The Harry James Orchestra come at you live from The Palladium in 1997 to bring you a wonderful selection of the great bandleader's biggest hits and most well-loved tunes. Featuring Cassie Miller and conducted by Art Depew, the band were really swinging this night with tracks including 'Blues for Sale', 'I'm Beginning to See the Light' and 'I Get a Kick Out of You'.

Harry James and His Orchestra, led by the renowned American trumpeter and bandleader Harry James, were prominent figures in the era of big band music. Active from the late 1930s to the 1980s, James, known for his virtuoso trumpet playing, led the ensemble with a focus on delivering powerful and energetic performances night after night. This focus is on full display here, with a collection of standout performances of classics including 'I Cover the Waterfront' and 'You Turned the Tables on Me', showcasing this orchestra's dynamic blend of swing, jazz, and danceable rhythms that are rich and vibrant reminders of a sound that became synonymous with the golden age of big band jazz.

Trumpeter and bandleader Harry James was one of the most important, successful and influential personalities of the swing and big band era, his unmistakeable bravura trumpet style providing an inspiration and benchmark for trumpeters across the jazz and orchestral genres. He was hugely popular on radio, as a 'live' attraction and on record with his music not only appealing to cutting edge jazz and big band enthusiasts, but also, through his recordings of "sweeter" orchestral material, featuring the many male and female vocalists who launched their careers with his bands, capturing a wider audience to achieve a remarkable string of big-selling hits from his debut as a bandleader in the late '30s right through into the 1950's just before the dawn of the rock 'n' roll era. This great-value 71-track 3-CD set comprises just about all his records which featured in one form or another of the charts during his career, including the few that were listed as being Top 10 hits before the launch of the record sales charts in Billboard in 1940, and those which featured thereafter in one or other of the published Billboard charts or related listings. It naturally includes his No. 1 hits "Sleepy Lagoon", "I Had The Craziest Dream", "I've Heard That Song Before", "I'll Get By", "I'm Beginning to See the Light" and "It's Been a Long, Long Time". Among the featured vocalists are Frank Sinatra, Dick Haymes, Helen Forrest, Kitty Kallen, Johnny McAfee, Buddy DeVito, Betty Grable, Willie Smith, Ginnie Powell, Marion Morgan, Art Lund and Dick Williams, and it also includes Harry's 1950s hits with Doris Day and Rosemary Clooney. It's a hugely entertaining overview of the commercially successful output of one of the great stylists and innovators of the big band era.

Here's the trumpet master and his great orchestra backed by the powerhouse drums of Buddy Rich and fronted by vocalist Paula Gilbert. His band was touring like mad then, and you can hear it; they do Cherry; That Old Black Magic; Moanin' Low; Embraceable You; Autumn Leaves; Sugar Foot Stomp, and more!