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Featuring tracks by:
Sonny Greer, Johnny Hodges, and Cat Anderson.

This very interesting Delmark CD has formerly rare selections from three different groups in the mid-'40s. Pianist Earl Hines heads a septet that also features trumpeter Ray Nance, altoist Johnny Hodges, Flip Phillips on tenor and vocalist Betty Roche. Drummer Sonny Greer leads a group of Ellingtonians that include cornetist Rex Stewart, clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, trombonist Lawrence Brown and baritonist Harry Carney, and high-note trumpet wiz Cat Anderson is at the helm of a competent (if somewhat anonymous) big band. All of this music is essentially swing with bop overtones and the 15 performances (originally on the Apollo label) are quite enjoyable.

1) Kansas City Caboose (Alternate)
by Sonny Greer & His Rextet 2:39

2) Sleepy Baboon
by Sonny Greer & His Rextet 2:59

3) Ration Stomp
by Sonny Greer & His Rextet 3:00

4) Blues on My Weary Mind
by Earl Hines Sextet 3:02

5) Design for Jivin'
by Earl Hines Sextet 3:17

6) I'll Get By
by Earl Hines Sextet 2:25

7) Cat's Boogie
by Cat Anderson & His Orchestra 2:48

8) For Jumpers Only
by Cat Anderson & His Orchestra 2:14

9) I Gotta Go Baby
by Cat Anderson & His Orchestra 3:05

10) Swingin' the Cat
by Cat Anderson & His Orchestra 3:04

11) Helena's Dream
by Sonny Greer & His Rextet 3:22

12) Kansas City Caboose
by Sonny Greer & His Rextet 2:46

13) I Love My Lovin' Lover
by Earl Hines Sextet 3:16

14) Life with Fatha
by Earl Hines Sextet 3:08

15) Trouble, Trouble
by Earl Hines Sextet

Tracks 1-3 and 11,12 recorded NYC: May 16, 1944
Tracks 4-6 and 13-15 recorded NYC: April 26, 1944
Tracks 7-10 recorded NYC: May 14, 1947

1 Sonny Greer & His Rextet*– Kansas City Caboose (alt)
Arranged By – Brick Fleagle
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Drums – Sonny Greer
Guitar – Teddy Walters
Piano – Marlowe Morris
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
Arranged By – Brick Fleagle
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Drums – Sonny Greer
Guitar – Teddy Walters
Piano – Marlowe Morris
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
2:35

2 Sonny Greer & His Rextet*– Sleepy Baboon
Arranged By – Brick Fleagle
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Drums – Sonny Greer
Guitar – Teddy Walters
Piano – Marlowe Morris
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
Arranged By – Brick Fleagle
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Drums – Sonny Greer
Guitar – Teddy Walters
Piano – Marlowe Morris
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
2:55

3 Sonny Greer & His Rextet*– Ration Stomp
Arranged By – Brick Fleagle
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Drums – Sonny Greer
Guitar – Teddy Walter
Piano – Marlowe Morris
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
Arranged By – Brick Fleagle
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Drums – Sonny Greer
Guitar – Teddy Walter
Piano – Marlowe Morris
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
2:55

4 Earl Hines Sextet– Blues On My Weary Mind
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Al Casey
Piano – Earl Hines
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips
Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance
Vocals – Betty Roche*
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Al Casey
Piano – Earl Hines
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips
Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance
Vocals – Betty Roche*
2:58

5 Earl Hines Sextet– Design For Jivin'
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Al Casey
Piano – Earl Hines
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips
Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Al Casey
Piano – Earl Hines
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips
Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance
3:13

6 Earl Hines Sextet– I'll Get By
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Al Casey
Piano – Earl Hines
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips
Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance
Vocals – Betty Roche*
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Al Casey
Piano – Earl Hines
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips
Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance
Vocals – Betty Roche*
2:22

7 Cat Anderson And His Orchestra– Cat's Boogie
Alto Saxophone – Curby Alexander, Vince Royal
Baritone Saxophone – Howard Austin
Bass – Bob Paige
Drums – Bobby Donaldson
Piano – Horatio Duran
Tenor Saxophone – John Hartzfield, Vincent McCleary
Trombone – Floyd Brady, George Stevenson, Joe Britton, LeRoy Hardison
Trumpet – Archie Johnson, Cat Anderson, Don Devilla, Joe Straud, Lee Brown (7)
Alto Saxophone – Curby Alexander, Vince Royal
Baritone Saxophone – Howard Austin
Bass – Bob Paige
Drums – Bobby Donaldson
Piano – Horatio Duran
Tenor Saxophone – John Hartzfield, Vincent McCleary
Trombone – Floyd Brady, George Stevenson, Joe Britton, LeRoy Hardison
Trumpet – Archie Johnson, Cat Anderson, Don Devilla, Joe Straud, Lee Brown (7)
2:44

