Here is the most comprehensive 2CD survey available of one of the great entertainers of the 30s-50s. Connee Boswell (1907-1976) was a truly outstanding vocal talent, becoming a big star despite having to overcome the disability of being confined to a wheelchair through polio. She rose to fame as the most talented part of the close harmony trio The Boswell Sisters (see Shout, Sister, Shout! on Retrospective RTS4242), but she then carved a highly successful solo career from 1935 onwards. Her casual, swinging style was a strong influence on other singers such as Ella Fitzgerald.

Concentratin’ On You provides the title and opens Retrospective’s winning collection of her 51 finest recordings, from her very first (I’m Gonna Cry) in 1925 to her last (Where Or When?) in 1959. She was one of the earliest white jazz singers, as the 1932 Me Minus You (with a fine Bunny Berigan trumpet solo) demonstrates, but also had the most persuasive touch with more commercial ballads such as Stormy Weather, Deep In A Dream, The Isle Of May or Sand In My Shoes. Connee was one of Bing Crosby’s favourite duet partners and the sequence includes six of their delightful vocal sparrings, including the chart-topping Bob White and An Apple For The Teacher. But every track by Connee Boswell is special.

CD 1 (1931-1939)
1. Concentratin’ On You
2. Time On My Hands
3. Washboard Blues
4. Hummin’ To Myself
5. Me Minus You
6. It’s The Talk Of The Town
7. The Carioca
8. All I Do Is Dream Of You
9. Lost In A Fog
10. In The Middle Of A Kiss
11. I’ll Never Say “Never Again” Again
12. I Can’t Give You Anything But Love
13. On The Beach At Bali-Bali
14. That Old Feeling
15. Bob White (with Bing Crosby)
16. Basin Street Blues (with Bing Crosby)
17. Martha (Ah, So Pure!)
18. You Forgot To Remember
19. Home On The Range
20. I Hadn’t Anyone Till You
21. Gypsy Love Song
22. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
23. Deep In A Dream
24. An Apple For The Teacher (with Bing Crosby)
25. Sunrise Serenade

CD 2 (1939-1959)
1. Between 18th And 19th On Chestnut Street (with Bing Crosby)
2. On The Isle Of May
3. Dinah
4. Yes, Indeed! (with Bing Crosby)
5. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
6. Amapola
7. Sand In My Shoes
8. Look For The Silver Lining
9. Stormy Weather
10. One Dozen Roses
11. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
12. Ole Buttermilk Sky
13. My Little Nest Of Heavenly Blue
14. That’s A Plenty (with Bing Crosby)
15. If I Give My Heart To You
16. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street
17. Say It Isn’t So
18. When The Saints Go Marching In
19. Make Love To Me (Tin Roof Blues)
20. Blue Skies
21. Always
22. Cheek To Cheek
23. My Funny Valentine
24. I Could Write A Book
25. Where Or When
26. I’m Gonna Cry (Crying Blues)