Benny Goodman with Jack Teagarden - B.G. & Big Tea in NYC

This collection culls 21 cuts from 1929 to 1934 featuring the clarinet master and trombone star as young, brash, and in-demand New York sidemen. The players who dot these exciting sessions are the original "young lions": Goodman (not yet 20 at the first of these dates), Gene Krupa, and Joe Sullivan came to New York from the thriving Chicago scene and were joined by other recent arrivals including Teagarden, his younger brother Charlie, Glenn Miller, and the team of Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti. These boys already knew how to swing hard, and they did so more loosely than was the predominant New York style at the time; there's a tangible sense of exhilaration on most cuts. The four cuts with the already legendary (but rapidly declining) Bix Beiderbecke are nice treats but don't quite match the intensity of the rest of this terrific set. Goodman's tone is a bit grainier than it would become, but his improvisations even at this young age are assured, easy-flowing, and joyful. --Marc Greilsamer Amazon.com essential recording

Remembering Bix

One cut alone, Davenport Blues, is worth the price of this CD. B.G. and Tea both solo on this Beiderbecke tune, recorded just a few years after Bix died. So soulful and sad it'll break your heart. February 9, 2001

Fun, fun and more fun!

Put this on and sit still if you can! Glorious music that swings high and low and never loses touch with its jazz soul. Completely accessible for even the newest jazz enthusiast. Historically thrilling to comtemplate that most of these soon-to-be legendary performers were at the very beginning of their incredible careers. Simply a joy to hear. February 7, 2001

A graet intrrouction to the trombone playing crooner...

Teagarden was the greatest jazz trombonist, he truly could make his slide trombone swing, he was also one of the greatest blues singers, who could croon right up there with the like of Crosby and Armstrong. This CD with Benny Goodam on clarinet features plenty of prime Teagarden singing and playing. Also an added bonus is Ella Logan(Annie Ross' mother of jazz vocalese jazz group "Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross")singing "It Had To Be You" so that's where annie gets it from. Absolutly essential classic jazz from the 20's & 30's. June 7, 2000

Fantastic. Not to be missed.

Benny Goodman was 19 when these recordings were made. And Jack Teagarden was around 24. My favorites from the album are Indiana, Dinah, Sweet Georgia Brown, China Boy, and Somebody Loves Me. China Boy opens with a mellow trombone statement from Teagarden, and then that band starts to really swing behind him. I played this cd daily for weeks after purchasing it, and I still come back to it as one of my ALL TIME favorites. Don't miss this CD!!!!! May 5, 1999

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