Best of Fred Waring and the The Pennsylvanians: Volume 1

Volume 1 features one of Waring's proudest finds, the 26-year-old baritone Frank Davis, who spent much of his career with Fred Waring & the Pennsylvanians, as well as doing several solo concert tours. Also included are 14 spirituals and gospels performed by Frank Davis, backed by the Glee Club with orchestral and jazz band arrangements professionally performed by live musicians. Far from being just a televised concert, the Fred Waring Show featured imaginative stage settings and a wide variety of musical arrangements. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the extended opening piece on this DVD, "God's Trombones," which pairs numerous spirituals arranged by Roy Ringwald, with spoken-word performance by Davis.