Original Dixieland Jazz Band Music

Okay, so it didn't exactly start here. The ODJB didn't invent jazz -- no matter what their leader, cornetist Nick LaRocca, says. But they were the first to record jazz, and they had an incalcuable influence on a lot of what came afterwards, simply because they put their music down on wax.

These early recordings have been put out many times by many different labels, but according to the Penguin Guide, this issue has the best sound. Judging by the different versions I've heard, I'm inclined to agree with them.

So if you like early Louis Armstrong, or Bix Beiderbecke in his Wolverine days, you might already have a different issue of this set. If so, you might want to buy this CD anyway, because it will almost certainly sound better than what you have. If you've never heard them, and you love jazz, don't hesitate. These guys will probably never sound better than on this disc. An essential purchase for any jazz collection.

Compared to the other two History label box sets I have, The Cradle of Jazz and The Big Band Box, the recordings in From Swing to Bebop are more recent than the other two, and so the sound quality is also markedly improved, although by no means flawless by today's standards.

As in the other two, this box set gives a good overview of the leading musicians of the time with two CDs by each of Charlie Parker, Django Reinhardt, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Ben Webster, and three CDs of music by Fats Navarro. Notably absent is bebop legend Dizzy Gillespie, although Gillespie can be heard on a few of the tracks featuring other musicians.

This collection is heavier on swing than it is with bebop, and purists would probably find fault with some of the selections and ommissions. However, given the price, I think any jazz fan can easily supplement gaps left behind in From Swing to Bebop and still save a bundle of cash as compared to trying to buy the music by all of these artists individually.

Compared to the other two History label box sets I have, The Cradle of Jazz and The Big Band Box, the recordings in From Swing to Bebop are more recent than the other two, and so the sound quality is also markedly improved, although by no means flawless by today's standards.

As in the other two, this box set gives a good overview of the leading musicians of the time with two CDs by each of Charlie Parker, Django Reinhardt, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Ben Webster, and three CDs of music by Fats Navarro. Notably absent is bebop legend Dizzy Gillespie, although Gillespie can be heard on a few of the tracks featuring other musicians.

This collection is heavier on swing than it is with bebop, and purists would probably find fault with some of the selections and ommissions. However, given the price, I think any jazz fan can easily supplement gaps left behind in From Swing to Bebop and still save a bundle of cash as compared to trying to buy the music by all of these artists individually.