The Fine Music of Carmichael

This British compilation of recordings of Hoagy Carmichael compositions, most of them made during the 1930s, contains Louis Armstrong's 1936 hit recording of "Lyin' to Myself" and Carmichael's own 1929 recording of "Rockin' Chair," accompanied by Armstrong, which was a hit in 1932. There are two other Armstrong recordings, two by the Mills Brothers, and one by Chick Webb and His Orchestra with Ella Fitzgerald. Most of the rest of the 23 tracks are by British artists of the period whose names will be unfamiliar to Americans, and whose renditions of the Carmichael songs compare unfavorably with their U.S. competitors. Thus, the album's value as a collection of vintage Carmichael-related recordings is limited.