AMG Review of Airshots & Rarities 1930-1935

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

Although not essential, this CD of rare material by the Boswell Sisters (one of the first and best jazz vocal groups) should be of great interest to pre-swing collectors. The Boswells are heard on radio broadcasts from 1930, singing two songs in 1931, and performing six mostly obscure studio titles from 1932-35. Although the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra appears on some of the later tracks, most of the selections find the group accompanied only by Martha Boswell's functional piano. Since many of the selections were not otherwise recorded and virtually everything by the Boswell Sisters is of great interest (particularly since they broke up after 1936), this CD is quite valuable.