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You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet: Jolie's Finest Columbia Recordings
Price: $24.99 Prices subject to change.
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0074645341927
Label: Sony
Manufacturer: Sony
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: April 12, 1994
Studio: Sony
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Editorial Review:
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 in The 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
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Ear worms for sale
The first time I heard an old Al Jolson record, I thought "who the hell is that?". I heard several layers of manic melodrama going on in his performance, along with strange parodies of foreign accents, and a whole kitchen sinkload of weirdness too subtle to describe. These performances are from that era and have those qualities.
The acoustic horn's narrow dynamic range enhances everything I love about these recordings. Sometimes it's as if you're listening to a crazed puppet or ... Read More
Rating:  - Jolson is underappreciated
I grew up with an older generation that idolized Jolson. By the time I reached adolescence, Jolson was easy to imitate and mock. His sentimental songs were remembered while his jazz singing was forgotten. When I finally began to collect music from the twenties, Jolson's jazz age recordings were a revelation. Jolson understood jazz singing and he had the spirit of it down perfectly. Forget the later Jolson when he bascially phoned in his performances. Check out young, lean, hungry, and jazz Jolson. ... Read More
Rating: - Great for the Music Historian
This CD is great for the music historian. It features selections from the World's Greatest Entertainer from 1913 through the early 30's.
This CD is well remastered, but even modern technology can only do so much. The songs recorded before 1925 were sung into a horn to cut the record, so even with the best technology, it sounds like you are hearing Jolson through a garden hose or tunnel. The selections done with the use of a microphone (1925 and after) sound quite a bit better.
Fans who ... Read More
Rating: - Liner notes complement a boatload of good tunes
This 24 track collection works wonders in restoring the sound and recovering the mystery of Al Jolson. The Art Deco Series includes detailed annotations, in this case by Herbert Goldman and Will Friedwald, that gloss each track and enrich listening. Great music ought to be atemporal, but a little written guidance does help. Tracks run from 1913 to 1932. Always historically interesting, this collection also has at least a handful of great tunes.
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