"The Columbia House Bands: Ben Selvin, Vol. 2" (03/10/1998) Pop Vocal Selvin, Ben, Old MastersPersonnel includes: Ben Selvin (leader, vocals, violin); Jack Teagarden (vocals, trombone); Don Howard, Eva Taylor, Smith Ballew, Paul Small (vocals); Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsey (alto saxophone, clarinet); Manny Klein, Tommy Gott (trumpet); Tommy Dorsey (trombone); Irving Brodsky (piano); Carl Kress, Tony Colluci (guitar); Stan King (drums). Recorded between 1929 & 1931. Includes liner notes by Randy Skretvedt. Digitally remastered by George Morrow (Echo Productions, Hayward, California). Personnel: Ben Selvin (violin); Eva Taylor, Eddie Walters, Helen Rowland, Irving Kaufman, Joe Mooney, Smith Ballew, The Knickerbockers (vocals); Tommy Fellini, Dick McDonough, Tony Colucci, Carl Kress (guitar, banjo); Larry Abbott, Louis Martin, Merle Johnston, Lucien Smith, Jimmy Dorsey, Andy Sannella, Benny Goodman (clarinet); Adrian Rollini (baritone saxophone); Leo McConville, Bob Effros, Mike Mosiello, Tommy Gott, Fred Farrar (trumpet); Jack Teagarden, Tommy Dorsey (tuba); Moran, Irving Brodsky, Rube Bloom, Arthur Schutt (piano); Stan King (drums). Liner Note Author: Randy Skretvedt. Recording information: New York, NY (12/09/1929-02/27/1931). During the early years of the Depression, bandleader Ben Selvin (who was very prolific in general during a 15-year period) led an enormous quantity of jazz-influenced dance band recording dates. The TOM label's second Ben Selvin CD is, if anything, even better than their first. There are short spots on some selections for clarinetist Benny Goodman, trombonist (and, in one case, scat singer) Jack Teagarden, trombonist Tommy Dorsey, and trumpeters Leo McConville and Manny Klein, plus vocals from Eddie Walters, Irving Kaufman, Smith Ballew and Helen Rowland, among others. Although the jazz aspects of the music are not dominant, the arrangements swing well for the period, the singing is tolerable, and the 23 selections bring back the atmosphere of the times. Among the better selections are "The Free and Easy," "'Tain't No Sin," "Thank Your Father," "I'm In the Market for You" and "Cheerful Little Earful." This hot dance band style has often been overlooked in jazz history books, so it is good that at least some of the countless performances of Ben Selvin's ensembles have been made available to today's listeners. ~ Scott Yanow
