For some strange reason, when names of trumpet stars of the Big Band Era are brought up, Harry James is usually forgotten. While he may not have been as lyrical as Bunny Berigan or harmonically advanced as Roy Eldridge, James arguably had the biggest sound of them all, and the big bands that he formed after leaving B enny Goodman’s famous orchestra are quite impressive, boasting vocalists including a Helen Forrest, Dick Haymes and a newcomer from Hoboken named Frank Sinatra, who made his debut with James.
This three disc set has a handful of instrumentals, and they are swingers in the Count Basie vein, which makes sense since some of the pieces include the likes of Buck Clayton/tp, Joe Jones/dr and Herschel Evans/ts on “One O’Clock Jump” and “Two O’Clock Jump” as well as the smooth tenor of Vido Musso during “Trumpet Rhapsody” and the exotic “Misirlou.”
A still wet-behind-the-ears Sinatra debuts on a gloriously agonized “All or Nothing At All” which is still the standard setter for this piece, also appearing on the big hit and kitschy “Ciribirbin” from the late 30s and then returning for a reunion with a fun “Castle Rock” in 1951. James was possibly at his apotheoses when he had Helen Forrest at the microphone, with a gorgeous mix of voice and horn on pieces like “I Had he Craziest Dream” “I Cried For You” and “Skylark.” Kitty Kallen serves well on “I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry” and the nostalgic “It’s Been a Long, Long Time” and even wife Betty Grable steps in for “ I Can’t Begin To Tell You.”
As far as James, he had a palpably big fat sound, and it fills the room when he solos, and the various charts by the likes of Andy Gibson, Gray Rains, Dave Matthews and LeRoy Holmes are hip and sophisticated for their time, ranging from a toe tapping “Strictly Instrumental” deep “Autumn Serenade” and bluesy “Sleep Time Gal” while the rhythm team sizzles on “Back Beat Boogie” and “Jump Town.”
The main reason that James faded from fame was the ascent of both bebop and his well documented gambling debts that kept him from pursuing more artistic directions that getting a band to pay off his bills. This music shows that he had a lot to say, with music that is both accessible and filled with what they used to call, “swing.”