The hippest cat ever to swing an accordion, Art Van Damme dared go where no man had gone before: jazz accordion. He started taking accordion lessons at the age of nine, and moved on to classical studies after his family moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1934. After leaving school. he played in a trio in local clubs under big band leader Ben Bernie hired him in 1941. He soon returned to Chicago, though, and continued to work the club circuit there throughout World War Two.
Van Damme was inspired by swing recordings, particularly Benny Goodman's, and in the late 1930s, he began experimenting, adapting Goodman solos to the accordion. Throughout his career, he would often be compared to Goodman, since the two were both classically trained, technical masters of their instruments, and versatile and creative jazz soloists. He formed a quintet with several of his studio colleagues, and recorded his first album, for the small label, Music Craft, in 1944.
More Cocktail Capers LPHe joined the staff of NBC Radio in Chicago in 1945 and remained a studio musician for over 15 years, even after he became a recording artist in his own right. His early style fits into a small but at the time quite popular niche between the cocktail piano sound and the accordion/guitar/organ sound of the Three Suns.
CD1 - Mit Art Van Damme in San Francisco + Ecstasy
01. That Old Black Magic 2:11
02. Parla Nova 2:54
03. Runnin' Wild 2:28
04. Here's That Rainy Day 3:42
05. Tonga 3:01
06. Robbins Nest 4:40
07. Topsy 2:38
08. Amoureux 3:10
09. Tangerine 3:51
10. Soon It's Gonna Rain 2:16
11. Ode To Cleavage Or The Camel 4:00
12. Playing Around With The Blues 2:16
13. Satin Doll 3:08
14. Autumn In New York 2:51
15. Jeannie With The Light Brown Hair 2:16
16. Blue Light And Shadows 2:45
17. Love Walked In 2:53
18. It Could Happen To You 3:33
19. Ecstasy 2:37
20. Swanee 2:22
21. Since I Fell For You 4:21
22. Easy Swing 2:26
23. Nancy (With The Laughing Face) 4:03
CD2 - The Gentle Art Of Art + Lullaby in Rhythm
01. Cute 2:47
02. One Morning In May 2:53
03. Gentle Art Of Love 3:43
04. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone 2:54
05. I Wished On The Moon 2:25
06. I Concentrate On You 2:21
07. Chicago 2:50
08. Moxi 3:29
09. Just In Time 2:19
10. It's Over 2:50
11. Speak Low 3:01
12. I Cover The Waterfront 3:15
13. Cherokee 3:39
14. Love For Sale 2:32
15. You Don't Know What Love Is 3:11
16. I Get A Kick Out Of You 2:34
17. Happy Moments 2:13
18. After You've Gone 2:57
19. Summerwind 2:54
20. My Romance 2:26
21. Lullaby In Rhythm 2:37
22. At Last 3:36
23. Andy 3:17
24. Darktown Strutter's Ball 2:18
CD3 - Art In The Black Forrest + On The Road
01. I Got Rhythm 3:11
02. Give Me The Simple Life 2:41
03. All The Things You Are 3:35
04. Pandora 2:14
05. Love Me Or Leave Me 2:37
06. Pennies From Heaven 3:33
07. Don't Get Around Much Anymore 3:08
08. Lover Man 3:26
09. If I Had You 2:13
10. Avalon 2:21
11. Day In Day Out 2:54
12. For Sale 2:33
13. The Way You Look Tonight 2:42
14. Yellow Days 4:00
15. The Lonesome Road 3:10
16. Wave 2:51
17. I'm Beginning To See The Light 2:46
18. Sweet Georgia Brown 2:37
19. Undecided 1:57
20. Doree's Tune 2:13
21. Bernie's Tune 3:19
22. Watch What Happens 2:19
23. Stars Fell On Alabama 3:30
24. 'S Wonderful 2:44
CD4 - Art And Four Brothers + Squeezing Art + Tender Flutes
01. Easy To Love 2:06
02. Shiny Stockings 2:53
03. Lush Life 3:11
04. Sunny 2:52
05. Love Is Here To Stay 2:16
06. Snowfall 3:26
07. Four Brothers 2:38
08. O Barquinho 3:12
09. On A Wonderful Day Like Today 2:41
10. Love Is Blue 2:38
11. What The World Needs Now 1:38
12. Poor Butterfly 2:48
13. Cheers 2:55
14. Deep Night 3:17
15. Hot Action 2:48
16. Viniette 3:32
17. Patou 2:37
18. I Only Have Eyes For You 3:06
19. Pick Yourself Up 2:08
20. Paco 2:35
21. Your Turn 3:00
22. How Will I Forget 4:28
23. A Foggy Day 3:00
24. The Best Thing For You 3:02
CD5 - Keep Going + Blue World
01. Turnabout 2:17
02. Sunday Kind Of Love 2:03
03. I Want To Be Happy 2:12
04. Tenderly 3:17
05. Gone With The Wind 3:22
06. Everything I've Got 2:20
07. Let Yourself Down 1:59
08. On Green Dolphin Street 3:40
09. I Saw Stars 2:16
10. Small World 2:12
11. It's Easy To Remember 3:01
12. The Man I Love 2:07
13. Blue Lou 2:32
14. It's A Blue World 3:07
15. My Kind A Love 2:26
16. Laura 3:35
17. Too Close For Comfort 2:27
18. When Your Lover Has Gone 3:11
19. The Song Is You 2:15
20. The Things We Did Last Summer 3:34
21. Cheek To Cheek 2:39
22. On The Alamo 3:39
23. Jim 3:08
24. Diane 2:59
