Artist: Fred Astaire
Genre: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1953
Grade: B
To get a better understanding of the Fred Astaire Story, I’d recommend the classic 1930s musicals, Top Hat and Swing Time. Only the most adventurous (read: obsessive) Astaire fans should seek out this 1953 quad-LP, which becomes rather repetitive rather quickly, even with Oscar Peterson’s rich accompaniment adding some much-needed color. What good is hearing the tap if you can’t see the dance? And Ginger Rogers is nowhere to be found.
The Astaire Story – Fred Astaire