During the second half of the 1920s, many hot jazz groups made records including quite a few that would later on be forgotten except by collectors. This CD (put out by the British Frog label) is quite valuable for containing the six selections cut by the underrated
Savoy Bearcats (including "Stampede" and "How Could I Be Blue"), three numbers from Lloyd Scott's Orchestra (which served as the recording debut of trombonist
Dickie Wells), three tunes by
Leroy Smith (highlighted by a remarkable three-minute hot jazz performance of "Rhapsody in Blue" that includes all of the themes) and
Joe Steele's two titles. In addition, singer Evelyn Preer is heard in a rare number backed by
Duke Ellington's Orchestra and the master takes of
Charlie Johnson's Paradise Ten's 1927-29 records (featuring
Benny Carter,
Benny Waters and
Jabbo Smith among others) round out the reissue. The
Charlie Johnson titles are available (along with their many alternate takes) elsewhere but otherwise the consistently enjoyable music on this 25-song CD is otherwise pretty scarce.