Personnel:
Georgie Auld (ts, lead), Conrad Gozzo, Maynard Ferguson, Ray Linn, Vito Mangano, Manny Klein (tp), Si Zentner, Milt Bernhart, Frank Rosolino, Tommy Pederson (tb), Skeets Herfurt, Gus Bivona (as, cl), Babe Russin (ts), Bob Dawes, Bob Lawson, Chuck Gentry (bs), Paul Smith, André Previn (p), Barney Kessel (g), Joe Comfort (b), Irving Cottler (d)
Reference: FSRCD 2222
Bar code: 8427328622226
"Georgie Auld and His Hollywood All Stars made a series of spiffy recordings during the autumn of 1955 and the spring of 1956 at the Capitol Studios on Vine Street in Hollywood, CA, using swank arrangements by Billy May. "Swank" is an apt descriptor for the sound of this band; the word has been traced back to the Middle Dutch "swanc" which translates as "supple"; there is also a link with the Old High German word "swingan" meaning "to swing." Billy May liked to employ dramatic flourishes and brusque, brassy maneuvers, with dazzling blasts from the trumpets and beefy bursts from the tenor and baritone saxophones over long deep basement tones from the trombones. Auld seemed to revel in this kind of a setting; the '50s were the golden age of showy sax with glitzy accompaniment. One prevailing rhythmic device was the "dip," a favorite formula for Earl Bostic that was soon being utilized by Jimmy Dorsey and dozens of popular saxophonists, including Boots Randolph. Kindred bandleaders who carried on in similar fashion during the '50s were Les Brown, Charlie Barnet, Billy Vaughn, Les Elgart and Henry Mancini. Georgie Auld and His Hollywood All Stars included Maynard Ferguson, Si Zentner, Frank Rosolino, Willie Smith, Babe Russin, Barney Kessel and André Previn. Showy, campy and at times rather explosive, this music is guaranteed to wake everyone up and maybe activate a latent sense of humor."
Arwulf Arwulf -All Music Guide
The sides at hand were recorded in 1955 and 1956, the days when you fought to fill a week with work so that you could afford good men and carefully planned record dates. The arrangements were written in the straight swinging tradition with more than a touch of the great Jimmie Lunceford band. All you can say is that it is written in a fool-proof style that could hardly fail to swing,. The musicians were the cream of the Hollywood crop, and the band is as clean and as exciting as anything of its kind heard at the time. In any case, dancers should find it nearly self-propelling while listeners get glimpses of trumpeter Ray Linn, trombonist Frank Rosolino, high sounds from Maynard Ferguson within the trumpet section and a great deal of Georgie Auld on tenor. From the opening bars of They Cant Take That Away From Me to the last notes of Sweet Lorraine, this collection spells warmth and joy and boldness.
