One of the rarest of all
Eddie Condon LPs, this album is of particular interest for several reasons. All seven selections are actually medleys of Dixieland standards; apparently that is how some of the music was presented during the second set of songs at
Condon's club. The rhythm guitarist's regular group of the era included the fiery cornetist
Rex Stewart (who is quite exciting in this freewheeling setting) and is expanded for the date to an 11-piece group: Stewart,
Condon, trumpeter
Billy Butterfield,
Dick Cary (who probably did most of the arrangements) on trumpet and alto horn, trombonist
Cutty Cutshall, clarinetists
Herb Hall and
Peanuts Hucko, tenor saxophonist
Bud Freeman, pianist
Gene Schroeder, bassist
Leonard Gaskin and drummer
George Wettling. While two of the medleys feature ballads (listen to Stewart's bent tones on "Blue Again"), it is the hotter jams that are of greatest interest, particularly the opening performance which includes "Copenhagen," "Riverboat Shuffle," "Sugar Foot Stomp" and "Fidgety Feet." The plot behind the album was to show that Dixieland can be danced to, which has always been true, but fortunately, the music makes no concessions and is full of hot moments. Well worth searching for, especially for
Rex Stewart's playing.