This LP brings together two related sessions.
Bob Wilber (doubling on clarinet and soprano), who had first recorded two years earlier with his youth group (
the Wildcats), was 21 at the time and
Sidney Bechet's protege.
Wilber is teamed up with pianist
Dick Wellstood and a variety of top veterans (trumpeter Henry Goodwin, trombonist
Jimmy Archey, bassist Pops Foster and drummer Tommy Benford) for six selections (including "The Mooche," "The Saints" and "Limehouse Blues") while on six others he welcomes a rather dominant guest,
Bechet himself. "Box Car Shorty" has a vocal by calypso singer The Duke of Iron,
Bechet talks a bit on "Love Me with a Feeling" and introduces his original "I'm Through, Goodbye." Timeless and somewhat offbeat New Orleans jazz. ~ Scott Yanow