Bow Wow Blues (My Mama Treats Me Like a Dog) - Friend, C.
Skeleton Jangle - LaRocca, Nick
Clarinet Marmalade Blues - LaRocca, D.J.
Bluin' the Blues - Ragas, Henry W.
Tiger Rag - Costa, Harry Da
Barnyard Blues - Original Dixieland
Original Dixieland One Step - LaRocca, D.J.
Bluin' the Blues - Ragas, Henry W.
Tiger Rag - Costa, Harry Da
Ostrich Walk - Edwards, Eddie [1]
Original Dixieland One Step - LaRocca, D.J.
Satanic Blues - Christian, Emile
Toddlin' Blues - LaRocca, Nick
Who Loves You? - Coots, J. Fred
Fidgety Feet - Edwards, Eddie [1]
Track Listings (16) - Disc #3
Mahogany Hall Stomp - Williams, Spencer
Black and Blue - Brooks, Harry
Royal Garden Blues - Williams, Clarence
That's My Desire - Kressa, Helmy
C Jam Blues - Bigard, Barney
Stars Fell on Alabama - Parish, Mitchell
I Cried for You - Arnheim, Gus
On the Sunny Side of the Street - Fields, Dorothy
Tea for Two - Caesar, Irving
Baby, Won't You Please Come Home - Warfield, Charles
Muskrat Ramble - Gilbert, Ray
Lover - Hart, Lorenz
Body and Soul - Eyton, Frank
Steak Face - Traditional
High Society - Melrose, Walter
Boff Boff - Hawkins, Coleman
Track Listings (20) - Disc #4
Yes! Yes! My! My! - Cahn, Sammy
Come Back Sweet Papa - Barbarin, Paul
Cornet Shop Suey - Armstrong, Louis
Skid-Dat-De-Dat - Hardin, Lil
Wild Man Blues - Armstrong, Louis
Willie the Weeper - Bloom, Marty
Alligator Crawl - Davis, Joe [Jazz]
Potato Head Blues - Armstrong, Louis
Keyhole Blues - Wilson, N.
Melancholy Blues - Bloom, Marty
Weary Blues - Matthews, Artie
Twelfth Street Rag - Bowman, Euday L.
S.O.L. Blues - Armstrong, Louis
Gully Low Blues - Armstrong, Louis
Put 'Em Down Blues - Bennett, E.J.
Struttin' With Some Barbecue - Hardin, Lil
Hotter Than That - Armstrong, Louis
A Monday Date - Hines, Earl
West End Blues - King Oliver
Basin Street Blues - Williams, Spencer
Track Listings (21) - Disc #5
Handful of Keys - Horwitz, Murray
The Minor Drag - Waller, Fats
Smashing Thirds - Waller, Fats
Do Me a Favor - Lawrence, Jack [Lyr
I Wish I Were Twins - DeLange, Eddie
Armful O' Sweetness - Hill, Alex [1]
Have a Little Dream on Me - Baxter, Phil
You're Not the Only Oyster in the Stew - Burke, Johnny [Lyri
Mandy - Berlin, Irving
Let's Pretend There's a Moon - Columbo, Russ
Honeysuckle Rose - Razaf, Andy
If It Isn't Love - Burton, Val
I'm Growing Fonder of You - Meyer, George [2] W
Dream Man (Make Me Dream Some More) - Ager, Milton
African Ripples - Waller, Fats
Alligator Crawl - Davis, Joe [Jazz]
Viper's Drag - Waller, Fats
Sugar Blues - Fletcher, Lucy
Shame! Shame! (Everybody Knows Your Game) - Davis, Joe [Jazz]
Tell Me With Your Kisses - Franklin, David [1]
I've Got My Fingers Crossed - Koehler, Ted
Track Listings (22) - Disc #6
Believe in Miracles - Waller, Fats
I Ain't Got Nobody - Graham, Roger [Song
B Flat Blues - Waller, Fats
Lulu's Back in Town - Dubin, Al
Dinah - Akst, Harry
Sweet Sue, Just You - Harris, Will J.
Twelfth Street Rag - Bowman, Euday L.
Why Do I Lie to Myself About You? - Coots, J. Fred
Paswonky - Waller, Fats
I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby (And My Baby's Crazy 'Bout Me) - Hill, Alex [1]
I Just Made Up With That Old Girl of Mine - Little, George A.
