Bing with a Beat
Bing with a Beat was Bing Crosby's seventh long play album but his first with RCA Victor. It was recorded at the Radio Recorders "Annex" Studio in Los Angeles and released on vinyl in September 1957. "Bing with a Beat" is a 1957 concept album where the songs feature "hot" jazz and dixieland arrangements by Matty Matlock, played by Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band. The album was issued on CD by BMG Music and Bluebird Records in 2004. Reception. "Variety" liked the album, saying, "Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band has put Bing Crosby  in one of his happiest and swingiest vocal frames. The evergreens are ever-bright when Crosby and Scobey match wits." Record producer, Ken Barnes, wrote, "After his high-powered outing with Buddy Bregman, Bing probably felt a desire to get back to the roots of his singing style and this pleasantly swinging album with Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band was probably the best artistic therapy for him at this point in his career. Bing always responded enthusiastically to a Dixie-style backing and with songs like 'Some Sunny Day', 'Whispering' and 'Mama Loves Papa' he is in top-notch  form. Scobey plays some tasty trumpet and there are telling solos from others in the band - notably Ralph Sutton on piano. The cleanly crisp arrangements are by Matty Matlock and the album is almost a total joy from beginning to end. The only mild disappointment is a rather lack-lustre version of 'Mack the Knife' which should have been a standout. The writer Will Friedwald, in his book "Jazz Singing: America's Great Voices from Bessie Smith to Bebop and Beyond", commented, "Communicating the obvious joy the music arises in him, Crosby fairly oozes with charming insouciance above and beyond  even the call of Crosby, expressed in semi-spoken asides and lyric alterations." Personnel. Bob Scobey (trumpet and leader), Frank Beach (trumpet); Abe Lincoln (trombone); Matty Matlock (clarinet); Dave Harris (tenor saxophone); Ralph Sutton (piano); Clancy Hayes (guitar); Red Callender (bass); Nick Fatool (drums).