A variety of formerly rare blues-oriented performances are reissued on this CD put out by the Austrian label RST. Best are two spirited selections from singer
Monette Moore in 1936, her only recordings after 1927. The performances by Tiny Mayberry and the not-so-hot Helen Proctor are most notable for the solo work of trumpeters
Charlie Shavers and
Red Allen, and clarinetist
Buster Bailey, while
Lee Brown does a good job on nine numbers from 1940 and 1946. Of greatest interest from a historical standpoint (but rather disappointing) are four songs featuring composer
W.C. Handy in 1939 playing trumpet with a fine all-star group that includes trombonist
J.C. Higginbotham and clarinetist
Edmond Hall. Unfortunately,
Handy not only could not improvise or swing, but plays a very straight lead and takes two bad vocals. So this CD is very much a mixed bag.