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Chick Webb – Stomping at the Savoy     
2006

The Band:  Not listed

“Chick Webb’s determination to be a drummer overcame his physical infirmities.  Webb became one of the outstanding big band drummers.  His technical skills and driving, yet uplifting, beat were essential components of his band’s success with audiences, especially the hard-to-please dancers at the Savoy, who loved him’”   --- Liner notes.

This is probably all you’ll ever have to buy for your Chick Webb collection.  This is a 4 disc box set complete with a 48 page booklet that outlines Webb’s fantastic, yet short career.

He was the house band at the Savoy Ballroom, Mecca to lindy hoppers across the world (only a plaque remains where the storied ballroom used to be).  Just that comment, house band at the Savoy, should be enough for any lindy hopper to buy this set.

All of Webb’s recordings are packed into this fantastic set.  Including recordings with that young singer and protégé of Webb, Ella Fitzgerald, who later took over the band after Webb’s death.

You’ll get the song that Frankie Manning uses as an example of why Webb was the real King of Swing (apologies to Benny Goodman), Stompin’ at the Savoy.  There are lots of favorites on these CDs including Darktown Strutters Ball, Let’s Get Together, Blue Lou, King Porter Stomp, Go Harlem, Strictly Jive, Rock it for Me, Spinnin’ the Webb and of course, the song that rocketed Ella Fitzgerald to stardom, A-Tisket, A-Tasket.

Chick Webb never became as popular as Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey or Glenn Miller, but he could out swing them all.  You are going to find lots of great music in this set that will keep you dancing til the cows come home!  This should be in every serious jazz collector’s library.  And at a price around $15.00, theres no excuse to buy it today!