Following on from Retrospective’s Hoagy Carmichael collection (RTS 4106) is this unique 2CD set devoted to both the songs, and the singing, of Harold Arlen – one of the greatest contributors to the American Songbook.

That Old Arlen Magic shines the spotlight onto the work of Hyman Arluk (1905-1986) who, as Harold Arlen, created far more than his fair share of the best-known and loved of all 'standards' - Stormy Weather, Over The Rainbow, Blues In the Night, Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive and, of course, That Old Black Magic are just a few of his immortal evergreens.

CD1 represents an unsurpassable single-disc collection with each song interpreted by the contemporary artist most associated with that hit – a roster that includes Judy Garland, Dinah Shore, Glenn Miller, Margaret Whiting, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Jo Stafford.

But Arlen’s talents didn’t stop at creating these miniature masterpieces. He was a notable vocalist and pianist in his own right and CD 2 – Harold Arlen Sings Sweet And Hot – is devoted entirely to his recordings. He performs 19 of his own songs and six by other writers (as vocalist for Red Nichols & his Five Pennies and others). The earliest is the 1926 Baby Face with “The Buffalodians”, while the set finishes with six great Arlen numbers from 1954.

Always at home with jazz stars, Arlen performs alongside such names as Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Glenn Miller and Jack Teagarden, and sings Blues in the Night with Woody Herman.

Contents:
CD 1: Get Happy, The Songs of Harold Arlen
• Get Happy – Judy Garland
• Hittin’ The Bottle – Jimmie Lunceford
• Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea – The Boswell Sisters
• Kickin’ The Gong Around – Cab Calloway
• I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues – Jack Teagarden with Benny Goodman
• I’ve Got The World On A String – Bing Crosby
• It’s Only A Paper Moon – Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards
• Stormy Weather – Ethel Waters
• Ill Wind, You’re Blowin’ Me No Good – Lena Horne
• As Long As I Live – Lena Horne
• Let’s Fall In Love – Annette Hanshaw
• Over The Rainbow – Judy Garland
• The Blues In The Night – Dinah Shore
• This Time The Dream’s On Me – Glenn Miller With Ray Eberle
• That Old Black Magic – Margaret Whiting
• Hit The Road To Dreamland – Margaret Whiting
• Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe – Woody Herman with Frances Wayne
• My Shining Hour – Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra With Eugenie Baird
• One For My Baby – Frank Sinatra
• Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive – Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
• Let’s Take The Long Way Home – Jo Stafford
• Out Of This World – Jo Stafford
• Come Rain Or Come Shine – Helen Forrest & Dick Haymes
• For Every Man There’s A Woman – Peggy Lee With Benny Goodman
• Hooray For Love – Tony Martin
• The Man That Got Away – Judy Garland

CD 2: Harold Arlen Sings Sweet And Hot
• Sweet And Hot
• Baby Face
• Happy Go Lucky Lane
• Linda
• How Come You Do Me Like You Do?
• You Said It
• Pardon Me, Pretty Baby
• Little Girl
• Stepping Into Love
• Stormy Weather
• Happy As The Day Is Long
• Smoke Rings
• Let’s Fall In Love
• This Is Only The Beginning
• Ill Wind
• As Long As I Live
• You’re A Builder-Upper
• Over The Rainbow (With Judy Garland)
• The Blues In The Night
• Hooray For Love
• I Never Has Seen Snow
• Moanin’ In The Mornin’
• Buds Won’t Bud
• Last Night When We Were Young
• Hit The Road To Dreamland