Thursday, May 1, 2008

my blue heaven

Yesterday, Jose' brought me a CD he burned of dad's orchestra. Mother brought me an old cassette tape made from the only recording of dad's music (circa 1939). There were only three songs on the tape and Jose' said he had to play with it a bunch of times to kill as much of the crackle and pop from the music. I didn't play the cassette prior to giving it to Jose' because I was concerned that the tape might be brittle. The music on the CD is pretty scratched up but it's great hearing my dad sing. He really had the chops back then and his band sounds pretty darn good. Thanks Jose' -This is a real treat! Two of the songs were instrumental and only one, My Blue Heaven, has dad's singing. Dad could always sing but it was the older voice that I always heard. This recording is the first time I've ever heard my father's orchestra or his younger voice. I'll share the other two at a later date. I've always enjoyed the music of Glenn Miller, and though dad knew Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey - the H. Westbrook & His Orchestra had some Miller influences. I'll post the other songs in good time.

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