Were they the Oasis of their time? Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey started their jazz careers working together under the “Dorsey Brothers Orchestra” banner. They had a number of hits during those years. They ultimately had a falling out, and each went on with his own solo career.

This three CD set collects a lot of recordings they did together in that first group. I have to say that this stuff is nearly 100 years old, and a product of its time. The music sounds quite dated to modern ears. And, it’s a bit on the pop (for the time) end of the spectrum.

Looking beyond those things, though, there is some strong music here, and nothing that’s really unlistenable. This isn’t the type of jazz I usually listen to, but I recognized some of the songs, and could appreciate all of it to varying degrees. I’d also like to point out, though, that this music isn’t the best suited for track by track reviews, but that’s how we do them at MSJ.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2025  Volume 1. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2025.

There is a playful old-school jazz groove on the menu here. This is classy stuff. That said, it’s a little light-weight to me, and I’m not a fan of the old-timey vocals.

With a more serious tone to it, again the vocals don’t really do a lot for me.

Now, I like this better. It’s a tasty jazz piece. It has a lot of vintage charm and style. The vocals aren’t precisely my thing, but I like them better than those on the first couple tunes.

There is a lot of charm and style built into this thing. I really love some of the instrumental work. The vocals aren’t a big detriment.

There is a mellow, slow moving magic to this number. This instrumental piece is an intriguing interlude.

There is a bouncy vibe to this number. It’s packed full of vintage jazz goodness.

While not any kind of paradigm shift, this has its own flavor and style. I don’t really mind the vocals on this, and the powered up jam that comes in later in the track is on fire.

This bouncy number seems to work better vocally than some of the other tunes do. It’s a smoking hot romp.

Another classy jazz romp, this is a lot of fun. I’m not overly crazy about the vocals, but they are more to my liking than those on some of the other music here. Besides, they aren’t around that long.

A classic playful sound is on the menu here. The multi-voice arrangement on this works better than some of other tunes. The lyrics are silly. The horn playing is a lot of fun, though. There is a definite Dixieland kind of groove to this.

This old-fashioned ballad feels more dated than a lot of the stuff here. It doesn’t do much for me.

The musical arrangement here has a tasty groove to it. The vocals are decidedly retro in style.

There is a playful groove to this number. The vocals are particularly dated, but the music makes up for it.

I’ve always enjoyed this song. I like this version of the track quite a bit. It’s fun.

I really love some of the instrumental work on this, particularly late. It’s a strong vintage jazz romp.

This has a solid melodic and rhythmic vibe to it. Nothing is dramatically altered, but the cut works well. The track is an instrumental piece.

Another pretty standard old time jazz cut, this is worthwhile if a bit samey.

I like the energy and groove on this tune a lot.

This is another that lands on the fiery side of the equation.

Here’s another old classic. This is delivered in mellow, vintage style. While I like the song in general, this is not my favorite take of it.

There is a bit of a mellow, bluesy groove at play here. This is classy, but a little too lightweight for my tastes.

Another mellow, old-fashioned groove in on display here. This is very old timey.

The shuffling groove on this is cool. So is the soloing.

There is a real bounce in the step as this romp gets underway. It’s a fun time number.

This more balladic piece with a bluesy angle to it features female vocals as a contrast to a lot of the rest of the stuff here. It’s a nice change, and this tune, dated as it is, works well.

There is a real gospel meets Dixieland vibe to this track. It has a good energy and groove. The instrumental arrangement on this is among the best on the set. I particularly like the piano solo.

This romp brings things up from a lot of the rest here. This is really one of my favorites of the whole set.

With more female vocals, this is a bluesy, mellower piece.

We get another classic number here. This is a pretty basic rendition that doesn’t bring anything fresh to the table.

I really dig the bluesy jazz groove and vibe on this number. This is another highlight.

This is playful and a lot of fun. There is a definite Dixieland vibe to this piece.

This instrumental has a lot of class and charm. I really like it a lot.

Bouncy and fun, the vocals on this aren’t really my thing, but the music works well. The spoken skit stuff later really loses me.

A mellower, slower moving track with somber tones is on the menu here. This is another, at least these days, is an old standard. I don’t care for the old-timey vocals on this.

I dig the bluesy groove on this a lot. The vocals work better for me, too.

There is a unique and fun feeling to this. I’m not overly crazy about the vocals, but the unusual arrangement on the track really sells it.

This mellower track doesn’t do a lot for me.

I really dig this instrumental number a lot. It has some fun instrumental work at play.

There is a swinging sort of groove to this track. It’s a cool instrumental

Vocals (this time of the female variety) are back on this number. It is more of a ballad, and while entertaining is a bit of a step back from the previous couple pieces.

Another that lands on the balladic side, this features some melodic instrumental work. I like the vocal performance on this better than that on a lot of the other songs here.

On other hand, the vocals on this one don’t work that well for me. The musical arrangement, on the other hand, while a little precious, has some real charms.

This is definitely too lightweight for me. It’s a jazz ballad. It’s one I’d consider skipping. I don’t hear much on this one worth listening to. Even the instrumental section feels uninspired to me.

The vocal arrangement on this is old-fashioned, but fun. I dig some of the horn work and the piano on this a lot, too. While I wouldn’t consider this a highlight, it is entertaining.

I really love the instrumental introduction on this. It has some great melodies and tones. The arrangement during the vocal section doesn’t work as well, and the vocals (female) are sort of middle of the road for the set. That said, this tune works reasonably well.

More of a crooner styled number, this is only so affective for me.

I like the playful arrangement on this a lot. The vocals don’t work as well for me, but the overall vibe is a winner.

The shuffling energy on this is all class. The vocals aren’t as effective as the instrumental part of the arrangement, but they work pretty well. This is a fun song.

This recording has some minor issues. The track is a crooner ballad styled number. It’s not one that works all that well for me.

Another that’s more of a crooner tune, this is stronger than the song that preceded it.

I am not overly crazy about the vocals here. The instrumental arrangement doesn’t do a lot to save it. Still, this fits the rest of the music here.

There are some recording issues on this track. The tune has a gentle female crooner arrangement. It’s not a highlight, but I think it’s a step up from the previous songs on this final disc.

Bouncy and playful, this is a good time number.

The main melody and arrangement on this is cool. There are some excursions that are a little abrasive to me, though.

This is a playful balladic number. It’s entertaining but not a highlight for me.

I really love the musical arrangement on this. The musical theater styled vocal arrangement loses me, though. There is a little snippet of “Farmer in the Dell” here along with a couple of other musical quotes.

This almost sounds like something that might have played in a “Looney Toons” episode. The vocals on this work pretty well, and the instrumental arrangement gets pretty powerful at times.

The rather fiery jazz arrangement here works really well. While the vocals are not quite up to the same level, they are better than some of the rest here. That makes this bluesy tune one of the standouts of the set.

This is much more lightweight than the previous cut was. It has a playful vibe to it. An instrumental tune, it works pretty well.

There is a good energy and groove to this number. This instrumental has some particularly entertaining jamming. It’s another standout of the set.

The melodies and instrumental interplay on this slower moving piece are absolutely magical. While I don’t like the vocals as well as I do the instrumental part of the track, they don’t really detract from the number as a whole.

There is a fun groove to this. The female vocals are among the more effective of the set. This is dated but still exceptionally entertaining.

With a bit of Dixieland flavor, this energetic romp is one of my favorites here. The vocals work well, but it’s the music that really sells it.

More of a lightweight tune, this isn’t bad, but it’s not a highlight.

This feels more like a vocal group arrangement. That said, there are some great instrumental passages in the non-vocal parts of the tune.

I like the female vocal performance on this a lot, but the powerhouse jazz jamming really pushes this over the top. It’s a highlight of the set.

Playful grooves are on the menu here. The vocals aren’t bad, but they aren’t at the same level as the instrumental arrangement. There are parallels to “Puttin’ on the Ritz” to this track. 

The recording here has some real issues. The track is closer to musical theater and doesn’t really stand that tall for me.

The vocal melody is the centerpiece of this number. It works reasonably well. The recording has some minor issues.

This is another crooner styled tune. It’s not a favorite of mine, but it works reasonably well.

There is a fun kind of groove this number. While I wouldn’t consider it a highlight, it is a step up from the last couple tunes.

A mellower, slower mode is on the menu here. The female vocals work pretty well. This is decidedly dated, but it works well.