room and dance to Benny Goodman's band playing "Stompin at the Savoy".Get this record if you like swing music at all!"

Clean, crisp, classic

Christopher Tune | 01/13/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With the flat, angular beats of neo-swing damaging the genre's reputation and the sometimes scratchy, badly recorded cuts of the 30's-40's swing tracks Oscillatin' Ryhthm is a blessing. The tracks were recorded in hi-fi in the 50's (during the first "resurgance" of swing) by bands that eithere were from the original era or had a lot of personnel from the era. Each cut is beautiful and clean. The recordings are sensational with a rich, full tone. "T'aint What You do" by Billy May almost eclipses the original Jimmie Lunceford recordings. If you truly know what it means when I say a song swings, then you need to own this album. No self-respecting dancer or swing music afficianado should be without it."

Great dance cd

Richard Hansen | Mokena, IL, USA | 04/23/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As others said, this is by far the best swing "compiliation cd" in existence.



Whoever put together the selections for this cd surly knew what constitutes good dance pocket rhythm. And they carefully selected tunes with excellent dance pulse and vigor.



Highly recommended.

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