Congress Hotel Broadcasts Vol.1

A five-LP box set of Benny Goodman's weekly radio broadcasts from Chicago's Congress Hotel was released by Sunbeam in the late '70s. Twenty years later, the Circle label came out with three CDs that contain all of the music, plus a couple of additional selections. This particular disc features the influential and very popular Benny Goodman Orchestra on all of the performances that exist from the broadcasts of December 23, 1935 and January 6 and 13, 1936. At the time, the big band was not the powerhouse that it would become. In fact, other than the clarinetist/leader, no major soloists are heard from (pianist Jess Stacy and drummer Gene Krupa are primarily in supportive roles) and singer Helen Ward (who has eight vocals) gets second billing although trumpeter Nate Kazebier and trombonist Joe Harris (who takes a vocal on"Basin Street Blues") are also important. The solid swing performances are concise. Among the highlights are "Jingle Bells," "Limehouse Blues," "Blue Skies," a Dixielandish "Bugle Call Rag," "Truckin'," and an early rendition of "Big John Special." Swing fans will want all three CDs in this very interesting series. ~ Scott Yanow