Tift performs tracks from her highly successful albums TAMBOURINE and BRAMBLE ROSE in this October 2005 concert in Austin, Texas. 343892 Volume one in the Classics chronological survey of Charlie Barnet's complete recordings is a rich truffle of hotel dance band music from the mid-'30s, thickly coated with a butter icing of Tin Pan Alley pop vocals. A nutty layer of authentic jazz marzipan helps to make this collection substantially worthwhile, even though only three out of 23 tunes are instrumentals. The first four selections use arrangements by Horace Henderson. Barnet played smoky tenor sax, occasionally cavorting in ways that reveal a Coleman Hawkins influence destined to serve him well throughout his career. The first 11 tracks were originally issued on the Banner label. The music sounds wonderfully dated, largely because of the singers. Harry vonZell was a bit of a sap and Jackie Martin was mostly insipid. His one decent performance is the jaunty "Baby, Take a Bow." Helen Heath was the best of the lot. Her sense of timing and dramatic phraseology rescued all of the tunes assigned to her except for "Butterfingers," which was not a very good song to begin with. Barnet himself takes what must have been his first vocal on record, singing "Emaline" in a voice that is peculiarly likeable. In January of 1935, the Barnet orchestra performed at a hotel in New Orleans, apparently playing to indifferent audiences. While still in the Crescent City, they cut six titles for Victor's budget label, Bluebird, on May 21, establishing a business relationship that would continue for several years with only occasional breaches of contract. Barnet's own composition, "Growlin'" is a fascinating, cool-rhythm tone painting. "Nagasaki" and "On a Holiday" are both hot stuff, based upon arrangements purchased from Benny Carter. The most intriguing component is the presence of Red Norvo who sits in on the piano for this date. He is most audible during the slower numbers, especially when Marion Nichols isn't singing on "I'm Keeping Those Keepsakes." Norvo and Barnet made guest appearances with each other once in awhile during the mid-'30s (see Classics 1085: Red Norvo's 1933-1936). An oddball session for the ARC label occurred in May of 1936. Bob Parks -- yet another singing guy in a suit -- and Joe Hostetter both pour on the sugar. Barnet sings a couple of numbers in a neat, tidy, friendly manner. Back with Bluebird a few weeks later, the Barnet orchestra featured Laura Deane on "But Definitely," a harmless venture that at least swings better than Shirley Temple's version. Hostetter redeems himself with an excellent vocal performance on "I'm an Old Cowhand," leaving for posterity one of the funniest renditions of this satirical anti-cowboy song ever recorded. ~ arwulf arwulf