Dick McDonough

During 1936-1937, guitarist Dick McDonough led 12 record dates in which he fronted groups filled with top studio musicians who (like McDonough) made their livings playing with radio orchestras. Swingtime reissued many of the best selections on the label's first McDonough CD. The remainder are on Vol. 2. Surprisingly, very little is heard from McDonough himself. Bunny Berigan gets in a few hot if brief trumpet solos but the performances are mostly dance music rather than jazz, with every selection on this CD having a vocal (by Chick Bullock, Dorothy Dreslin, Buddy Clark, Larry Stewart, Barry McKinley, and Howard Phillips). The music overall does not come up to expectations. Better are the final four selections, taken from arranger Gene Gifford's only session as a leader and featuring Berigan's trumpet, tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman, and (on three of the four numbers) vocals by Wingy Manone. Inexcusably, the personnel for all of the music is not listed on the CD, forcing collectors to consult their discographies. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide