April Showers

One thing I noticed about Al Jolson's singing is that, in trying to pronounce clearly so as to be understood, he tends to overdo it so that it comes out sounding like "April-a Showers-a...."  That may have been the style at that time, but listening to it today it quickly becomes distracting and somewhat irritating.  However, it did make a little more sense after reading the listening guide's description of his background in stage theater singing prior to the invention of electric microphones and his continuance of that style in performance even after it was no longer necessary due to amplification technology.  The habits developed for live performance can be difficult to overcome in the more intimate setting of recording.

The two renditions do create different moods.  The earlier one is more raw and unrefined while the later version with the jazz orchestra backing is much smoother - particularly in the use of saxophones in smooth, mellow ranges.  Seeing as this second recording is in conjunction with Guy Lombardo's orchestra that also makes sense.  I am old enough to remember Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians being featured on almost every New Year's Eve televised celebration when I was a child and they always had that smooth mellow sound.

It does become clear in listening to these Tin Pan Alley creations right on the heels of the more freewheeling New Orleans style jazz groups.  It helps to understand how these two very different styles have each shaped modern American music in their own ways.