Living Era's 2007 salute to dance bandleader
Roger Wolfe Kahn is named for his biggest hit, "Crazy Rhythm," which was one of the catchiest jazzed-up pop tunes of its day. This entertaining slice of history is packed with 25 recordings dating from 1925-1932. Instrumentalists of note who participated in some of these sides were trumpeter
Leo McConville (a colleague of
Red Nichols), and trombonists
Miff Mole and
Jack Teagarden. There are also cameo appearances by violinist
Joe Venuti, pianist
Arthur Schutt, ace drummer
Vic Berton and, on the final three tracks, a young
Artie Shaw. Living Era's
Crazy Rhythm has 16 titles in common with Jazz Oracle's 25-track
Roger Wolfe Kahn collection, which came out in 2000. Coincidentally, each set has nine titles which do not appear on the other album. Living Era's nine include
Irving Berlin's "Russian Lullaby,"
Vincent Youmans' "Sometimes I'm Happy," Ted Fiorito's "I Never Knew," and
Rodgers & Hart's "A Little Birdie Told Me So," which features pop singer
Johnny Marvin. If you only invest in one
Kahn collection, Living Era's has a lot going for it. If, on the other hand, you find that his band's good-natured, Hotel Biltmore approach has become important to your personal happiness, you might pursue the Jazz Oracle edition, as well.