Swing Tanzen Verboten!: Swing Music and Nazi Propaganda

Disc 1
1	Nachtexpress Nach Warschau / Erhard Bauschke 2:48
2	Everybody Sing / Erhard Bauschke 2:47
3	Rosalie / Erhard Bauschke 2:55
4	Ich Mochte Reich Sein / Erhard Bauschke 2:15
5	Esprit / Albert Vossen 2:24
6	The Man With the Mandolin / Kurt Hohenberger 2:24
7	Warum, Weshalb und Wieso? / Kurt Hohenberger 2:48
8	Fermate / Willy Berking 3:01
9	Legato / Willy Berking 3:09
10	Rhythmus / Willy Berking 2:55
11	Tempo, Tempo / Willy Berking 2:37
12	Tip-Top / Willy Berking 2:44
13	Am Montag Fangt Die Woche An / Oscar Joost 2:37
14	Stomp / Hot Club Frankfurt 2:57
15	Jungfrau / Michael Jary 3:09
16	Hallo, Fraulein / Michael Jary 2:56
17	Bei Dir War Es Immer So Schon / Helmuth Zacharias 2:33
18	Allerschonste Aller Frauen / Teddy Kleindin 3:13
19	Der Schwarzen Panther / Willi Stanke 3:01
20	Berlin / Willi Stanke 3:22
21	Lilo / Willi Stanke 2:55
22	Grand Hotel / Willi Stanke 2:28
23	Karussell / Willi Stech 2:53
24	Was Geschah in Dieser Nacht? / Fud Candrix 2:53
Disc 2
1	You're Driving Me Crazy / Charlie & His Orchestra 3:18
2	Stormy Weather / Charlie & His Orchestra 3:23
3	When Day Is Done / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:56
4	I Want to Be Happy / Charlie & His Orchestra 3:21
5	You Can't Stop Me from Dreaming / Charlie & His Orchestra 3:25
6	I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:49
7	The King's Horses / Charlie & His Orchestra 3:01
8	St. Louis Blues / Charlie & His Orchestra 3:11
9	Slumming on Park Avenue / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:48
10	I'll Never Say Never Again / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:40
11	Dinah / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:57
12	Goody, Goody / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:44
13	F.D.R. Jones / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:57
14	After You've Gone / Charlie & His Orchestra 3:32
15	Makin' Whoopee / Charlie & His Orchestra 3:08
16	Bye Bye Blackbird / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:37
17	Japanese Sandman / Charlie & His Orchestra 3:17
18	Lambeth Walk / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:48
19	You Stepped Out of a Dream / Charlie & His Orchestra 3:22
20	I Double Dare You / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:29
21	Miss Annabelle Lee / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:26
22	Hold Tight / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:52
23	Die Trommel und Ihr Rhythmus / Charlie & His Orchestra 2:52
Disc 3
1	Honeysuckle Rose / Svend Asmussen and His Orchestra 2:50
2	Limehouse Blues / Svend Asmussen and His Orchestra 2:32
3	Japanese Sandman / Svend Asmussen and His Orchestra 3:07
4	Carry Me Back to Old Virginny / Valaida 2:55
5	Some of These Days / Kordt Sisters 2:56
6	Do You Wanna Jump Children? / Harlem Kiddies 3:20
7	Roulette / The Ramblers 2:46
8	Muziek Voor Mitzy / The Ramblers 3:20
9	Hilversum Express / The Ramblers 3:00
10	Steeple Chase / The Ramblers 3:23
11	Dr Heckyll and Mr Jyde / Frans Wouters 2:47
12	Johnson Rag / Piet Van Dyk 3:24
13	Dansstemming (Ballroom Jive) / Ernst Vant Hoff 3:25
14	Vous Avez un Beau Chapeau Madame (Idaho) / Ernst Vant Hoff 2:43
15	Oh, Lady Be Good / Charlie Nederpelt 2:29
16	Rosetta / Dick Willebrandts 2:05
17	Dallas Blues / Dick Willebrandts 2:12
18	Woodchopper's Ball / Dick Willebrandts 3:14
19	Boogie Woogie / Dick Willebrandts 3:03
20	Capucyners / M.A.U.I. Eilanders 2:24
21	Illusie / Klaas Van Beeck 2:45
22	College Swing / Klaas Van Beeck 2:34
23	Rytmefeber (Rhythm Fever) / Rolf Syversen 3:00
24	Buvos Hegedu (Magic Violin) / Gabor Radics 2:52
Disc 4
1	Eclats de Cuivres / Stan Brenders 3:04
2	Dynamisme / Stan Brenders 2:44
3	Tons d'Ebene / Stan Brenders 2:51
4	Simplicite / Hubert Simplisse 3:24
5	Belleville / Fud Candrix 2:44
6	Oubli / Fud Candrix 2:44
7	ABC / Fud Candrix 2:21
8	Rhythme Indien / Gus Deloof 3:13
9	When You're Smiling / Gus Viseur 3:04
10	Bois de la Cambre / Ernst Vant Hoff 3:01
11	Porter 39 / Gus Viseur 2:46
12	Palm Beach / Andre Ekyan 2:37
13	Zazou-Zazou / Orchestre Swing Jo Reinhardt 2:51
14	Nuit et Jour (Night and Day) / Dany Kane 2:32
15	Agatha Rhythm (I Got Rhythm) / Dany Kane 2:42
16	Douce Georgette (Sweet Georgia Brown) / Joseph Reinhardt 2:36
17	L' Oeil Noir / Joseph Reinhardt 2:28
18	Chiffon / Quintette Francais 2:49
19	Juin / Quintette Francais 2:47
20	Bruxelles / Quintette Francais 3:21
21	Loin / Quintette Francais 3:30
22	67 Rue Couperin / Christian Bellest 2:28
23	Elle et Lui / Christian Bellest 2:42
24	Hot Club Swing / Eddie Barclay 2:56

