Abe Lyman was a drummer and bandleader, born in Chicago in 1897, who moved to California in 1919, and after playing with Gus Arnheim’s band started his own orchestra and became a favourite with Hollywood stars, opening at the Cocoanut Grove in the Ambassador Hotel in 1922 from where he broadcast on radio, cementing his popularity. This 48-track 2-CD collection comprises selected A and B sides of his releases across this era on the Brunswick, Decca, Bluebird, Hit and Columbia labels. He recorded prolifically, and this collection necessarily cherry-picks from across his substantial output. It includes all his 29 career hits and features his contemporary versions of classic compositions from those years like “Breezin’ Along With The Breeze”“Besame Mucho”, “Rum And Coca-Cola”, “Among My Souvenirs”, “Ain’t Misbehavin”, “Charmaine”, and  “Auf Wiedersehen, My Dear”. His music was mainly mainstream dance band music typical of the ‘20s and ‘30s, which means some of it was “hot”, and includes well-known jazz pieces like “Twelfth Street Rag” and “Milenberg Joys”. It includes performances by featured vocalists Charles Kaley, Phil Neely, Dick Robertson, Frank Sylvano, Sonny Schuyler, Ed Holly, Irving Kahal, Frank Parrish, Dale Evans and Rose Blane, with featured solos by Carmen Cavallaro and Sy Zentner. It’s a musical window onto fascinating times in music spanning the roaring ‘20s, the Depression era, WWII and beyond, and it makes for excellent entertainment.

CD 1

1. MIDNIGHT ROSE Lyman's California Ambassador Orchestra (Brunswick 2478) 1923
2. IF YOU DO WHAT YOU DO Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 2639) 1924
3. MANDALAY Al Jolson With Abe Lyman's California  Orchestra (Brunswick 2650) 1924
4. ALL ALONE Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 2749) 1924
5. IF YOU KNEW SUSIE Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 2903) 1925
6. AFTER I SAY I'M SORRY  Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 3069) 1926
7. MARY LOU Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 3135) 1926
8. THERE'S A BLUE RIDGE IN MY HEART, VIRGINIA Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 3139) 1926
9. BREEZIN' ALONG WITH THE BREEZE Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 3240) 1926
10. LOOKING AT THE WORLD THRU ROSE COLORED GLASSES Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 3268) 1926
11. TWELFTH STREET RAG Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 3316) 1926
12. BESIDE A GARDEN WALL Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 3317) 1926
13. JUST A BIRD'S EYE VIEW (OF MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME) Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 3322) 1926
14. CHARMAINE Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 3648) 1927
15. DIRTY HANDS! DIRTY FACE! Al Jolson With Abe Lyman's California  Orchestra (Brunswick 3912) 1928
16. JUST IMAGINE Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 3971) 1928
17. SWEETHEARTS ON PARADE Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 4117) 1928
18. DREAM TRAIN Abe Lyman's California Orchestra (Brunswick 4137) 1928
19. AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 4443) 1029
20. WHEN I'M LOOKING AT YOU Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 4696) 1930
21. IN A CAFE ON THE ROAD TO CALAIS Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 6094) 1931
22. IT LOOKS LIKE LOVE Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 6119) 1931
23. JUST ONE MORE CHANCE Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 6125) 1931
24. GIVE ME YOUR AFFECTION (HONEY) Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 6154) 1931

CD 2

1. YOU TRY SOMEBODY ELSE Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 6217) 1931
2. OF THEE I SING MEDLEY Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 20103) 1932
3. AUF WIEDERSEHN MY DEAR  Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 6255) 1932
4. MILENBERG JOYS Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 6325) 1932
5. HEAVEN ONLY KNOWS  Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 6672) 1932
6. KEEP YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 6698) 1933
7. WAGON WHEELS Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 6759) 1934
8. I'M IN LOVE  Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra (Brunswick 6968) 1934
9. GONE Abe Lyman & His Californians (Decca 1098) 1936
10. LITTLE OLD LADY  Abe Lyman & His Californians (Decca 1120) 1937
11. A LOVE SONG OF LONG AGO Abe Lyman & His Californians (Decca 1235) 1937
12. WELL ALL RIGHT Abe Lyman & His Californians (Bluebird 10321) 1939
13. GOOD MORNING Abe Lyman & His Californians (Bluebird 10424) 1939
14. AT THE BALALAIKA Abe Lyman & His Californians (Bluebird 10533) 1939
15. LOVE SONG OF RENALDO Abe Lyman & His Californians (Bluebird 10572) 1939
16. HOW CAN I EVER BE ALONE Abe Lyman & His Californians (Bluebird 10731) 1940
17. HELP ME  Abe Lyman & His Californians (Bluebird 10887) 1940
18. HE'S MY UNCLE Abe Lyman & His Californians (Bluebird 10924) 1940
19. MARIA ELENA Abe Lyman & His Californians (Bluebird 11005) 1940
20. AMEN Abe Lyman & His Californians (Bluebird 11542) 1942
21. FOR ME AND MY GAL Abe Lyman & His Californians (Bluebird 11549) 1942
22. BY THE RIVER OF THE ROSES Abe Lyman & His Californians (HIT 7071) 1945
23. BESAME MUCHO Abe Lyman & Californians (HIT 7072) 1945
24. RUM AND COCA COLA Abe Lyman & His Orchestra (Columbia 36775) 1945