Thanks, John.

What an amazing catolgue to draw upon. Looking forward to getting into all the material over time.

Ian Kerstein wrote:

You did indeed know the answer, Aaron.
Thank you. It sounds very interesting and you satisfied my curiosity. I'm pleased they're still operating. 
Have an extra "merit" (or a "gold star") if they're still within the gift of your teaching profession in your parts.
By the way, why is it called "The Victorian Bing Crosby Society"? Do they have evidence that Bing was even older .... ?
 

Very good. I was almost going to make a joke about the Victorian era as opposed to the Australian state. When you think about it, Bing only missed her majesty by two years.

ModernBingFan0377 wrote:

I’m working on getting together PDFs of The Crosby Voice, and a letter from Kathryn Crosby was reproduced in an early newsletter that said that the planned timeframe for the tour would’ve been spring or early fall of ‘78.

Thanks John. David Currington sent that letter through to me a couple of weeks ago. It will make an appearance at the ICC online meeting on Sunday/Monday as it ties in with something planned. Stay tuned.

Ian Kerstein wrote:

Oh, thank you, Aaron - this makes it much clearer. 
I sometimes forget that from the mid-forties onwards, Bing's radio shows were being recorded on his developed Ampex magnetic tape and so they were crystal sounding, edited shows and tracks. 

Time again to hang my head in shame because after just undertaking a search, I don't own any of the "Through the Years" CDs. I often confuse them with the shorter "Good and Rare" Sepia series (liner notes, again by our esteemed Malcolm). Come to think of it a few years back, just before joining the ICC, I do remember looking into buying them and pouring all over the tracks.

Yes, I had forgotten that there's no trumpet from Pops on this one. But can we forgive this because of the sheer sleepy peace of the song and peerless vocal delivery of those two beyond greats? Why were they so perfect together in every way? 

Why were they so perfect together in every way?

Simple: They both instinctively knew where the quaver/eighth note pulse sits in jazz. I can write so much more about their musicianship together but everything will come back to this simple fact. Not everyone gets that pulse. They may get close because they learn it, but for Bing and Pops it was instinctive.

I'm sure their hearts pumped to a swing beat (or is that not healthy?).

Ian Kerstein wrote:

Aaron Tickner wrote:

Great album. However, it would have been better if it was Bing with Louis' All-Stars. Now that would have been an album.

Don't get me wrong - I love Billy May's work. I just think an album with the All-Stars would have been better.

Dardenella, Muskrat Ramble & Lazy River already mentioned are certainly highlights.

However, Pops' trumpet playing on The Preacher is outstanding. And I love Sugar. Bing makes chemistry cool.

The Preacher was almost going to be the opening track to my Bingville Buglers presentation for the ICC Online Meetings. However, I deliberately went looking for something from their radio work where Satchmo exclusively played trumpet and didn't sing - that's why My Honey's Lovin' Arms from a Chesterfield Show became the opener.

I could not agree with you more, Aaron. I naively thought when I bought my second hand vinyl copy many decades ago that it would automatically be Louis with his All Stars. I think if there had to be just one album with Pops and Bing, I would have plumped for one with his All Stars.

I really, really enjoy this album and think it was very well made and produced. It has a warmth to it that I so enjoy.
I stand by everything I previously said about it ....

However, your comments have reminded me of my initial dissapointment of that high blowing, free wheeling spirit isn't nearly as present on the album at hand and when listening to it, I also ache for some solos from his All Stars, too when instead we have a vocal chorus. A very well meaning and enjoyable project could in other hands, have been a great one. 
 

Ian, I generally agree about the backing vocals being unnecessary. However, in their defence, the counter melody they sing on Lazy River is a solo Pops played on an earlier recording (maybe from the Decca years?). Johnny Mercer added the lyrics. If the producers had chosen repertoire that Louis had previously recorded and Johnny Mercer had done that acros

David Lobosco wrote:

I am definitely in the minority here. I voted that I only like Bob Hope when he was with Bing. I feel Bing made him funny. When I listen to his radio shows, Bob is not bad, but I don't laugh out loud like I do with Jack Benny or Jackie Gleason.

Not quite in the minority. Someone has voted against old ski-nose. Not sure who. When I hear criticisms of Hope I can understand where people are coming from.

I did vote for liking him but always prefer him with Bing rather than solo. He does work well with some others too - George Burns, Jack Benny, etc. And does will with Lucy, Jane Russell, Dottie, etc.
 

Ian Kerstein wrote:

Pantelis Kavouras wrote:

Ian Kerstein wrote:

Who was more deserving of that year's Oscar?
Brando or Bing? 
 

This is an easy question. Bing Crosby gave one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema as Frank Elgin in The Country Girl, although Brando gave the best performance of his career and was worthy of the Award Bing undeniably had a stronger claim that year.

WOW!!! This is praise indeed, Pantelis. Thank you. I am becoming giddy with even higher expectations over this one. I certainly need to see "On the Waterfront" too, co-starring the recently gathered Eva Marie Saint. I thought she was going to with us forever. 
 

On the Waterfront is better than A Streetcar Named Desire, although both are classics. 

If you want a great performance from Brando - try "Bedtime Story". His co-star was David Niven. Shirley Jones was the leading lady. You would know the remake - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels with Michael Caine and Steve Martin. Although the original flopped and the remake is hailed as a classic, I do think the original is so much better for Brando's very straight performance compared to Steve Martin's mugging. As true English gents, Niven and Caine are quite comparable.

Ian Kerstein wrote:

A very interesting and nuanced analysis, Aaron. Thank you.
I've only ever seen the full film of The Caine Mutiny and was extremely impressed with Bogie's performance. He's my favourite male star actor, so I must confess I can watch him in almost anything. It's just a shame the film had such a needless love story unbalancing the rest of it.
I have the feeling that Brando's performance so dazzled the academy because it was a revolutionary type of raw acting style quite new to film. 

Of Dan O'Herlihy, I am not at all familiar but James Mason was always convincing with his umistakable voice and quite minimalist approach which still appears so impressively contemporary when set against others from that era - such as Greer Garson.

I anticipate I'm going to be very impressed with Bing's performance. Bias will clearly be at work, here because I am such an admirer but nonetheless, I have heard so much of what a departure this was for him.

I've recently had a discussion with a friend over Bob Hope's dramatic capabilities and Oscar worthiness which (despite his number of "honorary" statuettes and citations) I felt were not at all strong. A superlative film comedian, pioneer of standup, amusing dancer and decent singer, I just don't think he was living proof that generally great comedians make good actors. He seemed to lack the required depths whenever he gave it half a go in for example "The Seven Little Foys" and "Beau James". However, his performance singing with the superb Shirley Ross "Thanks for the Memory" from "The Big Broadcast of 1938" is so beautifully effecting. 

Bing seemed to be a completely different proposition. With the same friend, I mentioned that I thought the very best acting Western World world male singing superstar was Sinatra (I think he could have been a great acting star had he never sung a note) and the two very worst (oh why not, while we're at it?) being Tony Bennett and Sting. 

 

I

Ian Kerstein wrote:

I'm hanging my head in shame, sir. 

Hmmm!

Ian Kerstein wrote:

Yes, it's a difficult one between Grace and Jane.
I know I didn't cast my vote with full knowledge, as I hardly dare tell you, there's yet another major Bing dramatic film I have yet to see ... 

Ian, when you say "major dramatic film", I hope you don't mean The Country Girl???