Jazz Oracle's double-disc survey of
Adrian Rollini's recording activity during the years 1929-1934 will surprise and satisfy anyone with an established or latent appetite for pop vocals from the period in question. What makes it work so well is the participation of great jazz musicians like
Bunny Berigan,
Pee Wee Russell, and
Benny Goodman. A skilled multi-instrumentalist,
Rollini recorded extensively as sideman, accompanist, and leader. His bass saxophone crops up all over this set, in harmony with master musicians like
the Dorsey Brothers,
Joe Venuti, and
Eddie Lang. The first nine titles find
Rollini sitting in with six ensembles that embodied the popular music of this era.
"You'll Recognize My Baby" is sung by "
The Singing Boys" (
Smith Ballew,
Cyril Pitts, and
Tom Muir) backed by their
Novelty Orchestra, and
"The Moon Is Low" by crooner
Jack Miller with His New Englanders. There are four numbers tossed off by
Tom Clines & His Music with vocals by
Jack Carney, and reedman
Elmer Feldkamp sings
"When the Morning Rolls Around" with
Freddy Martin's orchestra. The hottest selections from this portion of the anthology are a pair of instrumentals:
Joe Tarto's
"Black Horse" as played by
George Posnak's orchestra, and a wonderful interpretation of
Irving Berlin's
"Let Me Sing and I'm Happy" by
Ben Selvin's dance band.
Beginning with the tenth track and throughout the entire second disc,
Jazz Oracle concentrates on
Rollini the bandleader and recordings issued under his name in 1933 and 1934. Here again, the commercial formula called for sweet vocals, supported by an orchestra stocked with seasoned players who knew how to swing.
Rollini juggles the bass sax with goofus, celeste, xylophone, and the mellow vibraphone, an instrument which he helped to popularize. The lineup of crooners and warblers is amazing.
Dick Robertson sings
"Hustlin' and Bustlin' for Baby";
Howard Phillips delivers
Harold Arlen's
"Happy as the Day Is Long," and
Irene Beasley negotiates
"Mississippi Basin" by
Reginald Foresythe and
Andy Razaf. For those who crave historic trivia, a detailed discographical index reveals
Clay Bryson as the vocalist on
"Savage Serenade" and
Jane Vance as the interpreter of
"Sittin' on a Log (Pettin' My Dog)." Once again, the presence of jazz musicians like
Bud Freeman,
Artie Shaw, and
Charlie Barnet adds ballast to the fluff, and some players even burst into song themselves, as drummer
Herb Weil takes on the
Busby Berkeley-affiliated
"By a Waterfall," and
Red McKenzie of
the Mound City Blue Blowers tackles
"I've Gotta Get Up and Go to Work." The famous
Chick Bullock made several appearances, as did
Joey Nash, best known in his day as a well-dressed appendage of
Richard Himber's Ritz-Carlton Hotel Orchestra. Finally,
Ella Logan recorded
"I Wish I Were Twins" with a group called
Adrian's Ramblers (including trumpeter
Max Kaminsky and guitarist
Carl Kress), twelve days before the song was definitively interpreted by
Fats Waller & His Rhythm. There are numerous
Adrian Rollini collections on the market;
Jazz Oracle's offering probably has more pop vocals per square inch than any other. ~ arwulf arwulf
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