Ok, my last Bing post, promise.
In case the discussion of the last couple of days has peaked anyone's
curiosity to check out some Bing Crosby, here's a few suggestions. Knowing
my audience, I'm sticking (usually) with his more stripped down and
stringless later stuff.
Bing With A Beat, with Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band (RCA, 1957)--this set
has Bing in fine voice with great arrangements, some going the swinging'
sinatra route but others more in a hot jazz vein. Very, very good record.
Some Fine Old Chesnuts (Decca, 1953)--Bing with the Buddy Cole Trio. This
is a fine record in as nearly an intimate an approach as Crosby ever took.
It's on disc now, too, a two-fer with 1957's New Tricks, a less successful
Buddy Cole sequel from '57.
The Great Country Hits (Capitol, 1964)--Recommended ONLY IF you like the
nashville sound, and in a 1960s Eddy Arnold vein to boot, this album of
late Crosby includes covers of everything from Oh Lonesome Me and
Heartaches By The Number to Wolverton Mountain, Hello Walls and Still.
Pretty darn good stuff.
I know there's a collection of his 1940s country-cowboy stuff--Pistol
Packin' Mama, Don't Fence Me In, New San Antonio Rose, Deep In The Heart Of
Texas, etc--but I don't know the name of it. But I highly recommend it,
whatever it's called.
The four-cd MCA box, Bing: His Legendary Years, 1931-1957, is great--but
probably not a very economical investment, unless you're already a convert.
My fave Bing moment is him doing It's Been A Long, Long Time backed by only
the Les Paul Trio--if anyone knows if there's an entire album of this
pairing, please let me know ASAP.
Finally, I am STILL looking for Bing's two sides recorded in 1952 with
Grady Martin and His Slew Foot Five. A heads up would be much appreciated
if you can share any leads.
Buh, buh, buh bye! --david cantwell
