When you add the Boswell Sisters and CBoz’s recordings together they cut over 300 sides and sold over 75 million records.
The Divine Connee Sound Lives On!
CBoz was a prolific singer and recorder. Although you can find virtually everything the Sisters recorded in a digital format the same isn’t true for Connie. But there’s enough out there to get a good dose of the voice that changed American popular song.
Singing the Blues
- Audio CD: 2006, from 1951 – 1955
- Label: Sepia
- A great collection of Connee Boswell’s 1950s releases when she was still in full voice. Torch songs and weepies dominated her repertoire in this era and she sings them from the heart. Never a “canary” but always able to team with the very best musicians, her loving duets with Artie Shaw have a magic all their own. Cuts from the Decca “Singin’ the Blues” 2-disk EP with the Lawson-Haggart band are phenomenal! If you don’t want to dance when she sings “Don’t Believe Everyone’s Your Friend” ask someone to bury you. Buy this CD!
Heart and Soul
- Audio CD: September 16, 1997
- Label: Asv Living Era
- This release from England focuses on some of the sweeter and more commercially successful numbers Connie recorded between 1932 and 1942. Liner notes have some errors but they can be forgiven. High points in this collection are the swinging Me Minus You, collaborations with der Bingle on Basin Street Blues and chart-topping Bob White, and movie hit Sand In My Shoes. The CD would be worth the cost just for Sunrise Serenade with lyrics specially written for Connie by Jack Lawrence. It’s available!
Moonlight and Roses
- Audio CD:January 30, 2001
- Label: Flare UK
- The jazz runs thick as gravy on Louisiana red beans in this Connie compilation. It opens with the wonderful Hummin’ to Myself and keeps up the good work throughout. Songs a Connie fan shouldn’t miss include Seein’ Is Believin’, Emperor Jones, The Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Blueberry Hill… just buy it!
They Can’t Take These Songs Away from Me
- 2 Disk Audio CD: September 3, 2002
- Label: Jasmine Music
- If you are ready to load up on CBoz, this is the CD for you. It runs the gamut from Connie’s early swing to the ballads that earned her Irving Berlin’s accolade as the best ballad singer in America. There are great duets with Bing, including the lovely Start the Day Right. But the song that anyone who wants to know anything about Connie Boswell must have is also on this set: Martha. This CD is available!
Connee Boswell and The Original Memphis Five in Hi Fi
- Audio CD: 2004, vinyl from 1957
- Label: RCA
- The critics love this pure Dixieland collaboration between some of jazz’ earliest performers and the magical Connee Boswell. Miff Mole, Billy Butterfield and Frank Signorelli team with the Immortal CBoz and let ‘er rip in Hi Fi. IF Say It Isn’t So doesn’t bring a shiver to you, get the Geritol! Hard to find and sometimes very expensive, it’s worth every cent. It’s available here for a very fair price right now.
Connee Boswell Sings the Irving Berlin
- Audio CD: 1997, vinyl from 1957
- Label: Simitar Entertainment, vinyl on Design
- This folio was done as a tribute to the great songwriter on his Golden Anniversary. The production values are less than stellar and Connee’s voice has gained huskiness and vibrato. But it is still a CD worth adding to your Bozzie collection.
