AMG Review of Al Bowlly Story 1928-41

John Bush
All Music Guide

For most of the bygone crooners piled up in the dustbin of history, the honor of hosting a three-disc collection would smack of overkill; for the venerable British vocalist Al Bowlly, however, it's hardly a drop in the bucket of his immense, pleasurable discography. Divided into three chronological periods, The Al Bowlly Story 1928-41 includes 76 of Bowlly's sides, making it the biggest digital-era collection of his work. His entire career is surveyed, including his first dates with the leaders Fred Elizalde and Roy Fox, his later appearances with Lew Stone, and his finest conductor, Ray Noble (many of Bowlly's last recordings had him at the front of his own orchestra). His two main #Hit Parade entries, "If I Had You" and "My Melancholy Baby" are here, as are many of his finest performances such as "The Very Thought of You," "Time on My Hands," and "Two Sleepy People," each of which expressed better than any contemporary (other than Bing Crosby) the gentle grace and familiar intimacy of the crooner's art. Given the size of his discography, each of Bowlly's scattered fans has several personal favorites not included here ("Rain on the Roof" or "Goodnight, Vienna" would have been excellent choices), but The Al Bowlly Story 1928-41 leaves few stones unturned in its quest for a set equal to Bowlly's legacy.