Paul Goodman

The first half of this chronological release of Benny Goodman's 1931-1933 recordings is comprised of dance band performances from 1931 - 12 selections with vocals from Paul Small, Smith Ballew, and Dick Robertson that have little to recommend them except excellent musicianship. The jazz content is pretty low and even Goodman is not heard from much. This is from the era when the clarinetist earned his employment as a studio musician. The final ten numbers are from 1933 and are of greater interest. Trombonist/singer Jack Teagarden is well featured on six songs, Billie Holiday makes her hesitant recording debut on "Your Mother's Son-in-Law" and "Riffin' the Scotch," and there are some fine solos along the way by both Jack and Charlie Teagarden, pianist Joe Sullivan, and Goodman. This is still Benny Goodman pre-history, for he would not attempt to lead a big band until 1934.

This recording features concertos for oboe and its alto cousin, oboe d'amore, by Bach and Telemann. The Bach concertos are reconstructed from published harpsichord concertos that Bach is believed to have originally written for oboe and oboe d'amore. The Telemann concertos for these instruments exist in manuscript form.

This is one of the best clarinet/flute concertos (concerti) recorded with Pleyel’s compositions. Pleyel demanded “virtuosic brilliance” and so the performers must be at the top of their game to play his works. Paul Meyer is known for a wide repertory and an interest in modern works for clarinet. He began studying clarinet as a child and made his solo debut with the Symphony Orchestra of the Rhine at the age of 13.

Harry Ray, Al Goodman and Billy Brown previously recorded as The Moments, their Stateside hits including “Love On A Two-Way Street”, Sexy Mama” and “Look At Me”. Here in the UK they made Top 10 in the national charts with “Girls” and “Dolly My Love” while the soul scene still spin their 1976 single “Nine Times”, another record for Sylvia Robinson’s Stang label before the group’s name transition to Ray, Goodman & Brown in 1978 for contractual reasons. The Moments had included prior members since forming in Washington in the 1960, but when Sylvia’s Sugarhill label was on a roll, Harry Ray would also record briefly as a solo artist, “Love Is A Game” being the song from that period he is best remembered for.