Recorded just six months before cornetist
Wild Bill Davison's death, the music on this CD is surprisingly viable.
Davison (83 at the time) and veteran pianist
Art Hodes are joined by four fine English musicians from a group led by drummer
John Peters. Although
Davison no longer hit high notes, his sound was still pretty strong and he had certainly not lost any of his enthusiasm.
Hodes, who was 84 himself, still had four years left and is typically rollicking on the more up-tempo tunes. There are no surprises in the repertoire which consists of 11 Dixieland standards (including "Hindustan," "Sunday," "A Monday Date," and "Big Butter and Egg Man") but the interpretations sound far from tired or overly predictable. Fun music from a couple of classic greats who never ran out of steam.