Buy the DVD:

Sponsored Links:

Swing Era: Peggy Lee

This compilation of female jazz singers from the Swing Era is like an early version of the music videos of today. Faded black and white images, they are endearing in many ways. First there is the music of course. Written and performed in another time, these soulful songs possess a wistful, almost gentle quality to these soulful songs, even the upbeat ones.

However, the numbers strike a familiar chord. Love is the topic of modern lyricists as much as it was back in the 1930s and 40s -- and sorry to say, the image of all-women bands is still unusual enough to amuse and entertain as it was back then.

The names of these orchestras were clever or so very sexist to modern ears: The Melodears or The Mistresses of Rhythm. However, these performers seem to be having the time of their lives. The dancers dance with gusto, thoroughly enjoying each time step. Then, there are the clothes, glittery, sexy and quaint. I got a big kick out of one woman doing back flips in an elegant, chiffon gown.

Peggy Lee is the most recognizable artist to modern audiences. Performing with the Dave Barbour Quartet, she is young, pretty and glamorous in her six short musical interludes. One is touched by the power of her presence in these old films. Her voice seems higher than her later recordings, but her phrasing and mellow delivery is classic. Her rendition of I Only Have Eyes For You is a stylized and steamy piece with an elaborate setting, but her star power is obvious when she just stands in front of the microphone and sings.

June Christy has a softer, smokier voice. Her dated hairdo, natural presentation and old fashioned dress don’t distract from the fact that she’s a beautiful woman with an extraordinarily timeless talent. He’s Funny That Way is a slow paced, torch song with minimal accompaniment. The classic Taking a Chance on Love is a jazzier number with drums, electric guitar, bass fiddle and piano.

After June and Peggy’s more nuanced performances, Ina Ray Hutton is feisty and flamboyant. Long and lean in a sequined gown, she leads her Melodears with charm and a big baton. It’s clear she's in charge. She doesn’t let her slinky outfits get in the way either. She tap dances and sings with Madonna-like energy and imagination. However, her Judy Holiday voice doesn’t seem to fit the otherwise sultry image she presents.

Lorraine Page and Rita Rio both lead their orchestras with the same kind of flare. It is amusing to watch the women dressed up in satin and bows, playing trombones and saxophones, tapping their toes while the band leader jumps around the stage with exaggerated movements.

This DVD is a blast from the past if you are part of the Greatest Generation. For everyone else, these performances are a fun and intriguing peak at how things used to be before Rock 'n Roll. IDEM Home Video is to be congratulating for rescuing this material and putting it into a format that will allow it to be enjoyed by new generations of Jazz lovers and music historians for years to come.

Written by: Joyce Faulkner

Reviewers Rating: 8
Reader's Rating: 0
Reader's Votes: 0

Rate It