S'posin' - Denniker, Paul
Floatin' Down to Cotton Town - Klickmann, F. Henri
Hallelujah! Things Look Rosy Now - Flatow, Leon
Swingin' Them Jingle Bells - Pierpont, James
I Got Rhythm - Gershwin, George
How Can You Face Me? - Razaf, Andy
Zonky - Razaf, Andy
Ain't Misbehavin' - Brooks, Harry
Oh! Baby, Sweet Baby - Kirkeby, Ed
Squeeze Me - Waller, Fats
Everybody Loves My Baby - Palmer, Jack [1]
Track Listings (16) - Disc #7
Riverboat Shuffle - Carmichael
(Back Home Again In) Indiana - Hanley, James F.
Dinah - Akst, Harry
On the Alamo - Jones, Isham
Rose of Washington Square - Hanley
Peg O' My Heart - Bryan
Sweet Georgia Brown - Bernie, Ben
China Boy - Boutelje, Phil
The Sheik of Araby - Smith, Harry [2] Be
Corrina, Corrina - Chatman
Fan It - Jaxon
Harlem Twist - Livingstone
The Darktown Strutters' Ball - Brooks
Davenport Blues - Biederbecke
Original Dixieland One-Step - Jordan, Joe
Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble - Williams
Track Listings (15) - Disc #8
Wabash Blues - Meinken, Fred
Someday Sweetheart - Spikes, B!Spikes, J
Bugle Call Rag - Meyers, Billy
Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider - Leonard, Eddie
Avalon - DeSylva, Buddy
Strike up the Band - Gershwin, George
I'm Just Wild About Harry - Blake, Eubie
Peg O' My Heart - Bryan
China Boy - Boutelje, Phil
The Sheik of Araby - Smith, Harry [2] Be
My Honey's Lovin' Arms - Meyer, Joseph [Comp
Corrine Corrina - Chatman, Bo
Keep a Song in Your Soul - Hill, Alexander [Pi
You Rascal, You - Theard
Fan It - Jaxon
Track Listings (15) - Disc #9
At the Jazz Band Ball - Edwards, Eddie B.
Sister Kate - Piron, Armand
Dippermouth Blues - King Oliver
Riverboat Shuffle - Carmichael, Hoagy
Relaxin' at the Touro - Bushkin, Joe
At Sundown - Donaldson, Walter
Bluin' the Blues - Ragas, Henry W.
Lonesome Road - Austin, Gene
Sweet Lorraine - Burwell, Clifford R
Four or Five Times - Gay, Byron
That's A-Plenty - Pollack, Ben
Sweet Sue, Just You - Harris, Will J.
Oh, Lady Be Good - Gershwin, George
Memphis Blues - Handy, W.C.
Whistlin' the Blues - Haggart, Bob
Track Listings (16) - Disc #10
Angry - Brunies, Henry
Weary Blues - Matthews
Snag It - King Oliver
Alice Blue Gown - McCarthy, Joseph [2
Sweet Lorraine - Burwell, Clifford R
Oh, Lady Be Good - Gershwin, George
Sugar - Alexander, Edna
September in the Rain - Dubin, Al
Sweet Sue, Just You - Harris, Will J.
Riverside Blues - Dorsey, Tommy [1]
Rosetta - Hines, Earl
That's A-Plenty - Pollack, Ben
Squeeze Me - Waller, Fats
Jazz Me Blues - Delaney, Tom [1]
Pee Wee Speaks - Russell, Pee Wee
Pat's Blues - Spanier, Muggsy
Track Listings (16) - Disc #11
Oh, Didn't He Ramble? - Handy, W.C.
