My reviews of music released in 1940.

 

1. John Cage: “Second Construction” (10/10)

A revolutionary piece, in terms of form and rethinking the Western tradition.

 

2. Horace Henderson and His Orchestra: “Kitty On Toast” (9/10)

“Kitty on Toast” starts with a solo piano introduction that feels utterly out of place. And then the piano is joined by the rhythm and a violin! And it’s a pretty good solo too.  It’s a shame that there isn’t more from this year on this compilation because this track is really out there.

 

2. Raymond Scott: “At an Arabian House Party” (9/10)

I can’t say enough about Scott’s rethinking of what was acceptable for a composer. Wild music that sounds exotic and like it was improvised even though it was written out commemphpletely. Crazy stuff.

 

4. Dmitri Shostakovitch: Quintet for Two Violins, Viola, Cello and Piano in G minor, Op. 57 (8/10)

Unfortunately I haven’t heard this all the way through yet.

 

5. Earl Hines’ Orchestra: “Boogie Woogie on St. Louis Blues” (8/10)

This is sort of what it sounds like: full blown boogie-woogie, though, because Hines’ band was a swing band, there are swing elements that punctuate the boogie-woogie piano, at first briefly and then they become more dominant. Out there, for sure.

 

6. Benny Carter: “Sleep” (8/10)

I didn’t rate individual tracks a the time.

 

6. Benny Carter and His Orchestra: “Fish Fry” (8/10)

See above.

 

6. Benny Carter and His Orchestra: “Night Hop” (8/10)

See above.

 

6. Benny Carter and His Orchestra: “Pom Pom” (8/10)

See above.

 

6. Benny Carter and His Orchestra: “Slow Freight” (8/10)

See above.

 

10. Benjamin Britten: “Sinfonia da requiem” (7/10)

Need to find my review.

 

11. Sidney Bechet: Blues in Thirds” (7/10)

This is a small group performance at the height of the big band era . That makes it rather notable, I didn’t realize that some of the older musicians were performing in small groups still. It’s a pretty trad ballad, though.

 

12. Earl Hines Orchestra: “Comin’ in Home” (7/10)

Solid swing track. Hines sounds like has matured as a pianist but that isn’t entirely a good thing – he is entirely in control here, and one of the great things about his earlier music is that it always sounds like he is about to lose the plot.

 

Benny Carter and His Chocolate Dandies: “I Can’t Believe That You Belong to Me” (???/10)

Benny Carter and His Chocolate Dandies: “Smack” (???/10)

Benny Carter and His Orchestra: “O.K. for Baby” (???/10)

Benny Goodman and His Orchestra: “Lil Boy Love” (??/10)

Benny Goodman and His Sextet: “Gilly” (??/10)

Benny Goodman and His Sextet Featuring Count Basie: “As Long as I Live” (??/10)

Benny Goodman and His Sextet Featuring Count Basie: “Benny’s Bugle” (??/10)

Benny Goodman and His Sextet Featuring Count Basie: “Wholly Cats” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Septet: “Ad Lib Blues” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “Boy Meets Goy” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “Charlie’s Dream” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “Gone with What Wind” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “Good Enough to Keep (Air Mail Special)” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “Honeysuckle Rose” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “I Never Knew” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “I Surrender Dear” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “Lester’s Dream” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “Poor Butterfly” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “Royal Garden Blues” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “The Sheik” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “Six Appeal” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “Soft Winds” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “These Foolish Things” (??/10)

Benny Goodman Sextet: “Till Tom Special” (??/10)

Metronome All Star Nine: “All Star Strut” (??/10)