Classic Vanguard Small Group Swing Sessions Limited Edition Box Set (#280 – 7 CDs)

[Stompin at the Savoy]

Well I have listened to the other two Jimmy Rushing albums on this set:

VRS-8505 Jimmy Rushing And His All Stars

VRS-8513 Jimmy Rushing – Listen To The Blues

Rushing and his all stars was actually pretty good and fit pretty well within the rubric of 'small group swing'.     Listen to the Blues is a real stretch to be considered small group swing! When they start playing pentatonic electric guitar licks a la Chuck Berry its not a gray area.

I think the set would have been stronger if they cut it off at 5 disks and only included the second of the Rushing albums: And His All Stars.

Marlowe Morris' playing has not aged all that well.  Even the fellow who wrote the notes was kind of apologetic about the Marlowe.  The whole album - A Night at Count Basie's - is pretty forgettable.  I liked hearing Basie talk.  The music - eh. I'll probably never listen to it again.

Edited 2 hours ago by Stompin at the Savoy