The Boswell Sisters
One of the all-time greatest jazz vocal groups, the Boswell Sisters, Martha, Vet and Connee, began their career in the vaudeville houses of New Orleans. Connee, paralyzed from the waist down by a childhood accident (though her disability was often attributed to polio), always performed sitting down. Gifted musicians as well as singers, the sisters also worked at a local radio station, performing classical and semi-classical instrumentals. (Martha played piano, Vet played violin, banjo and guitar, and Connee played cello, saxophone and guitar.) Their careers took off when the radio station gave them a daily singing program.
The sisters' harmonic vocals, dotted with scatting and numerous tempo and key changes, quickly made them popular in New Orleans and beyond. They recorded several songs during the twenties, but it wasn't until 1930, when they recorded four songs for the Okeh label, that they finally achieved popular recognition. They later signed with Brunswick, and between 1930 and 1936 they were the hottest vocal group in the country. They appeared in several movies and were regulars on Bing Crosby's radio program. Many of their hit recordings were made with the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. Both Vet and Martha retired from show business in 1936. Connee went on enjoy a mildly-successful solo career.
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Cheek To Cheek Crazy People Dinah Don't Let Your Love Go Wrong An Evening In Caroline Everybody Loves My Baby Fare Thee Well, Annabelle Forty-Second Street Heebie Jeebies I Can't Write The Words I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter If I Had A Million Dollars It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing It's The Girl It's You! The Object Of My Affection Rock And Roll Roll On, Mississippi, Roll On Shine On, Harvest Moon Shout, Sister, Shout! Shuffle Off To Buffalo That's How Rhythm Was Born When I Take My Sugar To Tea Why Don't You Practise What You Preach? You Oughta Be In Pictures (My Star Of Stars) |
Connee (1907-1976), Martha (1908-1958) and Helvetia ("Vet") Boswell (1909-1988)
constituted the most popular female vocal group before The Andrews Sisters,
and created some of the most exciting recordings of the early 30s - still sounding
amazing today. They enjoyed 20 hits before breaking up, when the remarkable,
wheelchair-bound Connee continued a great solo career, influencing a generation
of singers such as Ella Fitzgerald. But as a trio, the Sisters were never matched.
Shout, Sister, Shout! was their signature tune, and now the title of a 25-track
selection of their very best recordings. 11 of them were major hits, including
their first success, the incredible "When I Take My Sugar To Tea", and "Dinah",
"I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter", "Roll On Mississippi Roll
On", "Rock And Roll", "It's The Girl" and the chart-topping "The Object Of My
Affection" - each one a tour de force. The Sisters' jazz flair was invariably
enhanced by the accompaniment of some of the top musicians in jazz, and fine
solos by such as Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Bunny Berigan, Benny Goodman, Manny
Klein, Artie Shaw and Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang all add to the enjoyment.
| 4523 CD $12.98 |
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Nights When I Am Lonely Heebies Jeebies When I Take My Sugar To Tea Roll On, Mississippi, Roll On Shout, Sister, Shout Shine On, Harvest Moon River Stay 'Way From my Door Was That The Human Thing To Do We've Got To Put That Sun Back In The Sky There'll Be Some Changes Made If It Ain't Love Hand Me Down My Walkin' Cane Old Yazoo We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye Down Among The Sheltering Palms Minnie The Moocher's Wedding Day Crazy People Forty-Second Street Shuffle Off To Buffalo If I Had A Million Dollars Dinah |
There were many "sister" groups in the 20th century, but none compared to the three Boswell Sisters, who, unlike the other groups, including the more famous Andrews Sisters, were very jazz-oriented, not afraid to take chances and they could out-swing anyone. Precisely in-tune, with surprising tempo, key and mood changes in their own arrangements the New Orleans-born Sisters began their recording career in 1925, sounding like little kids on "Nights When I Am Lonely ." "Shout" chronicles the best of the Boswells' brief but amazing recording career, largely from 1930 to 1935An all-star group of top studio players including trombonist Tommy Dorsey and his brother Jimmy (on alto and clarinet), trumpeter Bunny Berigan and violinist Joe Venuti loved recording with the Sisters, who were on their level musically. Reaching their height of fame in 1932, the sisters appeared in several movies, most notably 1932's "The Big Broadcast," where they sang "Crazy People" in company with Cab Calloway, Bing Crosby and the Mills Bros. Now popular enough to introduce their own hits, like "Was That The Human Thing To Do" and "We've Got To Put That Sun Back In The Sky" rather than just cover standards and other people's hits. "There'll Be Some Changes Made" is redone by the Boswells with a surprise blues solo for Connie in the middle, and the obscure Fats Waller tune "If It Ain't Love" is remembered for this highly appealing version, as is Waller's "Old Yazoo," made immortal by the Boswells. Just as the Swing Era began in 1936 the Boswells broke up in favor of married life for Vet and Martha and a solo career for Connie that lasted until her death in 1976. 21 songs: "Forty-Second Street," "Shuffle Off To Buffalo," "If I Had A Million Dollars," "Dinah"… these are classic jazz swing tunes that ushered in one of our favorite musical eras, and remain some of the best American music ever recorded. All accompanied by the best jazzmen o f the time.
Listen to "If I Had A Million Dollars" in Real Audio.
| 4601 CD $14.98 |
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I've Lost You Sharing I'm In Training For You When The Red Roses Get The Blues For You Does My Baby Love? Songs Of The Dawn Gee, But I'd Like To Make You Happy Rarin' To Go There's A Wah-Wah Girl In Agua Caliente I'm On A Diet Of Love The One I Love Just Can't Be Bothered With Me My Mad Moment What Is It I Thank You Mr. Moon The Night When Love Was Born Down Among The Sheltering Palms Sleep Come On And Take Me I'll Never Have To Dream Again Me Minus You Puttin' It On Swanny Mammy The Darktown Strutters Ball Why Don't You Practice What You Preach Way Back Home Every Little Moment |
We've been transported back into 1930, and turning on one of those beautiful old radios, we hear a live Boswell Sisters' program, sometimes with actual static, and a hopelessly straight-laced announcer. These are 1930-35 original broadcast transcriptions, tracks that have never been released in any form, of popular Southern girl group the Boswells, the most original trio of their time. This is pretty racy stuff, especially for its time ("If you see me necking somebody new, I'm in training for you!"from "I'm in Training For You." 25 live, authentic gems, all at least lightly piano-accompanied, some with full orchestra, (Glenn Miller's and Tommy Dorsey's): "Does My Baby Love?," "Gee, But I'd Love to Make You Happy," "Rarin' To Go," "There's Wah-Wah Girl in Agua Caliente," "My Mad Moment," "I Thank You, Mr. Moon," "Me Minus You," "Puttin' It On"ŠThis was the jazz age, time of the scandalous, liberated flapper, and the harmonizing Boswells celebrated this new freedom to the max. This CD is a recommended joy!
Listen to "Does My Baby Love?" in Real Audio.
| 4524 CD $14.98 |
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