Sheik's Desert Island Favorites

(This is just stuff I listen to purely for pleasure--no judgements as to better, more better, less better are implied here. When I complete my fake and chord book series, I'm gonna burn CDs of my favorite cuts to add to this list, sell most of my CD, cassette and music collections, and... )

1. Ray Anthony, "Dream Dancing", originally Capitol, 2001 reissue EMI. (slow mood music featuring a Glenn Miller sax section sound with clarinet on top, tasty trumpet by Anthony, some nice trombone section sounds. Great to listen to with headphones. This album originally appeared ca. 1960, was popular in colleges there were at least a couple of follow-ups. Ray's record company has recently made many "Dream dancing" albums, some of which are this classic sound, some not, though I like many of the latter.
2. Artie Shaw, 1938-1939
3. "Benny Goodman: the complete RCA Victor small group recordings", RCA, 09026-68764-2
4. Benny Goodman Orch., 1935-6
5. Fats Waller, "Turn on the heat: the piano solos", RCA Bluebird, 2482-2-RB
6. Benny Goodman, "1934 Bill Dodge all-star recordings", Circle, CCD 111
7. King Oliver Jazz Band, 1923, recreations eg. Peruna Jazzmen.
8. Ralph Sutton piano solos. (Now that he's passed on, Louis Mazetier is the world's best stride pianist.)
9. 101 Strings, original album (not reissued)
10. Duke Ellington Jungle Band (late 20s, early 30s)
11. Vince Giordano Nighthawks, "Cheek to cheek", 52130. Also his "Cotton Club" album. (Both albums consist of good stock charts played straight, with full bands and vocals)
12. Teddy Wilson 1934-1935, incl. Billie Holiday
13. Teddy Wilson Sextet, "Central Avenue Blues", Vintage Jazz Classics, VJC-1013-2
13. Bert Firman 20s bands, Savoy Orpheans, Rhythmic 8
14. "Keith Ingham New York 9", vols 1-2,  Jump, JCD12-18, 19 (I like these albums because they have good selections of 20s-30s-40s jazz and non-jazz tunes, and combine the best of the classic 20s-30s and more modern sounds.)
15. Al Bowlly, Ray Noble select foxtrots
16. Original Salty Dogs, "On the right track", GHB, BCD-62 (My favorite Dixieland album.)
17. Keely Smith, Capitol ballads
18. Muggsy Spanier, Ragtimers, 1939
19. McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Frog, 25, "1928-1928"; 26 "1930"
20. Fletcher Henderson Orch., various periods.
21. Jelly Roll Morton Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1928
22. Dorsey Brothers Orch. early 30s, "Mood Hollywood", Hep, CD1005;
"Harlem lullaby", Hep, CD1006. (Artie Shaw and Glenn Miller, before they created their "classic" bands, ie the mid-to latter '30s, made records that sound much like these; the Shaws are on Hep, some of the Millers are on a CD in Columbia's "Best of Big Bands" series, probably elsewhere by now.)
23. Terry Blaine, "Whose honey are you", Juke Box Jazz, JJZ9201
24. Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, "Shall we dance?", Jay, CDJAY 1269; also albums 2 & 3
25. Turk Murphy selections, especially those with the female vocalists like Pat Yankee.
26. "Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Lieber and Stoller", Broadway cast Album, Atlantic, 82765-2
27. Ambrose compilation, early-mid-30s, Avid.
28. Tchaikovsky's Symphony # 1, "Winter dreams"
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Revised 10/4/02