Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby hosted a radio program beginning in 1949 that ran throughout most of the following decade. It featured a number of different musicians, with his good friend Louis Armstrong as a frequent guest. This two-CD set, previously issued on individual discs by Jazz Unlimited as Havin' Fun and Havin' More Fun, was repackaged by Storyville, adding detailed liner notes by Chris Albertson. The banter between the two men varies between ad-libbed and scripted, though it is clear they enjoy one another's company on-stage. Because these performances are excerpted from a number of different programs, there are several versions of "Rockin' Chair," "Blueberry Hill," "Up a Lazy River," and "Lazy Bones," most of which aren't very different from one another. Although Armstrong is primarily a vocalist, he has several opportunities to play trumpet, too, including a hot instrumental ("Panama") with Joe Venuti. Other guests include Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Dinah Shore, Jack Teagarden, and Venuti. Fans of Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong will find this set to be an excellent investment. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide