Best Of The Big Bands

by Bruce EderKay Kyser was never much more than an entertaining curio in the field of swing music, a novelty act with an unusually good band to back him up. All of his hits from the late '30s until the end of the '40s are represented, most of which have more nostalgic interest today than major musical value, although Ginny Simms and her successors sing well enough. The sound on this collection isn't ideal, as it dates from a period when Columbia in particular was getting a cold, harsh texture from much of its '40s big band masters; but it is fair, and there's unlikely to be an upgrade anytime soon.