The great swing violinist
Stuff Smith had not recorded as a leader since 1945 when producer
Norman Granz got him to make three albums for Verve during a three-month period.
Smith, who was still very much in his prime, recorded 11 selections (one previously unissued) with pianist Carl Perkins, either
Red Callender or
Curtis Counce on bass and
Oscar Bradley or
Frank Butler on drums (Have Violin Will Swing), jammed nine numbers (three released for the first time here) with
the Oscar Peterson Trio (for the album titled Stuff Smith), and on five tunes teamed up with trumpeter
Dizzy Gillespie and a rhythm section (Dizzy Gillespie-Stuff Smith); all are reissued in full on this generous two-CD set from 1994. In each of the settings, the violinist excels, making this an easily recommended and very satisfying release. ~ Scott Yanow