Name: The Benny Goodman Story [Capitol]
Brand: Blue Note (Label)
SKU: 833236
Availability: OutOfStock
Rating: 3 (1 reviews)

Performer Notes

Personnel: Benny Goodman (clarinet); Martha Tilton (vocals); Hymie Shertzer, Phil Bodner, Milt Yaner (alto saxophone); Al Klink, Peanuts Hucko, Boomie Richman (tenor saxophone); Sol Schlinger (baritone saxophone); Harry James, Ruby Braff, Chris Griffin, Billy Butterfield, Bernie Privin, Jimmy Maxwell, Carl Poole, Doc Severinson, Bernie Glow, John Durante (trumpet); Urbie Green, Will Bradley, Lou McGarity (trombone); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Dick Hyman, Morris Wechsler, Mel Powell (piano); Tony Mottola, Al Caiola (guitar); Milt Hinton, George Duvivier (bass); Bobby Donaldson, Don Lamond (drums).
Producer: F.M. Scott III.
Reissue producer: Michael Cuscuna.
Recorded at the Riverside Plaza Hotel, New York, New York on December 7, 8 & 14, 1955. Includes liner notes by George T. Simon.
Digitally remastered by Jeff Rach.
Personnel: Benny Goodman (clarinet); Martha Tilton (vocals); Al Caiola, Allan Reuss, Sol Schlinger, Tony Mottola (guitar); Blake Reynolds, Phil Bodner, Hymie Schertzer, Hymie Shertzer, Milt Yaner (alto saxophone); Boomie Richman, Peanuts Hucko, Stan Getz , Babe Russin, Al Klink (tenor saxophone); Chris Griffin , Irving Goodman, Conrad Gozzo , Carl Poole, Doc Severinsen, Emanuel Klein, John Best , Harry James, John Durante, Ruby Braff , Bernie Glow, Billy Butterfield, Jimmy Maxwell, Bernie Privin, Buck Clayton (trumpet); Lou McGarity, Murray McEachern, Urbie Green, Will Bradley, Jimmy Priddy (trombone); Morris Wechsler, Dick Hyman, Teddy Wilson, Mel Powell (piano); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone, vibraslap); Don Lamond, Gene Krupa, Bobby Donaldson (drums).
Liner Note Authors: George T. Simon; Stanley Dance.
Recording information: Riverside Plaza Hotel, New York, NY (12/07/1955-12/14/1955).
Consumer advisory: In 1955, Universal Pictures released The Benny Goodman Story, starring Steve Allen. Goodman himself played the music in the film (which consisted of re-recordings of his old hits), rounding up such former band members as Harry James, Martha Tilton, and Lionel Hampton, and a successful soundtrack LP was issued by Decca. But Goodman wasn't under contract to Decca; he was on Capitol, which rushed him into the studio in December to recut his hits again. Capitol then released this album early in 1956, with the same title as the film and the Decca soundtrack, its cover deceptively declaring that it contained "brilliant new high fidelity recordings made especially for this album of the selections featured in the motion picture of his life." Pretty sneaky. Forty years later, Capitol reissued the album on CD with the same cover, which indicates that ethics in the record business have not improved (in case you were wondering). That said, the reissue adds five bonus tracks, pushing the album to an hour's length. And though the album is not what it claims to be, it is nevertheless a hot session on which Goodman plays with his usual assurance, and the big band, which features Dick Hyman and Milt Hinton along with guest appearances by James, Tilton, and Ruby Braff, and a version of the quintet featuring Hampton, Mel Powell, George Duvivier, and Bobby Donaldson, are effective. (The Decca soundtrack is now on MCA; the original versions are on RCA.) (Originally released on LP by Capitol Records in 1956, The Benny Goodman Story was reissued on CD by Capitol Jazz on Nov. 7, 1995.) ~ William Ruhlmann