Bing with a Beat

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" comments "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 (tpt); Abe Lincoln (tbn); Matty Matlock (clt); Dave Harris (ten); Ralph Sutton (pno); Clancy Hayes (gtr); Red Callender (bs); Nick Fatool (dms).