| NAME | MESSAGE |
| George Beschen |
posted 01/03/06 11:17 AM Central Time (US)  contact the author directly
I'm looking for a Bing fan's review of his 1976 concert album. Steven has a brief review (and gives it a B) on this website. Does anyone have a more in-depth review? I'm curious about his banter, for example. Does he talk to the crowd much? Does he just launch into songs immediately? How does the 73-year-old Bing sound? |
| Dieter Beier |
posted 01/03/06 11:42 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
George, this Palladium 2LP album was sold in different packages - most spread certainly by K-tel,but with identical content also under the label of United Artists-UA. Thereīs about 2 hours cut from the two concerts and mixed. The original concerts must be longed about 150-180 minutes.Parts are on CD(EMI 7243 8 57547 22) - about 73 minutes with some new mixes and cut some of the more curious away and Great Day,that is not on LPīs. The K-tel LPīs seems not been sold very successful,because I sold my Paladium concert even 1977 on a German department store,that had have a big stack of this set each for about $2.50. I have heard the concert countless times and love it.The voice of Bing is certainly not so strong and not totally in the best condition,but the wholly concert(LPīs) have something of the special Crosby charme,when Bing tells his stories,when he explain Send In The Clowns,makes his jokes about Crosby,StillsandNash with British comedian Ted Rogers: "No,no,Iīm work alone."or let make his son Harry a second start for Youīve Got A Friend.And there is also the Family Medley (Runaround), on which he introduce his family in a very special beginning with Nathaniel leading him to the "stardom" way-a little bit of his sing-alongs with old traditional tunes, but much livelier as these LPīs.And there is also the gigantic medley with Joe Bushkin-a tour de force also there are some littie mistakes-and not to forget the songs of Rosemary Clooney and the duet On A Slow Boat To China-Bing was in great form.Thatīs naturally my individual opinion about these concert LPīs.Some part as the family medley seems to be dated,but I like it too. |
| howard crosby |
posted 01/04/06 08:12 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
Bing sounds great on this album. His duets with Rosemary Clooney are really fun, and yes, there is some banter going on. When he launches into a long medley of his greatest hits, he forgets a few lyrics, and has fun with that, just making up some new ones as he goes along... I'm sure the reason the reviewer gave it a "B" is because quite a bit of family material with Kathryn and my cousins is included, and let's face it, none of them are professionals. Bing does his best to carry them on duets and such, but it's still amateur hour. |
| Dieter Beier |
posted 01/04/06 10:01 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
But it was the concept of Bing in his last years to include as much family as possible in his many concerts of his "Sunset Years" and on LOndon Palladium he have got together his whole family.Bing as he was working again more than some years ago wanted to be more together with his children,then it was possible with his first family and spread something of a family image,although many reviewers of his concerts and Christmas specials criticezed Bingīs appearances with his family hardly as unprofessionalism and so on.But I think thatīs something very own of Bing,something of his style as his love to his countless and endless medleys on TV and concerts,that was also criticezed often-some wanted Bing would have sung less songs,but in the normal "3 minute format" as most other singers do(perhaps there are now more music DVD collections of Bing?).This is certainly not,what the today market wanted,but it is very special Bing-and i likes his long duets often with guests as RosieFrank,Dean,Peggy,Louis,Mary Martin,Mercer, Mills,Aznavour,Feliciano andco.Bing was too very proud of his family-also he was realistic about their singing qualities.But really proud he was about Harryīs guitar playing,he talked about on different interviews,e.g.Parkinson.BIng was also delighted from Mary Frances dancing.Kathryn have had certainly some stage experience as Peter Pan.But Bing with his family is simply sympathic-but such things seems today something unusual. On the end of Bingīs hit medley Bing "acts" OlīMan River tremendously and on this Lp set is certainly the best of the 5 or 6 Crosby/Bushkin versions of that song known to me- perhaps beside the ī59OLdsmobile TV version with Nelson Riddle the best one.Ken Barnes likeīs The Way We Were of the concert with Joe on piano more than the studio recording, but Ken was not wholly sufficient with his concert production. But as possible-buy it-you may enjoy it! |
