As part of the Boswell Sisters, Connee Boswell (1907-1976) created the definitive early template for jazz vocals, equaling Bing Crosby in terms of long term influence. This 3 disc, 73 song anthology shows a different side of the talented Ms. Boswell, emphasizing her solo career. As a vocalist on her own, she recorded on the major labels Brunswick and Decca, featured with bands led by Bunny Berigan, Bob Crosby, Bob Haggart, Sy Oliver, Artie Shaw and others. In other words, the crème de la crème.
With Der Bingster, Boswell struck gold with the kindred spirit on “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”, “Basin Street Blues” and “Bob White”, with Boswell’s Southern sass perfectly used as a partner and foil for Crosby. She was also able to go into darker material such as “Say It Isn’t So” and “Whispers In The Dark” and was able to even dig into the Duke Ellington songbook with “I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart”. Because she was a true original, she sounds like no one else on bluesier tunes like “Stormy Weather”, but her heart is in early Tin Pan Alley, sounding comfy on “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself a Letter” and “Ole Buttermilk Sky” while riding the swing tide with on “A String of Pearls” and a one off with Artie Shaw during “Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire”.
During a time like today when every singer sounds like every singer, this collection is a fresh wind of female voice.