High Society - Piron, Armand
I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say - Morton, Jelly Roll
Winin' Boy Blues - Morton, Jelly Roll
West End Blues - King Oliver
Ballin' the Jack - Burris, James Henry
The Pearls - Morton, Jelly Roll
King Porter Stomp - Morton, Jelly Roll
Smoke-House Blues - Luke, Charles
Sidewalk Blues - Melrose, Walter
Steamboat Stomp - Morton, Jelly Roll
Hyena Stomp - Morton, Jelly Roll
Smilin' the Blues Away - Morton, Jelly Roll
Blue Blood Blues - Morton, Jelly Roll
King Porter Stomp - Morton, Jelly Roll
Mamie's Blues - Desdume, Mamie
Track Listings (14) - Disc #12
That's Like It Ought to Be - Morton, Jelly Roll
My Little Dixie Home - Morton, Jelly Roll
When They Get Lovin' They's Gone - Morton, Jelly Roll
You Done Played Out Blues - Morton, Jelly Roll
That'll Never Do - Morton, Jelly Roll
I'm Looking for a Little Bluebird - Morton, Jelly Roll
Each Day - Morton, Jelly Roll
If Someone Would Only Love Me - Morton, Jelly Roll
Little Lawrence - Morton, Jelly Roll
Ponchartrain - Morton, Jelly Roll
Harmony Blues - Morton, Jelly Roll
Fussy Mabel - Morton, Jelly Roll
Load of Coal - Morton, Jelly Roll
Oil Well - Morton, Jelly Roll
Track Listings (20) - Disc #13
Perdido Street Blues - Hardin, Lil
Gatemouth - Armstrong, Louis
Too Tight - Armstrong, Louis
Flat Foot - Armstrong, Louis
Carpet Alley-Breakdown - Clifford, Henry
New Orleans Stomp - Dodds, Johnny
Weary Way Blues - Blythe, Jimmy
After You've Gone - Creamer, Henry
Ballin' the Jack - Burris, James Henry
Grandma's Ball - Blythe, Jimmy
Oriental Man - Blythe, Jimmy
My Baby - Johnson, Lonnie
Get 'Em Again Blues - Barbarin, Paul
Lady Love - Dominique, Natty
Blue Clarinet Stomp - Dodds, Johnny
Bull Fiddle Blues - Dodds, Johnny
Bucktown Stomp - Dodds, Johnny
Weary City - Traditional
Heah Me Talkin' - Hardin, Lil
Pencil Papa - Hardin, Lil
Track Listings (20) - Disc #14
Clarinet Wobble - Dodds, Johnny
If You Want to Be My Sugar Papa - Bertrand, Jimmy
Idle Hour Special - Blythe, Jimmy
I Can't Say - Armstrong, Louis
San - McPhail, Lindsay
Forty and Tight - Melrose, Frank
High Society Rag - Oliver, King
Drop That Sack - Armstrong, Louis
Lonesome Blues - Hardin, Lil
Someday, Sweetheart - Spikes, Benjamin
Memphis Shake - Clifford, Henry
Billy Goat Stomp - Morton, Jelly Roll
Come on and Stomp, Stomp, Stomp - Mills
Joe Turner Blues - Handy, W.C.
Piggly Wiggly - Cobb
Red Onion Blues - Williams, Clarence
Indigo Stomp - Dodds, Johnny
Wild Man Blues - Armstrong, Louis
Melancholy - Bloom, Marty
Gravier Street Stomp - Dodds, Johnny
Track Listings (20) - Disc #15
I'm Gonna Stomp Mr. Henry Lee - Condon, Eddie
That's a Serious Thing - Condon, Eddie
Ja-Da - Carlton, Bob [1]
Love Is Just Around the Corner - Gensler, Lewis
Embraceable You - Gershwin, George
Sunday - Conn, Chester
Ballin' the Jack - Burris, James Henry
I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None O' This Jelly Roll - Williams, Clarence
Sensation - LaRocca, Nick
Fidgety Feet - Edwards, Eddie [1]
Oh, Sister! Ain't That Hot! - Condon, Eddie
Georgia Grind - Williams, Spencer
That's a Plenty - Pollack, Ben
Panama - Tyers, William
Original Dixieland One Step - LaRocca, D.J.
Baby, Won't You Please Come Home? - Warfield, Charles
Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out - Cox, James
Rose Room - Hickman, Art
I Must Have That Man! - Fields, Dorothy
When Your Lover Has Gone - Swan, Einar A.
