Name: The Pied Piper
Brand: Bluebird RCA (USA)
SKU: 344049
Price: 20.16 USD
Availability: InStock

Performer Notes

Personnel includes: Bunny Berigan (trumpet); Joe Harris (vocals, trombone); The Pied Pipers, Wingy Malone (vocals); Artie Shaw (alto saxophone, clarinet); Bud Freeman (tenor saxophone); Sonny Dunham, Andy Ferretti (trumpet); Morey Samuel, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Ray Coniff, Red Ballard (trombone); Matty Matlock, Benny Goodman (clarinet); Fats Waller, Joe Bushkin (piano), Dick McDonough, George Van Eps (guitar); George Wettling, Ray Bauduc, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich (drums).
Recorded between 1934 and 1940. Includes liner notes by Richard M. Sudhalter.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
Personnel: Bunny Berigan (vocals, trumpet); Joe Harris (vocals, trombone); Ruth Gaylor, Jack Leonard, The Pied Pipers, Wingy Manone (vocals); Dick McDonough, George Van Eps, Dick Wharton, Clark Yocum, Allan Reuss, Carmen Mastren (guitar); Gus Bivona, Mike Doty, Joe Dixon , Slats Long, Murray Williams, Artie Shaw (clarinet, alto saxophone); Matty Matlock, Benny Goodman (clarinet); Hymie Schertzer, Fred Stulce (reeds, alto saxophone); Heine Beau, Don Lodice, Johnny Mince (reeds); Georgie Auld (saxophone, tenor saxophone); Clyde Rounds (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Bill DePew, Nuncio "Toots" Mondello (alto saxophone); Arthur Rollini, Larry Binyon, Eddie Miller, Dick Clark , Bud Freeman (tenor saxophone); Frankie Trumbauer (C-melody saxophone); Andrew Ferretti, Nate Kazebier, Ralph Muzillo, Irving Goodman, Clyde Hurley, Nat Natoli, Bob Cusmano, Jimmy Blake, Steve Lipkins, Joe Bauer , Johnny Napton, Ray Linn, Sonny Dunham, Charlie Spivak (trumpet); Jack Lacey, Sonny Lee, George Arus, Glen Miller , Jack Teagarden, Morey Samuel, Red Bone, Les Jenkins, Al George, Lowell Martin, Ray Conniff, Tommy Dorsey , Red Ballard (trombone); Claude Thornhill, Fats Waller, Frank Froeba, Dick Jones , Joe Lipman, Jess Stacy, Joe Bushkin, Roy Bargy, Bob Zurke (piano); Dave Tough, Gene Krupa, George Wettling, Jack Williams, Ray Bauduc, Buddy Rich, Johnny Blowers (drums).
Liner Note Author: Dick Sudhalter.
Recording information: 07/01/1935-08/03/1940.
Arrangers: Fletcher Henderson; Joe Lipman; Gene Gifford; Spud Murphy ; Sy Oliver.
This is the best single-CD compilation of Bunny Berigan recordings issued to date. Although all of the trumpeter's big-band sides for Bluebird have come out on three double LPs, this set gives more general collectors a better overview of his talents. One of the top trumpeters active during the 1935-1939 period (only Louis Armstrong and the up-and-coming Roy Eldridge were on his level), Berigan was largely responsible for the success of important hit records for Benny Goodman ("King Porter Stomp" and "Sometimes I'm Happy") and Tommy Dorsey ("Marie" and "Song of India"), in addition to having a best-seller of his own ("I Can't Get Started"). Unfortunately, Berigan's alcoholism eventually did him in, but this CD has all of the hits, plus appearances with Gene Gifford's Orchestra (a majestic solo on "Nothin' but the Blues"), Frankie Trumbauer, jamming with Fats Waller, and with the Metronome All-Stars, plus more titles as a leader, with BG, and with Dorsey (including a radio broadcast version of "I've Found a New Baby" from 1940). This is a well-conceived reissue of important and often exciting swing by one of the greats. ~ Scott Yanow

Professional Reviews

Entertainment Weekly (7/28/95, p.63) - "...Berigan's unique sound--warm, dark, and vital--is captured better here than on previous CDs, and Richard Sudhalter's liner notes are lyrical..." - Rating: A

Album: The Pied Piper
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Nothin' But the Blues
2)	Troubled
3)	Sometimes I'm Happy
4)	King Porter Stomp
5)	Jingle Bells
6)	Santa Claus Came in the Spring - (alternate take)
7)	Honeysuckle Rose
8)	Blues
9)	Song of India
10)	Marie
11)	Lieberstraum
12)	Mendelssohn's Spring Song
13)	Blue Lou
14)	I Can't Get Started
15)	Prisoner's Song, The
16)	Trees
17)	Russian Lullaby
18)	Wearin' of the Green, The
19)	Pied Piper, The - (previously unreleased)
20)	Jelly Roll Blues
21)	Candlelights
22)	I've Found a New Baby

Album: The Pied Piper
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Nothin' But the Blues
2)	Troubled
3)	Sometimes I'm Happy
4)	King Porter Stomp
5)	Jingle Bells
6)	Santa Claus Came in the Spring - (alternate take)
7)	Honeysuckle Rose
8)	Blues
9)	Song of India
10)	Marie
11)	Lieberstraum
12)	Mendelssohn's Spring Song
13)	Blue Lou
14)	I Can't Get Started
15)	Prisoner's Song, The
16)	Trees
17)	Russian Lullaby
18)	Wearin' of the Green, The
19)	Pied Piper, The - (previously unreleased)
20)	Jelly Roll Blues
21)	Candlelights
22)	I've Found a New Baby