A good rule of thumb in purchasing newer recordings of classic jazz is that if cornetist
Peter Ecklund is on the CD, it is worth picking up.
The Back Bay Ramblers is a hot octet also featuring Bily Novick and Steve Wright on reeds, trombonist Bob Conners, the vocals of Jimmy Mazzy and Karen Cameron and (on half of the selections) the
Joe Venuti-inspired violin of
Andy Stein. The music (as is typical of Stomp Off) is generally quite obscure but rewarding with such rare material as "Sweet Papa Will Be Gone," "I Got Worry," "I'm Somebody's Somebody Now" and "I'm Gonna Meet My Sweetie Now" receiving very favorable revivals. Enjoyable hot jazz, it has more than its share of variety. ~ Scott Yanow