8 Cat Anderson And His Orchestra– For Jumpers Only
Alto Saxophone – Curby Alexander, Vince Royal
Baritone Saxophone – Howard Austin
Bass – Bob Paige
Drums – Bobby Donaldson
Piano – Horatio Duran
Tenor Saxophone – John Hartzfield, Vincent McCleary
Trombone – Floyd Brady, George Stevenson, Joe Britton, LeRoy Hardison
Trumpet – Archie Johnson, Cat Anderson, Don Devilla, Joe Straud, Lee Brown (7)
Alto Saxophone – Curby Alexander, Vince Royal
Baritone Saxophone – Howard Austin
Bass – Bob Paige
Drums – Bobby Donaldson
Piano – Horatio Duran
Tenor Saxophone – John Hartzfield, Vincent McCleary
Trombone – Floyd Brady, George Stevenson, Joe Britton, LeRoy Hardison
Trumpet – Archie Johnson, Cat Anderson, Don Devilla, Joe Straud, Lee Brown (7)
2:10

9 Cat Anderson And His Orchestra– I Gotta Go Baby
Alto Saxophone – Curby Alexander, Vince Royal
Baritone Saxophone – Howard Austin
Bass – Bob Paige
Drums – Bobby Donaldson
Piano – Horatio Duran
Tenor Saxophone – John Hartzfield, Vincent McCleary
Trombone – Floyd Brady, George Stevenson, Joe Britton, LeRoy Hardison
Trumpet – Archie Johnson, Cat Anderson, Don Devilla, Lee Brown (7)
Vocals, Trumpet – Joe Straud
Alto Saxophone – Curby Alexander, Vince Royal
Baritone Saxophone – Howard Austin
Bass – Bob Paige
Drums – Bobby Donaldson
Piano – Horatio Duran
Tenor Saxophone – John Hartzfield, Vincent McCleary
Trombone – Floyd Brady, George Stevenson, Joe Britton, LeRoy Hardison
Trumpet – Archie Johnson, Cat Anderson, Don Devilla, Lee Brown (7)
Vocals, Trumpet – Joe Straud
3:02

10 Cat Anderson And His Orchestra– Swingin' The Cat
Alto Saxophone – Curby Alexander, Vince Royal
Baritone Saxophone – Howard Austin
Bass – Bob Paige
Drums – Bobby Donaldson
Piano – Horatio Duran
Tenor Saxophone – John Hartzfield, Vincent McCleary
Trombone – Floyd Brady, George Stevenson, Joe Britton, LeRoy Hardison
Trumpet – Archie Johnson, Cat Anderson, Don Devilla, Joe Straud, Lee Brown (7)
Alto Saxophone – Curby Alexander, Vince Royal
Baritone Saxophone – Howard Austin
Bass – Bob Paige
Drums – Bobby Donaldson
Piano – Horatio Duran
Tenor Saxophone – John Hartzfield, Vincent McCleary
Trombone – Floyd Brady, George Stevenson, Joe Britton, LeRoy Hardison
Trumpet – Archie Johnson, Cat Anderson, Don Devilla, Joe Straud, Lee Brown (7)
3:00

11 Sonny Greer & His Rextet*– Helena's Dream
Arranged By – Brick Fleagle
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Drums – Sonny Greer
Guitar – Teddy Walters
Piano – Marlowe Morris
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
Arranged By – Brick Fleagle
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Drums – Sonny Greer
Guitar – Teddy Walters
Piano – Marlowe Morris
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
3:18

12 Sonny Greer & His Rextet*– Kansas City Caboose
Arranged By – Brick Fleagle
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Drums – Sonny Greer
Guitar – Teddy Walters
Piano – Marlowe Morris
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
Arranged By – Brick Fleagle
Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton
Cornet – Rex Stewart
Drums – Sonny Greer
Guitar – Teddy Walters
Piano – Marlowe Morris
Trombone – Lawrence Brown
2:42

13 Earl Hines Sextet– I Love My Lovin' Lover
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Al Casey
Piano – Earl Hines
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips
Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance
Vocals – Betty Roche*
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Al Casey
Piano – Earl Hines
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips
Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance
Vocals – Betty Roche*
3:11

14 Earl Hines Sextet– Life With Fatha
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Al Casey
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips
Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Al Casey
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips
Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance
3:04

15 Earl Hines Sextet– Trouble, Trouble
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Al Casey
Piano – Earl Hines
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips
Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance
Vocals – Betty Roche*
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Oscar Pettiford
Drums – Sidney Catlett
Guitar – Al Casey
Piano – Earl Hines
Tenor Saxophone – Flip Phillips
Trumpet, Violin – Ray Nance
Vocals – Betty Roche*
3:20