You Ain't Heard Nothin: Jolie's Finest Columbia (Art Deco Series)
If you can, put aside memories of his dated blackface routines and give a listen to this disc of Al Jolson's Columbia recordings from 1913 to 1932. Jolson was a master at melding styles--jazz, blues, and Tin Pan Alley--into a syncopated, infectiously funny routine that sounded like nobody else. He was a musical pioneer--one of the few who transferred his mega-success from the stage to early recorded media, and into movies (with his starring role inThe Jazz Singer). On these recordings, we can hear his talent in full bloom (and at its prime). "That Little German Band," a top-five hit in 1913, is corny but cute, "On the Road to Calias" is sentimental and touching, and "Swanee"--a collaboration between lyricist Irving Caesar and George Gershwin--is the song most of us remember Jolson for. Of course, the sound quality isn't the best (the majority of tracks were recorded in the days leading up to electrical recording methods), and the orchestra often sounds like an afterthought. That said, this is still a great collection of tunes from America's first entertainment star.--Jason Verlinde