Some of the music on this Folkways LP is excellent but the brief playing time (31 minutes) and erratic liner notes make the release of lesser interest. Best are the six titles featuring violinist
Stuff Smith
in a 1944 trio with pianist
Jimmy Jones
and bassist
John Levy
. Less significant are
Paul Nero
's four novelty tunes (
"The Hot Canary"
was a minor hit) and two numbers from the obscure
Joe Kennedy
(who is not even mentioned in the liners). Interesting music but it deserves better than this reissue. ~ Scott Yanow