This 1999 release from Collectables contains 17 tracks by the Jaguars, a Los Angeles group noted for their version of the Jerome Kern standard The Way You Look Tonight, which first achieved nationwide recognition by its inclusion in the first Oldies But Goodies LP.
The Jaguars consisted of Herman "Sonny" Chaney (lead), Valerio Poliuto (tenor), Manuel Chavez (baritone), and Charles Middleton (bass).
This CD contains all of their work for Bob Ross' Aardell (R-Dell) label, but, regrettably, none of the other tracks measure up to the promise of their well-known recording of The Way You Look Tonight. Their second-best effort is their rendition of the old chestnut Girl Of My Dreams, done in an almost "barbershop" style. Several of the other cuts seem to suffer from poor microphone placement (or below-standard mixing board work). A couple of the jump numbers have decent but all-too-short sax breaks, but are otherwise undistinguished. In an effort at "completeness," acappella versions of two of the songs, and two other alternate takes are appended near the end of the CD.
The CD terminates with Bob Ross' ruinous "strings overdubbed" version of The Way You Look Tonight, which should have remained "in the can." The strings overpower the basic recording, because someone must have set their volume too high during the mixing process.
Liner notes by R&B historian Marv Goldberg are up to his usual informative standard.
Tracks:
1. The Way You Look Tonight
2. Baby, Baby, Baby a/k/a City Zoo
3. I Wanted You
4. Girl Of My Dreams
5. Rock It - Davy - Rock It
6. Moonlight And You
7. Thinking Of You
8. Don't Go Home
9. You Don't Believe Me
10. Be My Sweetie
11. I Love You Baby
12. Look Into My Eyes
13. You Have Come Back (Unreleased Version)
14. Girl Of My Dreams (Acappella)
15. Don't Go Home (Acappella)
16. Thinking Of You (Unreleased Version)
17. The Way You Look Tonight (Strings Version)
