This interesting and well-rounded LP has two separate sessions originally cut for the Felsted label. Cornetist
Rex Stewart is fiery on the first date, jamming on a trio of his worthy but obscure originals (when was the last time anyone played "Tillie's Twist" or "Tell Me More?") with trombonist
George Stevenson,
Haywood Henry (on clarinet and baritone), tenorman
George Kelly, either
Willie "The Lion" Smith or
Dick Cary on piano, bassist
Leonard Gaskin and drummer
Arthur Trappier;
Stewart takes a pleasant vocal on "My Kind of Gal." The three numbers from the later date have moody arrangements by
Cary (who doubles on trumpet) and find
Stewart in a septet with
Hilton Jefferson (heard on clarinet and alto), clarinetist
Garvin Bushell (whose bassoon work makes the date most memorable), guitarist
Everett Barksdale, bassist
Joe Benjamin and drummer
Mickey Sheen. Superior music that will hopefully resurface on CD someday.