EARL HINES AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1934-1937 | The Classics Chronological Series – 528 (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Between his auspicious beginnings with Armstrong, Jimmie Noone, and Erskine Tate during the late '20s and his proto-bebop big band of the '40s, Earl Hines found his '30s stride with these fine recordings. Part of a clutch of Classics discs charting his solo and big-band sides from 1928-1947, this collection finds Hines in the stellar company of such top arrangers as Jimmy Mundy, Quinn Wilson, and Cecil Irwin. While Mundy was the only one to achieve fame beyond the group (with Count Basie), all these chart-makers flourished under Hines' watch. Mundy's work especially stands out: Four of his contributions here -- "Fat Babes," "Copenhagen," "Rock and Rye," and "Cavernism" -- count as pinnacles of the form, replete with inventive horn parts and streamlined yet driving rhythm tracks. Hines, of course, finds his own way quite nicely with a series of sparkling solo statements. And helping out on the bandstand are such luminaries as trombonist Trummy Young, trumpeter Walter Fuller, and tenor saxophonist Budd Johnson (later to provide Hines with some quality arrangements of his own). A high point in the Hines catalog. Stephen Cook  
Tracklist + Credits :