Rating:
Genre:
Jazz
Release Date: 05/07/2002
This half-hour budget disc is drawn from a radio broadcast of the program One Night Stand featuring
Henry Busse & His Orchestra performing at
the Hollywood Palladium on April 29, 1948. That's a long time after
Busse's glory days as a sideman for
Paul Whiteman in the 1920s and his hitmaking period of the 1930s. The announcer celebrates
Busse's "shuffle rhythm," a 6/8 beat he uses for several of his dance tunes. There is just a bit of
Busse's signature tune,
"Hot Lips," as a theme song at the start to remind listeners of his muted, vibrato-laden trumpet playing. Otherwise, the band, augmented with strings, plays light, society orchestra fare. Covers of hits
"A Fellow Needs a Girl" and
"Laroo Laroo Lili Bolero" are mixed with oldies, as
Phil Gray and
Betty Taylor provide vocal choruses. This is not a collection of
Busse's hits, by any means, just 30 minutes' worth of a live performance from late in the veteran bandleader's career.
~William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
;)
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