Because he was no longer a pacesetter in the 1950s and early '60s and was often tied to nostalgia swing revival shows, trumpeter
Harry James and his big band of the era tended to be underrated, if not totally overlooked. This out-of-print LP finds
James performing ten songs composed and arranged by
Neal Hefti.
James' favorite big band was always
Count Basie's, and his own orchestra sometimes emulated Basie, but in this case the ensemble sounds fairly fresh. In addition to
James (the main soloist throughout on ten obscure songs), trombonist
Ray Sims, altoist
Willie Smith and tenor saxophonist Modesto Brisena have short spots. Unfortunately, this otherwise worthwhile album does not bother to list the personnel or the recording dates.