The Benny Goodman Six

AMG Review of The Benny Goodman Six

Richard Ginell
All Music Guide

This scarce 10" LP gathers together a sextet of items from the superb 1945 Goodman Sextet, with excellent transfers -- presumably from original acetates -- that easily surpass the rolled-off ones on the CD-era Slipped Disc reissue. The core of the sextet is the great Goodman himself, vibraphonist Red Norvo, guitarist Mike Bryan, bassist Slam Stewart, and drummer Morey Feld. On "She's Funny That Way," Jane Harvey seductively sings the lyric; Teddy Wilson is the pianist on that track and on "Rachel's Dream," while Mel Powell takes over on "Tiger Rag," "Ain't Misbehavin'," "Shine," and "China Boy." All of the instrumentalists swing ceaselessly, whether at fast tempo or medium bounce, and Stewart's bass gets an especially fair hearing in this transfer.