Larry Green & His Orchestra - Near You: The Singles Collection 1946-50 (2023)

Pianist Larry Green led one of the many orchestras of the 1940s who played the popular style of “sweet music” aimed at the middle ground of popular music, rather than the swinging big band style of many bands of those times. Coming later to the scene than many of the noted names of the 1930s, he enjoyed a few years in the chart spotlight during the post-war era recording both standards and versions of the hot songs of the moment, before his music was overtaken by the emerging solo stars and the changing market. This 50-track 2-CD collection comprises selected A & B sides from his releases on RCA-Victor during this era, and features all his career hits, including the Top 10 hits “Near You” and “Beg Your Pardon”, plus “Bella Bella Marie”, Bewitched” and “Can Anyone Explain (No! No! No!)”. There are a number of characteristic instrumental arrangements, but most of the tracks feature vocal performances by one of his various vocalists and vocal groups, including Gil Phelan, Don Grady, Lee Rand, June Robbins, Ray Dorey, Paul Sania, The Honeydreamers and Three Beaus And A Peep, and it also includes releases by Larry Green at the piano with hit trio The Three Suns. He is an artist about whom not much is known or heard about these days, and we trust that will be welcome addition to Acrobat’s range of artists from what some nostalgia buffs call “the golden age of popular music”.