Boswell Sisters: That's How Rhythm Was Born
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Featuring:

The Boswell Sisters

That's How Rhythm Was Born

Legacy/Columbia

The Boswell Sisters made more than seventy recordings during 1930 and 1936. Twenty of those are included here on That's How Rhythm Was Born. The Boswells' rhythmic and creative vocal stylings made them the top singing group of their day, and their sound influenced future stars to come, most notably the Andrews Sisters and the King Sisters. The Boswell's didn't simply sing, they used their voices as instruments, and their arrangements were often quite complicated -- shifting tempo and key several times during a song. All in all, they're very different from most of their contemporaries and quite an interesting listen.

This CD leads off with the top ten hit ''Rock and Roll,'' a lively number originally performed by the sisters in the 1934 film Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round. The song title has nothing to do with the modern music genre, of course, but refers to the sway of a boat, and the music and vocals echo that feeling. Another top song is the sister's version of the hit tune ''Shuffle Off to Buffalo,'' one of the best on the CD. It is one of many songs on which the Boswells were accompanied by the early Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. Other notable numbers include the unpolitically correct title song, the bouncy ''Forty-Second Street,'' the lazy ''If I Had a Million Dollars'' and the snappy ''Charlie Two-Step.'' Finishing out the CD is the romantic and light-hearted ''The Object of My Affection,'' the Boswell's last number one song before they split up. Its catchy rhythm and chorus is capable of sticking in your head all day long.

Although this CD is lacking on top ten hits, it's still a good representation of the Boswells' talents and charm. This CD is a must-get for fans of the Boswell Sisters and a good introduction for those who enjoy pre-swing era jazz. Liner notes are good, but not great.

Track Listing

  • 1. Rock and Roll
  • 2. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
  • 3. Louisiana Hayride
  • 4. Shuffle Off to Buffalo
  • 5. Sophisticated Lady
  • 6. Song of Surrender
  • 7. Sleep, Come on and Take Me
  • 8. That's How Rhythm Was Born
  • 9. The Sentimental Gentlemen from Georgia
  • 10. Coffee in the Morning and Kisses in the Night
  • 11. Forty-Second Street
  • 12. Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day
  • 13. The Darktown Strutters Ball
  • 14. If I Had a Million Dollars
  • 15. It's Written All Over Your Face
  • 16. Charlie Two-Step
  • 17. Trav'lin All Alone
  • 18. St. Louis Blues
  • 19. Dinah
  • 20. The Object of My Affection