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1 of 1- Ron1972
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Thoughts on...
Now that we're past Christmas, I'm using some gift cards I've gotten and maybe buying myself a small gift or two! I'm looking for some input on the following titles I'm considering but would also welcome any suggestions!
Shall We Dance?
With All My Heart
So Rare: Treasures from the Crosby Archive
Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney: The New Recordings
Bing & Rosie: The Crosby Clooney Radio Sessions
Bing Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook (discussed in another post)
I have searched through the forum and read posts that touched on some of these but I love hearing and value the feedback and opinions of others!
- Kevin
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Re: Thoughts on...
If I were to pick 2 from your selection I would pick
Bing & Rosie: The Crosby Clooney Radio Sessions
Bing Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook
I have commented on the Berlin set previously...so you know my thoughts.
as for the Crosby Clooney Radio Sessions. This is an exhilarating set. My favourite set by the duo (I know!!), with far too many highlights to mention. Some 61 tracks (with a few duplication in takes). The more intimate setting of the small band recordings works perfectly, and the occasional studio fluff adds to the ambiance
So Rare is the perfect companion to Among My Souvenirs, which you already have and has much strong previously unreleased material on it and makes a close third for me,
Shall We Dance & With All My Heart are digital only collections. They contain some duplication with other sets and some rare bits. No longer available outwith the USA I believe.
Can't comment on Bing Crosby & Rosemary Clooney: The New Recording as I don't have this. Didn't pick it up when it came out and the CD is now quite pricey in the UK
Not sure how much you have to spend, and I am going to assume you don't have the Mosiac box set -which is currently back in print and worth every penny- however assuming you don't want to stretch that far, the two sets I play a lot is Bing On Broadway and Bing In Dixieland (just to add to your confusion).
Regardless which sets you buy they are all full of great quality recordings and great notes. Good shopping.
- Ron1972
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Re: Thoughts on...
Thanks Kevin! I really appreciate the feedback and hope the post stimulates more conversation!
You're right that I do not have the Mosiac box set and really don't want to spend that kind of money, at least right now. In fact I really feel I have too much Bing right now because there is a lot that I haven't gotten around to listening to!
My fear is though that some of these things won't be available down the road. Something that has already frustrated me!
I have probably about 65-70 dollars picking up a few things after Christmas, SFOC, SIWIHSTFTA (both because I wanted the deluxe versions and the notes) and Bing Sings The Johnny Mercer Songbook which I grabbed because at just over 7 dollars it seemed like bargain and it was! I've enjoyed it immensely!
Now I have grabbed Join Bing and Sing Along, 101 Gang Songs/On the Happy Side, and the 10th Anniversary 3CD set of overturned tracks. (All of these because I feared they might not be available down the road).
I am going to listen to a lot of samples of those you have mentioned and hope my long post hasn't scared others from commenting!
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Thread Starter- Kevin
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Re: Thoughts on...
Ron1972 wrote:
In fact I really feel I have too much Bing right now because there is a lot that I haven't gotten around to listening to!
My fear is though that some of these things won't be available down the road. Something that has already frustrated me!
Oh dear.....seems you have contracted "Record Collectors Syndrome".......this happens to the best of us!!!
I have spent years building up a record collection, including a huge amount of back catalogue (read "old") albums for the very fear that they will go out of print. I am only now starting to ease off and I now have a wonderful collection to enjoy for years to come......
So.....2 bits of advice....1) there's never "too much Bing". 2) If you can, pick them up now whilst they are available and then sit back and enjoy them at your leisure......I have albums I am less familiar with, but will get round to listening to them in more depth when the notion strikes.....that's harder to do when they are OOP and very expensive.
Last edited by Kevin (06/1/2018 9:40 pm)
- Ron1972
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Re: Thoughts on...
Very true Kevin! The problem is I'm also a huge Roy Orbison fan and a big Matt Monroe fan. All three men are competing for th we attention of my ear and wallet!
Here is a question for you, if I had the Mosiac set, what would you then suggest I avoid to minimize duplication?
