Seminal work from one of the first great stylists of the jazz piano – maybe the most comprehensive collection we've ever seen to focus on the important early years of the great Teddy Wilson! As you'd guess from his image on the cover, Wilson brought a new sense of class and sophistication to jazz – not the modernism of Duke Ellington, but a different sort of poise and perfection that made his band of the 30s such an important ensemble, with influence to last for decades – and a great roster of musicians that included Benny Carter on alto, Ben Webster on tenor, Bennie Morton on trombone, John Kirby on bass, and an especially strong lineup of trumpets – as these sides feature important work by Shorty Baker, Doc Cheatham, Harry James, Jonah Jones, Bobby Hackett, and Bill Coleman. There's a bit of vocals too – not the important Billie Holiday sides – but work with Ella Fitzgerald, Helen Ward, Frances Hunt, Nan Wynn, Thelma Carpenter, and Midge Williams – and the set features all the rare 78rpm material that Wilson recorded for Columbia Records, Brunswick, and Merritt. The set features 169 tracks with fresh remastering, and a huge booklet of notes – essential for navigating these non-LP tracks! CD