All Music Guide

The Proper Box folks have assembled a massive collection of jazz and swing-related material from the second World War, much of it performed right under the noses of indignant fascists; some of it prepared with the de facto backing or propaganda interests of the occupying parties in mind. All politics aside, the music is a blast -- vital and vibrant as well as more varied than some snobs might suspect. As for the motivations of the players and the forces which oppressed them, listeners should feel free to take some of the commentary with a grain of salt, or a plate of sauerkraut if that seems more appropriate. Inevitably there will be people who will not enjoy listening to Django Reinhardt once they begin to speculate on his relationship with the Gestapo, just as there are listeners who shelve their Jimi Hendrix sides permanently once they read biographical tomes suggesting the great guitarist liked to beat up his girlfriends.

Expatriate Mike Zwerin claims to have experienced something of a nervous breakdown writing his book Swing and the Nazis, the publication of which precedes this box set by decades. It is indeed a heavy subject: whether it is the tale of a Jewish family who were allowed to step off a certain deadly train in trade for some rare Count Basie sides, or the careers of some of the players featured herein. Even the loutish storm troopers had the sense to realize this type of music attracted dissidents; so they would let gigs happen just to keep their eye on whoever showed up. How much some of these groups were involved in these proceedings is often unknown. Perhaps these details are not so important in view of what exists here, now: a fairly complete collection of the characters who were not prevented from swinging by swastikas. This includes not only both brothers Django and Joseph Reinhardt, but the orchestras of Eddie Barclay, Gus Viseur and violinist Svend Asmussen. Of course the context adds an extra tingle to tracks such as the wisely chosen opener "Nachtexpress Nach Warschau," performed by Erhard Krause Und Sein Orchester, but not every performance by a German artist reeks of the death camps. The ensemble directed by Willy Berking features good instrumental soloists taking part in musical novelty features with non-political titles such as "Legato" and "Rhythmus." Eugene Chadbourne