| howard crosby |
posted 01/04/06 12:11 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
Dieter, I certainly agree with you that Bing was proud of his young family, and there was some justifiable pride in Harry's newfound guitar playing ability. But let's be honest: EVERYBODY in the audience at the Palladium would have liked more Bing, less family. Bing was the consummate professional entertainer, they were amateurs. |
| John Walton |
posted 01/04/06 01:32 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
I saw Bing, Rosemary Clooney, Joe Bushkin and the Crosby family perform at the Palladium on October 1 1977 - two weeks before he died. Because of Bing's age, I thought the experience would be more nostalgic than genuinely entertaining. How wrong I was! Bing WAS the consummate professional, sang remarkably well and was onstage for a good proportion of the two hour show. Of course Bing's children were 'amateurs' and, had there not been a solid professionalism about the rest of the show, their inclusion might have disappointed us. As it was, the family was very sympathetically received and the their interaction with Bing well produced. The album of the show is a cherished favourite, as a pleasing reminder of a very entertaining evening. |
| Dieter Beier |
posted 01/04/06 04:24 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
Look at Bing magazine #138:there are the impressions of all 1977 Palladium concerts written as a kind of diary by Pat Forster,describing the differences of each single concert and the dayly condition of Bing.A great documentary! |
| Candace Scott |
posted 01/20/06 01:38 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
I was lucky enough to see Bing live at the Dorothy Chandlier Pavillion in Los Angeles in 1976. It was obviously a thrill to see him live. To this day, I wish he would havbe left off his family, Rich Little, Rosie Clooney and the rest. I wish Bing would have had a concert like Sinatra did: where he stood up there and sang without anyone else except the orchestra. |
| Dieter Beier |
posted 01/20/06 02:57 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
That Bing would have made a real solo appearance,that as the wish of many fans,Candace.But I believe that was something against his personality.Even with the Rhythm Boys by Whiteman and on the Coconut Grove entertaining and "acting" was usual and important beside all his songs. So far I know it was the same on his early Paramount Concerts in the early 30ties and on entertaining the troops in WW2.This was specific for Bing that he didnīt want stay alone on the stage,but likes very much the teamwork,whether it was radio,TV or concerts.Sinatra likes the art of music and songs,so Frank sang mosttimes "complete" songs on concerts and TV-Bing likes the melody and the singing,so he sung often short versions and medleys on live appearances.Could I say it so or is that unclear?Bingīs way are not to sing a only a collection of songs and to make eventually a short introduction-he was a entertainer.And about the family have Howard,I and others discussed some weeks ago,but I believe that to act with his family was also something very specific old Bing,also the children were unprofessional-that was kind of his "personal"entertaining.This was and is certainly not modern,but this makes also a difference of Bing to Sinatra and most other singers. |
| Ronald Sarbo |
posted 01/20/06 05:38 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
One of my biggest regrets is not seeing Bing. I was still in college and could not afford a ticket. What I would give today to see him! I have been guilty many times of comparing Bing to FS here so all I will say is that Bing gave his audience the type of show they would expect as did FS. We will NOT see their like again. |
| Richard Pearson |
posted 01/21/06 05:47 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly
I was extremely fortunate to see Bing live on Broadway at the URIS Theater back in 1976. It was a wonderful concert and since it was late in the year, the Christmas spirit was in the air. What a wonderful time to see Bing and his family! I enjoyed Bing's interaction with his family and Ted Rogers and Rosie Clooney and Joey Bushkin. And I especially enjoyed the long medley of tunes that Bing sang later in the evening. Since this was my ONE and ONLY time to see DER BINGLE I happily enjoyed him and his family. It was a memorable evening and one of the greatest experiences of my life! A few years later I was able to meet Kathryn at one of the North Carolina Crosby golf tournaments and she was very gracious to me and my friend. A few years later I managed to tour Bing's house in Hillsborough so I consider myself very lucky indeed! The concert on Broadway will always be in my mind and I will count my blessings always! |