SWINGING BABYLON - BERLIN - Volume II
Cabaret - operetta - movie hits and favorites of the golden 1920s & 30s This 10 CD box offers a tour around the Berlin cultural scene from 1920 - 1940, a throwback to a seemingly lightweight time between the two world wars and as much a listening pleasure as a tragic reminder of how this golden age turned brown. Here you will find all the important artists and bands that reflect the flair of this culturally creative era. Stars of the scene were performers such as Claire Waldoff, Otto Reutter, Curt Bois, Marlene Dietrich, Willy Fritsch, Leo Monosson. They are represented here alongside legendary cabaret artists Kurt Mhlhardt, Blandine Ebinger, Paul Graetz and others. Here you can hear what was going on in establishments like "Schall & Rauch", "Kabarett der Komiker, 8222;Cabarett Grenwahn, "Wilde Bhne" by Trude Hesterberg and Werner Finck's "Katakombe". The big bands of Friedrich Hollaender, James Kok, Marek Weber, Efim Schachmeister or Hans Bund and many others were known from the stages of their respective residencies in hotels such as the Eden, Adlon or Esplanade. Of course, some hits from movies and songs that have been favorites on the radio since the mid-1920s are also included. There are political, funny, frivolous and subtly satirical songs to be enjoyed here 8222;across the board". In 1933, the light and easy cultural scene in the German capital came to an abrupt end - the Nazis were at the helm and also suppressed artistic freedom. Many musicians, lyricists, composers and actors, especially the Jewish ones, were forced to flee from Hitler and his henchmen or tragically ended up in concentration camps.