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Thread Starter- Kevin
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Re: Thoughts on...
Well the music on the Mosiac set was licensed from BCE/Universal, and then they inturn started to issue the current series, so there is duplication through many of the sets, with the original New Tricks and Some Fine Old Chestnuts themselves coming from these sessions. Thankfully the new editions of both these albums are augmented by lots of previously unreleased material
Bing in Dixieland (8), Bing On Broadway (2) and Bing Sings The Great American Songbook (4) are probably the sets with the most duplication, however there remains tracks on all that were not released elsewhere which I have put the quantity in brackets next to the albums above. Arguably if you bought the Mosiac set, you could download these individual tracks from Itunes or another source if you so desired. I'm old school and feel if I'm spending say £3.96 on 4 download tracks, I may as well go the whole hog and buy the CD. I did however buy these three sets prior to forking out for the Mosiac box, and I still think they are fabulous compilations/collections in their own right. I would have to pull out my notes on Shall We Dance and With All My Heart, however I recall all of the CBS recordings that appear on these sets, also appear on the Mosiac set (with the exception of Lady In Spain - take 2 I think).
Ultimately the Mosiac Set is a very small snapshot in a lustrous career, and if you are a fan of these recordings with Bing, Buddy Cole and his band then there is lots to get very excited about and its worth every penny. For me this is my favourite period of Bing's career.
- Jpallen
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Re: Thoughts on...
[b]Christmas with Bing! any info?
Hello can anyone tell me more about Christmas with Bing! (14 track cd released in 2013 on Sony)? I received it as part of a Christmas gift and there are no liner notes...anyone know the origin(s) of the tracks?
Thanks and Happy New Year 2018 all!
Regards,
Jim Allen
Tennnessee[/b]
- Kevin
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Re: Thoughts on...
Hi Jim
It would appear to be a compilation of Christmas tracks and not one I've spotted in the UK; however if you are looking for individual track information I always start with the indispensable Bing Crosby Discography in the link below. I copied and pasted each of them to a word document and this has meant I can do a simple search using keywords for each track as oppose to searching through....hope this helps
Last edited by Kevin (10/1/2018 6:47 pm)
- Jpallen
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Re: Thoughts on...
Thanks Kevin, I think that this will be the best way. I will search via song title and song length and work from there.
Best regards,
Jim Allen
Tennessee
- jeremyrose
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Re: Thoughts on...
As well as the 45rpm BCE release of “The Night Before Christmas”, it was also available as an i-tunes download. This was the method I used to obtain it, but I’ve just had a look in the i-tunes store and unfortunately it’s no longer available.
- Jpallen
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Re: Thoughts on...
With your collective help and some additional research on my end, here are the tracks info for Christmas With Bing! (Sony CD orig released 2013 via The Bing Crosby Archive and Sony, number 8883749222):
1. Rudolph Red Nosed Reindeer - 2:08 - Not available elsewhere on CD. Recorded in November 1952 with Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires and Jon Scott Trotter for Bing Crosby Radio show broadcast sponsored by General Electric for broadcast on 12/20/1953 (perhaps an additional date). I have a re-podcast of this entire broadcast. This was a version with interesting ending lyrics ...including Bing singing " ....Space Cadet, Liberace and Julius LaRosa.." after the listing of the reindeer names. Unavailable elsewhere on CD.
2. Just What I Wanted For Christmas - 2:21 - Available on cd on Christmas Sessions CD, recorded March 25, 1959, for Columbia single 4-41496 b/w the Secret of Christmas, recorded with Frank De Vol Orchestra, sessions for movie, Say One For Me.
3. Secret of Christmas - 2:55 - Also available on cd on Christmas Sessions CD, recorded March 25, 1959 for Columbia single 4-41496 b/w Just What I Wanted, recorded with Frank De Vol Orchestra, sessions for movie, Say One for Me.
4. Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy - 2:37 - available on multiple CD sources, originally from the well - known Bing's Merrie Olde Christmas TV broadcast from the UK.
