The music on this CD is often quite exciting but much of it is issued here in incomplete fashion. There are all four titles from
Gene Krupa's Swing Band (a superb pickup group with trumpeter
Roy Eldridge, clarinetist
Benny Goodman and
Chu Berry on tenor in additon to two
Helen Ward vocals) but just three numbers from a session led by arranger
Gene Gifford with trumpeter
Bunny Berigan, six of the ten titles recorded by
Mezz Mezzrow's bands during 1936-37 (featuring trumpeter
Frankie Newton,
Bud Freeman on tenor and a rare outing outside of the
Jimmy Lunceford orchestra by trumpeter
Sy Oliver), two jams by
Frankie Newton in 1939 and seven songs from
Wingy Manone. These important performances deserve better treatment in a more coherent reissue program.