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Tiny's in Swingville – and as far as we're concerned, it's a great place to be! The set's got Tiny grooving on guitar in that easy-going, open-ended style that made the Prestige Swingville sessions so great – nothing fancy, just a relaxed approach to the session that makes for some of the best playing in the genre at the time. The group's a quintet, with Jerome Richardson on flute and tenor, Ray Bryant on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and titles include "Durn Tootin", "Down With It", "Annie Laurie", and "Home Sick".

Beautiful blowing from Buck Clayton and Buddy Tate – captured here in the relaxed, easy-going setting of the Swingville label! The album's got a lot more charm than some of Clayton's sides for Columbia – a bit more mellow, with the kind of after hours feel that lets players like these show their strongest suits on their instruments. Clayton plays trumpet, Tate tenor – and rhythm is from the trio of Sir Charles Thompson on piano, Gene Ramey on bass, and Mousie Alexander on drums. Titles include "High Life", "Birdland Betty", "Can't We Be Friends", and "Kansas City Nights".

A great small group date – with Newman on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Billy English on drums.

Joe blows it strong and mellow – in this spare swinging group that includes Frank Wess on tenor, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Eddie Jones on bass, and Oliver Jackson on drums. Tracks are warm and unpressured, more in a Verve mode than a Prestige one – and titles include "Wednesday's Blues", "Jive At Five", "Taps Miller", and "Cuein The Blues".

Tight swing-based material from trumpeter Joe Newman, featuring Frank Foster as a very welcome bandmate in the frontline! The rest of the group includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, plus Eddie Jones on bass and Bill English on drums. The tracks have a nice open-ended quality, with good room for grooving and solos, and lots of nice tenor from Foster. Titles include "To Rigmor", "AM Romp", "Mo Lasses", and "Loop D Loop".

Gritty grooves from Coleman Hawkins – a set that has the aging tenorist still working in swing-based formation, but with a much blusier tone than on his Verve albums of the decade! The group's a small one – with Hawkins on tenor and Charlie Shavers on trumpet – plus some especially nice guitar work from Tiny Grimes, who really underscores the soul of the session, and almost makes the whole thing feel a bit more laidback and open than usual. Rhythm is from the trio of Ray Bryant on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums – and the album features two very long tracks – "Hawk Eyes" and "C'Mon In" – which are more blowing session numbers – plus the shorter tunes "Stealin The Bean", "La Rosita", "I Neer Knew", and "Through For The Night".

The title tells the tale on this one – as the session's a studio meeting of players all associated with Count Basie over the years – captured here in a style that's much more laidback and relaxed than the usual Basie set! The album's got the feel of some of Prestige's best work in the Swingville series, but also has an approach that's almost in the blowing session mode – with long tracks on the album that really let each player step out in their own voice. The lineup includes Paul Quinichette on tenor, Buck Clayton and Shad Collins on trumpet, Jack Washington on baritone sax, Nat Pierce on piano, Freddie Greene on guitar, and Jo Jones on drums – and titles include "Blues I Love To Hear", "Love Jumped Out", "John's Idea", and "Baby Don't Tell On Me".

A key later album from alto saxophonist Benny Carter – one that has him at the helm of a largeish group, but playing with a nicely focused sort of groove! In addition to Benny's alto, the record also features tenor sax from Charlie Rouse and Coleman Hawkins, plus one more alto from Phil Woods – supported by rhythm from John Collins on guitar, Dick Katz on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. The tunes are traditional, but have some sharper-edged modern ideas on some of the solos – and there's a nicely echoey feel to the production, which further adds to the quality of the record. The album's a bit like a Swingville session for Prestige, but has a bit more going on – and titles include "Doozy", "Blue Star", "Midnight Sun Will Never Set", and "Crazy Rhythm".

The title tells the tale on this one – as the session's a studio meeting of players all associated with Count Basie over the years – captured here in a style that's much more laidback and relaxed than the usual Basie set! The album's got the feel of some of Prestige's best work in the Swingville series, but also has an approach that's almost in the blowing session mode – with long tracks on the album that really let each player step out in their own voice. The lineup includes Paul Quinichette on tenor, Buck Clayton and Shad Collins on trumpet, Jack Washington on baritone sax, Nat Pierce on piano, Freddie Greene on guitar, and Jo Jones on drums – and titles include "Blues I Love To Hear", "Love Jumped Out", "John's Idea", and "Baby Don't Tell On Me".