They don’t come much more Essential than AVID’s latest release on the Essential Collection series. Les Paul, born in 1915 was not only a superb guitar player whose prowess with the instrument alone would have gained him a place in musical history, but also an innovative guitar designer and technician. In fact he is perhaps better known as the inventor of the Gibson Les Paul solid body guitar as “modelled” by the likes of Paul McCartney! Starting his career playing a more country orientated music he moved on to his jazz style in the 1940’s playing with the likes of Art Tatum, Terry Shand and Willie Smith. CD1 features his Decca recordings as the Les Paul Trio and also as accompanist to many of the leading vocalists of the day including Bing Crosby, Kay Starr, Helen Forrest, The Andrews Sisters and Dick Haymes. As well as his guitar design innovations Les was also involved in early multi tracking techniques. We can hear the results of this interest in a large selection of tracks on CD2 where he is joined by his wife to form the legendary duo Les Paul And Mary Ford.
CD1 1. Gotta Get Me Somebody To Love (with Bing Crosby) 2. What Am I Gonna Do About You? (with Bing Crosby) 3. It’s Been A Long, Long Time (with Bing Crosby) 4. Pretending (with Bing Crosby) 5. Whose Dream Are You? (with Bing Crosby) 6. Drifting And Dreaming (with Bing Crosby) 7. Gotta Get Me Somebody To Love (with Bing Crosby) 8. Hey Lolly Lolly Lo (with Bing Crosby) 9. I Ain’t Gonna Be Treated This Way (with Bing Crosby) 10. Blue Skies (with Bing Crosby) 11. Baby, What You Do For Me (with Helen Forrest) 12. Everybody Knew But Me (with Helen Forrest) 13. A One Sided Affair (with Delta Rhythm Boys) 14. What Would It Take? (with Delta Rhythm Boys) 15. Rumours Are Flying (with The Andrews Sisters) 16. It’s A Pity To Say Goodnight (with The Andrews Sisters) 17. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? (with Dick Haymes) 18. My Future Just Passed (with Dick Haymes) 19. What Can I Say Dear, After I Say I’m Sorry (with Kay Starr) 20. There’s A Lull In My Life (with Kay Starr) 21. What Goes Up, Must Come Down (with Kay Starr) 22. What A Difference A Day Made (with Kay Starr) 23. Ain’t Misbehavin’ (with Kay Starr) 24. Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen (with Kay Starr) 25. Honeysuckle Rose (with Kay Starr) 26. My Future Just Passed (with Kay Starr) 27. Betcha I Getcha (with Kay Starr) 28. The Dixieland Band (with Kay Starr) 29. My Extraordinary Gal (with Clancy Hayes)
CD2 1. Mocking Bird Hill (with Mary Ford) 2. Cryin’ (with Mary Ford) 3. Dry My Tears (with Mary Ford) 4. I Wish I’d Never Seen Sunshine (with Mary Ford) 5. Tennessee Waltz (with Mary Ford) 6. How High The Moon (with Mary Ford) 7. Just One More Chance (with Mary Ford) 8. In The Good Old Summertime (with Mary Ford) 9. I’m Confessin’ (with Mary Ford) 10. Three Little Words (with Mary Ford) 11. Smoke Rings (with Mary Ford) 12. Take Me In Your Arms And Hold Me (with Mary Ford) 13. The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise (with Mary Ford) 14. My Baby’s Comin’ Home (with Mary Ford) 15. Tiger Rag (with Mary Ford) 16. Bye Bye Blues (with Mary Ford) 17. St. Louis Blues (with Mary Ford) 18. I’m Sittin’ On Top Of The World (with Mary Ford) 19. Vaya Con Dias (with Mary Ford) 20. Johnny Is The Boy For Me (with Mary Ford) 21. I Really Don’t Want To Know (with Mary Ford) 22. Don’cha Hear Them Bells (with Mary Ford) 23. I’m A Fool To Care (with Mary Ford) 24. Blues Stay Away From Me (with Mary Ford) 25. The Auctioneer (with Mary Ford) 26. Mr Sandman (with Mary Ford) 27. The Lonesome Road (with Mary Ford) 28. I’m Movin’ On (with Mary Ford) 29. Baby Won’t You Please Come Home (with Mary Ford) 30. The Best Things In Life Are Free (with Mary Ford) 31. Don’t Cry Baby (with Mary Ford) 32. Some Of These Days (with Mary Ford) 33. The Moon Of Manakoora (with Mary Ford)
