Richard Himber – The Himber Magic – Selected Recordings 1933-41 – 3CD

This is another in Acrobat’s strand of collections featuring the “sweet” US orchestras of the 1930s, who entertained in ritzy hotel venues and on radio, and kept people’s spirits up during the Depression era. Richard Himber was a violinist who got a grounding in vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley, working with Rudy Vallee before forming his own orchestra in 1933 and getting a long-term engagement at New York’s Essex House Hotel. He was a versatile entertainer with sense of humour who had hits parodying other orchestras and was also a noted magician and illusionist. This great-value 76-track 3-CD collection comprises selected A and B sides from his releases on the Vocalion, Bluebird, Victor, Royale and Decca labels during this era, featuring his various orchestras – the Essex House Orchestra, his Ritz-Carlton Orchestra, the Studebaker Camion Orchestra, his Rhythmic Pyramids Orchestra, The Seven Stylists, and others. It features all his 16 career hits, including the No. 2 “Stars Fell On Alabama”, and the Top 10 entries “Footloose And Fancy Free”, “Just One Of Those Things”, “You Hit The Spot”, “Cling To Me, “Tormented”, “In The Chapel In The Moonlight” and “Day After Day”. The recordings feature performances by resident and guest vocalists, including Joey Nash, Stuart Allen, Johnny Mercer, Guy Russell, Marion Shaw, Bart Phillips, Harry Stanton and Johnny Johnson. It includes many early recordings of compositions which became Great American Songbook standards. It’s a thoroughly entertaining collection which admirably captures the spirit of the times.

Track Listing:

CD1:
Dick Himber & His Essex House Orchestra: 1. It Isn’t Fair -   Richard Himber Essex House Orchestra: 2. Love Is The Sweetest Thing -   Dick Himber & His Essex House Orchestra: 3. Smoke Rings -   4. Sophisticated Lady -   5. My Love -   6. The Last Roundup -   7. Goodbye Love -   8. Doing The Uptown Lowdown -   9. After Sundown -   10. Everything I Have Is Yours -   Richard Himber & His Ritz-Carlton Orch.: 11. A Thousand Goodnights -   12. Love Thy Neighbour -   13. The Marines Hymn (From The Halls Of Montezuma) -   14. Night On The Desert -   15. What Can You Say In A Love Song -   16. If I Had A Million Dollars -   17. Stars Fell On Alabama -   Richard Himber & The Studebaker Champion Orch.: 18. Tea For Two -   Richard Himber & His Ritz-Carlton Orch.: 19. What A Difference A Day Made -   20. Were You Fooling -   21. Say When -   22. With Every Breath I Take -   23. Autumn In New York -   24. In A Blue And Pensive Mood -

CD2:
Richard Himber & His Ritz-Carlton Orch.: 1. Dawn -   2. Lullaby Of Broadway -   3. Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart -   4. Reckless -   5. Footloose And Fancy Free -   6. Kiss Me Goodnight -   7. Thrilled -   8. I Never Saw A Better Night -   9. What A Wonderful World -   10. Broadway Rhythm -   11. My Foolish Heart -   12. Love Makes The World Go Round -   13. Just One Of Those Things -   14. If I Should Lose You -   15. I Feel Like A Feather In The Breeze -   16. You Hit The Spot -   17. So This Is Heaven -   18. Cling To Me -   19. Life Begins When You're In Love -   20. I'd Rather Lead A Band -   21. Tormented -   22. Would You? -   23. Midnight Blue -   24. The World Is Mine -   25. In The Chapel In The Moonlight -   26. Thru' The Courtesy Of Love -   27. Where Have You Been All My Life? -

CD3:
Richard Himber & His Ritz-Carlton Orch.: 1. Blue Hawaii -   2. Blue Venetian Waters -   3. Make A Wish -   Richard Himber & His Seven Stylists: 4. There's A Goldmine In The Sky -   5. Sail Along, Silv'ry Moon -   Richard Himber and his Essex House Orchestra: 6. Thrill Of A Lifetime -   7. Parade Of The Bands Part 1 -   8. When Mother Nature Sings Her Lullaby -   9. My Margarita -   Richard Himber & His Rhythmic Pyramids Orchestra: 10. Day After Day -   11. You Call It Madness (But I Call It Love) -   12. Jeannie Swings Out -   13. Blame It On My Last Affair -   14. Are There Any More At Home Like You? -   15. I'm A Lucky Devil (To Find An Angel Like You) -   Richard Himber & His Orchestra: 16. March Of The Toys -   17. A Kiss In The Dark -   18. Whose Theme Song Pt.1 -   19. Darn That Dream -   20. I've Got My Eyes On You -   21. Tennessee Fish Fry -   22. Blue Moon -   23. The Reluctant Dragon -   24. I Know Why (And So Do You) -   25. Day Dreaming -