Track Listings (16) - Disc #16
The Eel - Freeman, Bud
Madame Dynamite - Hill, Alex [1]
Home Cooking - Condon, Eddie
Beat to the Socks - Condon, Eddie
California, Here I Come - DeSylva, Buddy
It's Right Here for You - Bradford, Perry
Strut, Miss Lizzie - Creamer, Henry
(You're Some) Pretty Doll - Williams, Spencer
Dancing Fool - Smith, Harry [2] Be
Diane - Pollack, Lew [Compo
Serenade to a Shylock - Russell, Pee Wee
There'll Be Some Changes Made - Higgins, Billy [2]
Nobody's Sweetheart - Erdman, Ernie
Friar's Point Shuffle - Condon, Eddie
A Good Man Is Hard to Find, Pt. 1 - Green, Eddie [1]
A Good Man Is Hard to Find, Pt. 2 - Green, Eddie [1]
Track Listings (16) - Disc #17
She's a Great, Great Girl - Woods, Harry
I Couldn't If I Wanted To - Mills, Irving
Makin' Friends - Condon, Eddie
That's a Serious Thing - Condon, Eddie
Knockin' a Jug - Armstrong, Louis
My Kinda Love - Alter, Louis
Dirty Dog - McPartland, Jimmy
Tailspin Blues - McKenzie, Red
Ridin' But Walkin' - Waller, Fats
Loved One - Hayton, Lennie
Basin Street Blues - Williams, Spencer
That's What I Like About You - Donaldson, Walter
Texas Tea Party - Goodman, Benny
A Hundred Years from Today - Washington, Ned
Down in the Dumps - Wilson, Lana
Stars Fell on Alabama - Parish, Mitchell
Track Listings (15) - Disc #18
Nobody's Sweetheart - Erdman, Ernie
Serenade to a Shylock - Russell, Pee Wee
Jack Hits the Road - Bowman, Dave [Piano
Casanova's Lament - Dexter, Dave Jr.
St. James Infirmary - Primrose, Joe
The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise - Lockhart, Eugene
The Big Eight Blues - Fleagle, Brick
Shine - Brown, Lew
Clambake in B Flat - Sullivan, Joe
Casanova's Lament - Dexter, Dave Jr.
In My Solitude - DeLange, Eddie
I'm Sorry I Made You Cry - Clesi, Jeannine
Mighty Like a Rose - Nevin, Ethelbert
Stars Fell on Alabama - Parish, Mitchell
'Deed I Do - Hirsch, Walter
Track Listings (20) - Disc #19
I've Found a New Baby - Palmer, Jack [1]
Sweetie Dear - Cook, Will Marion
Shag - Bechet, Sidney
Maple Leaf Rag - Joplin, Scott
Really the Blues - Mezzrow, Mezz
Weary Blues - Matthews, Artie
Polka Dot Rag - Bechet, Sidney
Tain't a Fit Night Out for Man or Beast - Cahn, Sammy
Characteristic Blues - Bechet, Sidney
Black Stick Blues - Bechet, Sidney
When the Sun Sets Down South (Southern Sunset) - Bechet, Sidney
Jungle Drums - Bechet, Sidney
Chant in the Night - Bechet, Sidney
Ja-Da - Carlton, Bob [1]
When You and I Were Young, Maggie - Butterfield, James
Summertime - Gershwin, George
Oh, Didn't He Ramble? - Handy, W.C.
I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say - Bechet, Sidney
High Society - Melrose, Walter
Winin' Boy Blues - Morton, Jelly Roll
Track Listings (22) - Disc #20
Dear Old Southland - Creamer, Henry
China Boy - Boutelje, Phil
Perdido Street Blues - Hardin, Lil
Down in Honky-Tonk Town - McCarron, Charles R
Old Man Blues - Ellington, Duke
Shake It and Break It - Clarke, H. Quail
Wild Man Blues - Armstrong, Louis
Blues in Thirds - Hines, Earl
Ain't Misbehavin' - Brooks, Harry
Save It, Pretty Mama - Davis, Joe [Jazz]
Stompy Jones - Ellington, Duke
Egyptian Fantasy - Bechet, Sidney
Baby Won't You Please Come Home - Warfield, Charles
Slippin' and Slidin' - Bauns, W.C.
