The Classic Sessions: 1928 to 1949

Although Eddie Condon was a fine tenor guitarist, his true talent was the ability to create a space, be it a band, a radio show, or a nightclub, where the best musicians of his day could play pure jazz. The Classic Sessions, 1928-1949 is a four-CD set that collects the best of these sessions, which include performances by legends such as Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, and Billie Holiday, as well as Condon's regular circle of friends such as Gene Krupa, Bud Freeman, Miff Mole, and Muggsy Spanier. Condon's brand of hot jazz is sometimes mislabeled as Dixieland, and while most of the tracks have the same sense of driving rhythm as New Orleans jazz, many of the soloists, particularly Freeman on tenor sax, were playing lines as melodically sophisticated as anything heard in the more popular swing bands. Condon and his compatriots play classics such as "Liza," "Georgia," "Wolverine Blues," and "Nobody's Sweetheart" with an intoxicating blend of passion, power, and panache. These songs have been played by thousands of musicians since these tracks were recorded, but they have rarely been played as well. --Michael Simmons