As there are many collections of Bix Beiderbecke’s early vintage jazz to choose from, it would be hard to peg any as definitive, save his complete works or the Classic label discs. This grouping of 22 selections from the mid-’20s to 1930 is a very good starter set, featuring many well-known tunes and Bix’s excellent soloing in a variety of contexts. Though eight cuts feature him as a leader with his Gang or orchestra (one with the Tram-Bix-Lang triad), there is also seminal work with the Wolverine, Jean Goldkette, Paul Whiteman, and Frankie Trumbauer orchestras, comprising three-quarters of this offering. The first four selections with the Wolverine Orchestra sound distant, muddy, and mushy, but the rest can be cranked up. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better “best-of” collection unless it’s a double or triple CD — this one works for both fans and new converts. – Michael G. Nastos
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