Swing! Swing! Swing!

Although good music usually prevails, this 29-song collection of so-called "classic tracks from the great big bands" has a lot to overcome: technically, the black-and-white clips are pretty poor (and most suffer from scratchy audio tracks that digital remastering can't improve), the presentation and packaging are less than optimum (no liner notes, no recording dates, and none of the musicians or songwriters identified), and the bonus features are uninspired (a handful of extra tracks that might as well have been included in the main program). And a lot of the music is mediocre: there's a reason bandleaders like the Glenn Miller-esque Larry Clinton (with no less than four clips here) aren't household names, and unless you're wild about Harry, guys like Harry "The Hipster" Gibson, Harry "Hotlips" Levine, and someone named "Harry Cool" won't really register (the fourth Harry, trumpeter James, actually was a musician of some note). On the other hand, seeing Duke Ellington (two tracks, including an exquisite "Mood Indigo"), Count Basie (seen here in an amusing "soundie" featuring rotund singer Jimmy Rushing), Fats Waller (rolling his eyes throughout the raucous "This Joint is Jumping"), Louis Prima (despite its terrible quality, "That Old Black Magic" is a treat), Artie Shaw (with the inimitable Fred Astaire dancing out front), and Dizzy Gillespie (a totally swinging "One Bass Hit") in action is always worthwhile. And two groups that have nothing whatsoever to do with big bands provide the best moments of all: guitarist Les Paul with his trio, and Slim Gaillard, a fine guitar player and jive-speaker nonpareil who performs with longtime (and unidentified) partner Slam Stewart on bass on the delightfully ridiculous "Dunkin' Bagel." With this many pluses and minuses, Swing! Swing! Swing! is ultimately an optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (S. Graham)