I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None O' This Jelly Roll - Williams, Clarence
I Know That You Know - Caldwell, Anne
You're the Limit - Smith, Willie [1] "
Strange Fruit - Allan, Lewis
I'm Coming Virginia - Cook, Will Marion
Georgia Cabin - Bechet, Sidney
Limehouse Blues - Braham, Philip
Texas Moaner Blues - Barnes, Fay
Track Listings (21) - Disc #21
San - McPhail
You Rascal, You - Theard
So Sweet - Gillespie, Dizzy
When You're Smiling - Fisher, Mark [1]
I Lost My Gal from Memphis - De Rose
On Revival Day - Razaf, Andy
I'm Drifting Back to Dreamland - Charlesworth, Flore
Virginia Lee - Miles
Bring It on Home to Grandma - Jones, Richard [1]
Three Little Words - Kalmar, Bert
Little White Lies - Donaldson, Walter
Trav'lin' All Alone - Johnson, J.C. [Comp
It's You - Razaf, Andy
River, Stay 'Way from My Door - Dixon, Mort
When It's Sleepy Time Down South - Muse, Clarence
Dixie Lee - Hill, Alexander [Pi
A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid - Johnson, James [01]
Inka Dinka Doo - Noone
Delta Bound - Hill, Alexander [Pi
Like Me a Little Bit Less - Noone
I'd Do Anything for You - Hill, Alexander [Pi
Track Listings (24) - Disc #22
Shine - Brown, Lew
Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away) - Gershwin, George
Soon - Hart, Lorenz
Lullaby of Broadway - Dubin, Al
Lookie, Lookie, Lookie, Here Comes Cookie - Gordon
It's Easy to Remember - Hart, Lorenz
He's a Different Type of Guy - Honore
'Way Down Yonder in New Orleans - Creamer, Henry
The Blues Jumped a Rabbit - Honore
Sweet Georgia Brown - Bernie, Ben
Sweet Lorraine - Burwell, Clifford R
I Know That You Know - Caldwell, Anne
Bump It [The Bumps] - Noone
Four or Five Times - Gay, Byron
Hell in My Heart - Noone
Call Me Darling, Call Me Sweetheart, Call Me Dear - Dickerson, Scott
I'm Walkin' This Town - Bunn, Teddy
Japansy - Bryan
New Orleans Hop Scop Blues - Thomas
Keystone Blues - Williams
Moody Melody - Noone
Then You're Drunk - Thompson
I'm Going Home - McCoy
They Got My Number Now - McCoy
Track Listings (22) - Disc #23
New Moten Stomp - Moten
Somebody Stole My Gal - Wood, Leo
As Long as I Love You (Jeannette) - Moten
Now That I Need You - Basie, Count
When I'm Alone - Moten
Liza Lee - Green, Bud
Professor Hot Stuff - Basie
The Count - Gordon, Thomas
Get Goin' (Get Ready to Love) - Rich
Bouncin' Round - Moten
I Wanna Be Around My Baby All the Time - Meyer, George [2] W
Ya Got Love - Goodhart
Toby - Barefield
Moten Swing - Moten
The Blue Room - Hart, Lorenz
Imagination - Russell
New Orleans - Carmichael
The Only Girl I Ever Loved - Ziegler
Milenberg Joys - Melrose
Lafayette - Basie
Prince of Wails - Schoebel
Two Times - Saubert, B.
Track Listings (19) - Disc #24
King Porter Stomp - Morton, Jelly Roll
Till the Clock Strikes Three - Hill, Billy [1]
You'll Never Go to Heaven (If You Break My Heart) - Bryan
Canal Street Blues - King Oliver
Have You Ever Been in Heaven? - Lawrence, Jack [Lyr
The Miller's Daughter, Marianne - Grosz, Marty
The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down - Franklin, David [1]
(Is It) Love or Infatuation? - Coslow, Sam
I Owe You - Lawrence, Jack [Lyr
Can I Forget You? - Hammerstein, Oscar
K. K. Boogie - Allen, Henry [1] "R
Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble - Williams, Spencer
Jack the Bellboy - Hampton, Lionel
Sometimes I'm Happy, Pt 1 - Youmans, Vincent
Ol' Man River - Hammerstein, Oscar
A Sheridan "Square" - Allen, Henry [1] "R
Siesta at the Fiesta - Allen, Henry [1] "R
Down in Jungle Town - Madden, Edward
(Back Home Again In) Indiana - Hanley, James F.
