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Critic's Review
Ronnie D. Lankford, All Music Guide
Swinging With Tommy Dorsey features ten fine tracks from the trumpeter/leader, who played his individual brand of big band music from the 1920s until his death in 1956. The set gets a bouncy start with "Boogie Woogie" before delving into a fun vocal number on "Music Goes 'Round and 'Round." While the material on this album has been derived from a number of sources, it flows together well. Dorsey's band achieves a remarkable smoothness on pieces like "Opus No. 1" and the Eastern-flavored "Song of India," as though they were taking the rougher edges off swing. Even on vocal numbers like "Who?" and "Marie," however, the band is given plenty of room to cut loose with its infectious style of swing. Animated pieces like "Yes Indeed," with its combination of male and female vocals, also guarantee that the proceedings will not become too civilized. While it's all over before the listener knows it, Swinging With Tommy Dorsey is a fun ride. The album ends with fine renditions of "Chinatown, My Chinatown" and "They Can't Take That Away From Me," finishing on a perfect note. Dorsey fans and swing lovers will enjoy this set.