5. White World of Winter - 2:12 - Also available on Christmas Sessions CD (with recording time 2:11), orig. recorded Sept. 28, 1965 Reprise single R20424 with Sonny Burke Orch.
6. Let It Snow! Let it Snow! Let It Snow! - 2:14 - Also available on VINTAGE JAZZ CLASSICS CD: VJC1017-2 — BING CROSBY - THE CHRISTMAS SONGS; originally recorded 12-14-1946 for Kraft Music Hall radio show (KMH 374). features: Bing Crosby (voc), John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra (orc) orig, LP: DB76-D6TC5170. V-Disc 646-A (Army).
7. It's Christmas Time Again - 2;48 - Also available on CD as the Second Disk in a 2cd bonus of a Frank Sinatra CD package in 2009. Originally the "12 Songs of Christmas - Bing, Frank Sinatra and Fred Waring - LP" June 16–19, 1964, Hollywood, CA.
8. Marshmallow World with Ella Fitzgerald - 2:50 - Previously issued on CD Shout Factory CDD3K31507- Swingin With Bing - Bing Crosby's Lost Radio Perfomances Disc 2 (2:56). Aired: 29 November 1950 on Chesterfield No. 44, orig recorded on 6 Novmber 1950 with Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald (voc), The Rhythmaires (vgr), John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra (orc).
9. Good King Winceslas with Kathryn (Grant) Crosby - 2:38 - Released on CD on SEPIA (UK) CDSEPIA 1192 — BING CROSBY - THROUGH THE YEARS Volume 10 (2012) with Kathryn Crosby from Christmas Sing with Bing Around the World, aired in December 1955 on Decca Records 1956; orig. recorded 12/19/1955; Bing Crosby (voc), Paul Weston Orchestra (orc), Norman Luboff Choir (chr).
10. Joy to the World - 1:44 - Released on CD on SEPIA (UK) CDSEPIA 1192 — BING CROSBY - THROUGH THE YEARS Volume 10 (2012) from Christmas Sing with Bing Around the World, aired in December 1955 (recorded on Decca Records 1956); orig. recorded 12/19/1955; Bing Crosby (voc), Paul Weston Orchestra (orc), Norman Luboff Choir (chr).
11. Christmas Star - 2:31 -rare on CD, Released on CD on HARRY LILLIS (UK) CDHLYCD-001 — HARRY LILLIS - STEP TO THE REAR (limited circulation). Recorded 28 December 1972 on the Moonan Music label for Old St Marys Chruch benefit.
12. O Little Town of Bethlehem - Released on CD on SEPIA (UK) CDSEPIA 1192 — BING CROSBY - THROUGH THE YEARS Volume 10 (2012) from Christmas Sing with Bing Around the World, aired in December 1955 on Decca Records 1956; recorded 12/19/1955; Bing Crosby (voc), Paul Weston Orchestra (orc), Norman Luboff Choir (chr).
13. Away in a Manger - 1:24 - First time in wide release on CD here, originally recorded 1960 recorded for A Christmas Sing with Bing with Kathryn Crosby; recorded for Crosby’s annual radio special, “A Christmas Sing With Bing.”
14. The Night Before Christmas - 3:19 - .First time available on CD. Recorded in 1968 for an overseas Voice of America radio program. The master tape, discovered in the Crosby Archive, was made into a limited edition colored vinyl single. The flip side contained two more Crosby Christmas chestnuts: “Adeste Fidelis / O Come All Ye Faithful” (a 1952 radio recording taken from the 2010 Bing Crosby Archive CD The Crosby Christmas Sessions) and the previously unissued 1960 duet with Kathryn Crosby on “Away In a Manger” recorded for Crosby’s annual radio special, “A Christmas Sing With Bing.”
Thanks All for the help, looking to complete my Bing, Frank, Perry, Andy, Gene, Ella Christmas collection(s) soon. I have similar detailed information for those, looking forward to more collecting! Have a great weekend! Jim A in Tennessee
Last edited by Jpallen (03/2/2018 2:47 am)