Track Listings (16) - Disc #25
Ory's Creole Trombone - Ory, Kid
Gut Bucket Blues - Armstrong, Louis
Muskrat Ramble - Gilbert, Ray
29th and Dearborn - Jones, Richard [1]
Too Bad - Meyers, Billy
Dropping Shucks - Hardin, Lil
Gatemouth - Armstrong, Louis
Papa Dip - Armstrong, Louis
Flat Foot - Armstrong, Louis
Mad Dog - Armstrong, Louis
Dead Man Blues - Morton, Jelly Roll
Jazz Lips - Hardin, Lil
Dry's Creole Trombone - Ory, Kid
Once in a While - Butler, William
South - Hayes, Thamon
Blues for Jimmie Noone - Ory, Kid
Track Listings (25) - Disc #26
Fidgety Feet - Edwards, Eddie [1]
Copenhagen - Davis, Charles [Jaz
Tiger Rag - Costa, Harry Da
Davenport Blues - Beiderbecke, Bix
Trumbology - Trumbauer, Frankie
Singin' the Blues (Till My Daddy Comes Home) - Conrad, Con
Ostrich Walk - Edwards, Eddie [1]
Riverboat Shuffle - Carmichael, Hoagy
I'm Coming Virginia - Cook, Will Marion
Way Down Yonder in New Orleans - Creamer, Henry
For No Reason at All in C - Lewis, Sam M. [1]
In a Mist [Bixology] - Beiderbecke, Bix
Clementine (From New Orleans) - Creamer, Henry
Jazz Me Blues - Delaney, Tom [1]
At the Jazz Band Ball - Edwards, Eddie B.
Royal Garden Blues - Williams, Clarence
Goose Pimples - Henderson, Fletcher
Sorry - Klages, Raymond
Thou Swell - Hart, Lorenz
Ol' Man River - Hammerstein, Oscar
Wa-Da-Da (Everybody's Doin' It Now) - Barris, Harry
Louisiana - Johnson, J.C. [Comp
Margie - Conrad, Con
I'll Be a Friend With Pleasure - Pinkard, Maceo
Bessie Couldn't Help It - Bayha, Charles A.
Track Listings (16) - Disc #27
Mahogany Hall Stomp - Williams, Spencer
It Should Be You - Allen, Henry [1] "R
Swing Out - Allen, Henry [1] "R
Feelin' the Spirit - Russell
Jersey Lightning - Russell
St. Louis Blues - Handy, W.C.
Doctor Blues - Barbarin
Saratoga Shout - Holmes
Give Me Your Telephone Number - Higginbotham, J.C.
Sugar Hill Function - Holmes, Charlie [1]
You Might Get Better, But You'll Never Get Well - Metcalfe
On Revival Day - Razaf, Andy
Muggin' Lightly - Levy
Ease on Down - Russell, Luis
Casa Loma Stomp - Gifford, Gene
Symphony in Riffs - Carter, Benny [1]
40 CD box set. Artists include Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Bix Beiderbecke, Eddie Condon, Wild Bill Davison, Bud Freeman, Scott Joplin, 'Jelly Roll' Morton, Jabbo Smith, Pee Wee Russell, Bennie Moten and many more. 785... more » tracks all digitally remastered to enhance the original recordings without manipulating the character of the music. 20 double slimline jewel cases housed together in a cardboard box. Measures 8 x 6 x 5 inches approx.« less
40 CD box set. Artists include Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Bix Beiderbecke, Eddie Condon, Wild Bill Davison, Bud Freeman, Scott Joplin, 'Jelly Roll' Morton, Jabbo Smith, Pee Wee Russell, Bennie Moten and many more. 785 tracks all digitally remastered to enhance the original recordings without manipulating the character of the music. 20 double slimline jewel cases housed together in a cardboard box. Measures 8 x 6 x 5 inches approx.
CD Reviews
Cheap Introduction to Early Jazz
Stephen Cannon | Yokohama, Japan | 04/02/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This box set has a good mix of well known and influential jazz music from the 20s, 30s, and 40s, and with 40 CDs each about an hour long, it took me quite a long time just to listen to all of them enough times to start to recognize the songs. However, after having listened to all of the CDs about a dozen times over the last few years, I feel that I have cultivated a broad knowledge of jazz standards. Now, when I go to a jazz club or even just listen to the radio, I can frequently name songs that my friends mistakenly assume are originals.The drawback of this collection is that many of the recordings, and the ones from the 20s, in particular, are inevitably of poor quality. In fact, it often sounds like the drummer was banging on a pie tin or the vocalist sang underwater. Nevertheless, more than two-thirds of the recordings are of acceptable sound quality, and I urge any one looking to expand his knowledge of early jazz for a pittance to buy this collection.I am giving this collection 5 stars despite the sometimes poor sound quality because it is such a bargain and provides a good, if not entirely comprehensive education in early jazz."