Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey were both highly successful musicians and bandleaders during the early jazz and swing eras, but for a few years during the early part of their careers they had a joint enterprise called The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, which was hugely popular and successful, racking up 25 hits in the space of eight years from 1920s into the ‘30s.

Maybe inevitably, as two strong-minded personalities, they had a falling-out, and went their separate ways to have long and illustrious careers into the 1950s.

This 72-track 3-CD collection comprises selected A&B sides from their releases on the Okeh, Banner Harmony, Melotone, Columbia, Brunswick, Vocalion and Decca labels from these years.

It includes all their 27 hits from this era, including the No. 1s “Lullaby Of Broadway” and “Chasing Shadows”, and the Top 5 entries “What A Difference A Day Made”, “I Believe In Miracles”, “You Are My Lucky Star” and “I’ve Got A Feeling You’re Foolin’”.

There are many big names among their featured vocalists, and those with performances included in this collection are Scrappy Lambert, Bob Crosby, Ethel Waters, Bing Crosby, Mildred Bailey, Irving Kaufman, Kay Weber, Chick Bullock, Jean Bowes, Elmer Feldkamp and more.

It’s fascinating to hear two such fine musicians and leaders in collaboration, and this collection offers a substantial overview of their time together as well as a feast of early swing music.

CD 1

1. MARY ANN Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Okeh 40995) 1928

2. COQUETTE Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Okeh 41007) 1928

3. DIXIE DAWN Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Okeh 41050) 1928

4. FORGETTING YOU Dorsey Brothers Orch.  (Okeh 41065) 1928

5. WAS IT A DREAM? (PART 1) Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Okeh 41083) 1928

6. 'ROUND EVENING Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Okeh 41124) 1928

7. SALLY OF MY DREAMS Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Smith Ballew)  (Okeh 41151) 1929

8. LET'S DO IT  Dorsey Brothers And Their Orch. (Voc. Bing Crosby )  (Okeh 41181) 1929

9. MY KINDA LOVE  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bing Crosby )  (Okeh 41188) 1929

10. BUTTON UP YOUR OVERCOAT  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Smith Ballew)  (Okeh 41210) 1929

11. LOVER, COME BACK TO ME! (PART 1) Dorsey Brothers Concert Orch (Voc. Smith Ballew)  (Okeh 41223) 1929

12. AM I BLUE The Travelers  (Voc. Irving Kaufman)  (Okeh 41259) 1929

13. BABY, OH WHERE CAN YOU BE The Travelers (Okeh 41260) 1929

14. SINGING IN THE RAIN Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Irving Kaufman)  (Okeh 41272) 1929

15. MAYBE! WHO KNOWS Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Irving Kaufman)  (Okeh 41279) 1929

16. CONGRATULATIONS  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Scrappy Lambert)  (Banner 566) 1930

17. CAN THIS BE LOVE Jerry Mason Californians   (Harmony 1242-H) 1930

18. FINE AND DANDY The Travelers  (Voc. Scrappy Lambert)  (Okeh 41471) 1931

19. SWEET AND HOT The Travelers  (Melotone 12113) 1931

20. DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME The Travelers    (Melotone 12148) 1931

21. I APOLOGIZE The Travelers  (Voc Elmer Feldkamp)  (Melotone 12227) 1931

22. I CAN'T GET MISSISSIPPI OFF MY MIND The Travelers    (Melotone 12230) 1931

23. OOH THAT KISS Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Tony Starr)  (Columbia 2581D) 1931

CD 2

1. WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE ME?  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Vocal: Tony Sacco)  (Columbia 2589D) 1931

2. I'M GETTING SENTIMENTAL OVER YOU  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Jean Bowes)  (Brunswick 6409) 1932

3. SOMEBODY STOLE GABRIEL'S HORN Bing Crosby With the Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Brunswick 6533) 1933

4. MOOD HOLLYWOOD Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Brunswick 6537) 1933

5. LAZY BONES Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Mildred Bailey)  (Brunswick 6587) 1933

6. STORMY WEATHER Ethel Waters  (With Charlie Ventura Orch)  (Brunswick 6564) 1933

7. DON'T BLAME ME Ethel Waters   (Brunswick 6617) 1933

8. OLD MAN HARLEM Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Mildred Bailey)  (Brunswick 6624) 1933

9. THE BLUE ROOM Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Brunswick 6722) 1933

10. ANNIE'S COUSIN FANNIE  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Ensemble voc)  (Brunswick 6938) 1934

11. I'M GETTIN' SENTIMENTAL OVER YOU  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 115) 1934

12. I AIN'T GONNA SIN NO MORE Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 116) 1934

13. LOST IN A FOG  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 195) 1934

14. HOW CAN YOU FACE ME?  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 196) 1934

15. DON'T LET IT BOTHER YOU  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (From "Gay Divorce")  (Decca 207) 1934

16. HEAT WAVE Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 208) 1934

17. EARFUL OF MUSIC Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Kay Weber)  (Decca 258) 1934

18. WHEN MY SHIP COMES IN  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 259) 1934

19. WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MADE Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 283) 1934

20. DREAM MAN  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 291) 1934

21. HONEYSUCKLE ROSE Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 296) 1934

22. SANDMAN Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Kay Weber)  (Decca 297) 1934

23. HERE IS MY HEART Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 311) 1934

24. IT'S DARK ON OBSERVATORY HILL  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 314) 1935

25. YOU'RE THE TOP Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 319) 1935

CD 3

1. BLAME IT ON MY YOUTH Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 320) 1935

2. IF IT'S LOVE  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 321) 1935

3. I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 335) 1935

4. I'M JUST A LITTLE BOY BLUE  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Kay Weber)  (Decca 348) 1935

5. SINGING A HAPPY SONG Dorsey Brothers Orch. (With vocal trio)  (Decca 357) 1935

6. RHYTHM OF THE RAIN Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Kay Weber)  (Decca 358) 1935

7. TINY LITTLE FINGERPRINTS  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Kay Weber)  (Decca 367) 1935

8. THE FARMER TAKES A WIFE Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 368) 1935

9. LULLABY OF BROADWAY  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 370) 1935

10. NIGHT WIND  Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Crosby)  (Decca 376) 1935

11. MAMA, YO QUIERO UN NOVIO Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 445) 1935

12. WEARY BLUES Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 469) 1935

13. CHASING SHADOWS Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 476) 1935

14. EVERY SINGLE LITTLE TINGLE OF MY HEART Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 476) 1935

15. I'LL NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 480) 1935

16. EVERY LITTLE MOMENT Dorsey Brothers Orch. (With voc. trio)  (Decca 480) 1935

17. FOOTLOOSE AND FANCY FREE Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 482) 1935

18. TOMORROW'S ANOTHER DAY Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 515) 1935

19. TOP HAT, WHITE TIE AND TAILS Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 516) 1935

20. MY VERY GOOD FRIEND THE MILKMAN Dorsey Brothers Orch.   (Decca 519) 1935

21. YOU'RE SO DARN CHARMING Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Don Madison)  (Decca 520) 1935

22. YOU ARE MY LUCKY STAR Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Eberle)  (Decca 559) 1935

23. I'VE GOT A FEELIN' YOU'RE FOOLIN' Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Bob Eberle)  (Decca 560) 1935

24. THE GENTLEMAN OBVIOUSLY DOESN'T BELIEVE Dorsey Brothers Orch. (Voc. Kay Weber)  (Decca 561) 1935