Product description

The 1930's Recordings

Price: $28.98
RRP: $28.98 This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery
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Average customer rating: 4.0

Binding : Audio CD
EAN : 0788065900229
Label : Jsp Records
Manufacturer : Jsp Records
Publisher : Jsp Records
Release date : 2000-07-11
Title : The 1930's Recordings
Format : Box set
Original release date : 2000-07-11
Studio : Jsp Records
Number of discs : 5

Editorial reviews

Amazon.com
It's difficult to pinpoint the most phenomenal detail of the Mills Brothers' five-CD 1930s Recordings. Is it the audio? The unbelievable genius of the Mills family from Piqua, Ohio? The tune selection? Rest assured that you get gobs of genius from this set--in performance, in audio quality, in scope of music. In terms of sound, John R.T. Davies, whose work on the Louis Armstrong Hot Fives and Sevens JSP 4-CD set makes that set the premier Satchmo set, remastered these 116 tracks meticulously. In terms of music, the package's scope comprises virtually all the Mills Brothers' great early hits, from 1931's "Tiger Rag" and "Dinah" (a duet with Bing Crosby) to 1932's "Bugle Call Rag" and Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)," and more than 100 other cuts recorded between 1931 and 1937.

The Mills Brothers were originally billed as "Four Boys and a Guitar," and their utterly unique sound shines under Davies's light, with the bass thump of oldest brother John resonating deeply beneath Harry (baritone), Herbert (tenor), and Donald (lead). They mimic horns beautifully, so much so that when real orchestras back them, it sounds richer but also more tricky--where does Cab Calloway's band kick in on 1932's "Doin' the New Low Down" and where do the mock horns end? Ditto for the mesmerizing mix of Louis Armstrong and the brothers on 1938's "My Walking Stick," where Herbert's trumpet squares up beautifully with Satchmo's. They were still unassailable even in the late 1930s, and the last volume here catches the Mills Brothers as their popularity was waning. Perhaps it was the advancing power of swing big bands as the Depression eased, or perhaps their material was becoming tiresome. Whatever the cause, the Millses' approach begins to sound more like standard pop-cultural fare on "My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii," but they hadn't even come close to the height of their enormous fame--that would come with 1943's "Paper Doll," 1952's "Glow Worm," and an overall impression that the Mills Brothers were an institution. Here you get what came before, sometimes simple exuberant talent taking on silly little ditties, and sometimes inspired brilliance adorned only by a nice ditty and flabbergasting vocal chops. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer reviews

review by: closeharmonygroupy date: 2007-06-26 rating:

a little goes a long way
I am a big Mills Brothers fan and thought I just couldn't live without this 5-disc set of their earliest recordings. Frankly, I've become bored. The producer decided every recording, in chronological order, even those recorded twice, three times, even four, should all be included. I've struggled to listen all the way through, and am still working at it; after all, I paid $60 bucks for this set. At the same time I purchased THE ANTHOLOGY (1931 to 1968) which is nothing short of delightful. That's the one I recommend!

review by: date: 2005-05-10 rating:

Outstanding!
What a great collection of music! I knew very little about the Mills Brothers prior to buying this set, and pretty much found this item by accident (you know how it is on Amazon). But I have purchased JSP sets before, and was familiar with their high quality and value. So I took a chance on the Mills Brothers, and since getting these I've listened to the set over and over, I never seem to get tired of it. Yeah, a few of the songs are repeated now and then, but it's all good. I have to say that this is one of the best music purchases I've ever made. I'm just glad that CD's don't wear out.

review by: date: 2003-02-20 rating:

Boyoboyoboyoboyoboyo!
JSP has done it again! I'm a big fan of their CD box sets--I've got the Jelly Roll Morton set, the Louis Armstrong set, and the Carter Family set. They're all excellent! This one is no exception. The remastering is by John R. T. Davies, so naturally, the sound is superb. From the earliest 1931 recordings through the 1938 sessions here, the recordings are crisp, clear, and rich-sounding. Each piece is a gem. The Mills Brothers voices blend so smoothly together, I could listen to their records for hours. And with this 5-disc box set I *can* listen for hours! Each disc is packed full, and I appreciate having the alternate takes. Occasioanlly on these discs, the Mills Brothers are joined by Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Alice Faye, Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, Dick Powell, and a few others. The liner notes are good, and for five CD's, you can't beat the price. My only complaint--and it's a small one--is while the recording dates and master numbers for all selections are given, no indication is made of the original record labels or numbers.

review by: date: 2000-11-27 rating:

A Ton of Music for Very Little Money
My reason for not giving this five stars is due to the large number of alternate recordings of duplicate songs, but this is really due to the utterly documentarian approach the folks that put this CD together followed. Every single recording from the Mills Brothers earliest years are here (in stunningly good sound), presented in chronological order, which means that the listener is subjected to multiple recordings of "Caravan" and others. If you are a Mills Brothers fanatic (as I am), this is an indispensable set to own. If you are a more casual fan, pick up one of the greatest hits CD's listed here.

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