Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    Oh yeah, wasn't that written by Cole Porter?  I think its called
    "Begin the Biguine" or to that effect.  Pete Townshend does a version
    on "Another Scoop"!  (Probably doesn't do the original any justice,
    but there it is.)
    
    		Steve

	From the American Heritage Dictionary, 2nd College Edition,

	"beguine" - 1. A ballroom dance based on a native dance of 
	Martinique and St. Lucia.  2. The music for the beguine.  
	[Fr. (West Indies) be'guine < Fr. be'guin, flirtation.]

	From my experience a beguine is a piece of music with
	a particular distinctive rhythm (I don't remember the
	particular rhythm though).  Begin the Beguine is an 
	older popular piece in the beguine style.  I played it
	in college concert and at least once, but I don't remember
	the original composer.

	I looked at my CD list and I do have a version of it:

		Porter, Cole:
			Begin the Beguine
				Philips 412.626-2 (C)
				Philips 822.506-2 (C)

	I'm sure that one those is the Boston Pops under
	Williams.  The other might be a piano only version.
	I'll check tonight to be sure.  Since neither stands
	out in my memory, you might be better off looking for 
	a real "Big Band" version.  If you find one you like
	let us know.

Artie Shaw, if I'm not mistaken, did the big band version that's
considered a classic.  Likely to be on any RCA hits-of-Shaw
collection.

Art Tatum also does a great solo piano version, recorded it for
both Decca (30s, now MCA) and Verve (50s).

    In my collection is the following:
    
    Artie Shaw & His Orchestra
    BEGIN THE BEGUINE
    RCA  6274-2-RB
    
    --- jerry

    Discount Books & Video Inc features a 10 volume series of Big Band
    music at $10 each.  Vol. 10 includes _Begin the Beguine_ but there
    is a fine print which may or may not be more important than the
    price, "These recordings are original recreations of the big band
    hits in _Stereo_, by the original orchestras, performers and members
    of the original orchestras that made them famous." What the hell
    does *that* mean?  They have been digitally remastered "using a
    computer process that greatly enhances the sound quality."
    
    Anyway, for ten bucks it may be worth it:
    
    Discount Books Inc.
    3701 North Mill Road
    Vineland, NJ 08360
    
    Include the ship to address, the item number 104446 and $3.50 for
    postage.  There's a 30 return policy if it's not what you want.
    
    

    
    
    re .6 
    >>What the hell does *that* mean?
    
    This is the same deal you get with the CD, "In The Digital Mood"
    by the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Their re-creations done in '85 were
    exact reproductions, even down to the mistakes & orchestra noises
    on the originals, only recorded with today's technology.
    
    The fact that the 10 volume series you mentioned claims "original
    band members" is pretty neat, since most of these people HAVE to
    be in at least their early 60's by now. Not that that would detract
    from their musical prowess ! Didja ever attend one of these Hyatt
    hotel big band nites ?? These are great fun to attend & watch at.
    These folks haven't lost too many steps since the 30's & 40's.
    
    				The Cruiser
    
    

    Glenn Miller also performed "Begin the Beguine" as a regular part
    of his appearances, and Tower Records had, a few months ago, a Canadian
    set of Glenn Miller CDs -- one of which has the piece, as I recall.
    These are original performances, but they don't seem to be the ones
    from RCA's Blue Bird line. And the notes don't explain WHAT they
    are or where they came from. They sound like moderately well-cared-for
    78s, though. No stereo "enhancement" or noise filters, as far as
    I can tell. If you're interested, I'll give you the catalog number
    and the contents of the discs.
    

    Many thanks to all, I will go with the .5's Artie Shaw
    version of it.  It does sound the most appealing for 
    what I am looking for.
    
	Vince.

    One additional note -- the original Shaw version was recorded
    in '38 for Bluebird (checked this info in the SMithsonian
    Big Band Jazz anthology), so it ought to be both in the
    RCA (Bluebird) CD cited in .5 and in a CD I see in Schwann
    that has 1938-1939 in the title (label was "Hindsight" I believe).
    
    - John C.

	There is also a jazz disk available by the Terry Herman Trio
        with the title of the same name.  I love it.

		-jim-

    Guess what the first song on R.E.M.'s _Lifes_Rich_Pageant_ album is
    called...

    :-)

    ...the phrase that breaks down musical walls!

Just one observation... Artie Shaw's arrangement and rendition of Begin
the Beguine is a fox trot. Some people used to jitterbug to the record.

The true beguine is a bit slower, more sultry, and sexier.

Shaw gave the song a whole new outlook, made it "perky". That's okay, but
it was no longer a beguine.

Art

    Re/ .13:
    
    Actually, 'Begin the Beguine' is most commonly done as a rumba.  I
    think the Artie Shaw rendition is no exception, but I'm not sure.
    
    -pd

    Begin the Beguine is indeed a Cole Porter song from the 1935 show
    Jubilee. Artie Shaw's version was released in '38 and had sold a
    million by 1944.
    
    
    If your mum's into Julio Iglesias (whose mum isn't I ask!) then he
    had a big hit with the song over here in Europe in '81!

    Richard
    Basingstoke, UK

        There's also a version of "Begin the Beguine" on
        
            "Ragtime Boogie-Woogie Jazz Classics"
            Claude Bolling
            Phillips � 822 506-2
        
        JimB.