"Using a dreamboat, a taxi, and a train named Smokey Mary, the Bob Cats dig into a set of tunes originally recorded by either the Bob Crosby Orchestra or the Bob Cats between 1936 and 1942. This collection, while not comprised of the best-known works of the band (they can be found in an earlier recording), captures the flavor and the energy that the original Bob Cats displayed so well. For the devotees of the Crosby sound, this recording should conger up some great memories, as the tune selection provides a varied and musically colorful look at the jazz and pop hits of the pre-world war II era. The intent of the selection was to remind listeners that the Bob Crosby units recorded many traditional jazz selections, including several march based tunes, in building its reputation as the leader in Big Band Dixieland. Another notable characteristic of the band was the fact that it wrote and recorded many of its own compositions. This was a fun project for us. For six of the Bob Cats, the effort was a continuation of our established mission, to keep the music of the Bob Crosby bands alive, ever since obtaining the rights to the name from the Crosby estate in 1996. Along the way, we drafted two new Bob Cats, namely Terry Myers on tenor sax and soprano sax, and Carl McVicker on bass, both of who gave us superior performances. For the other six, this was our first time in a studio together in three years. And it was certainly time we did so. Our live performance audiences continue to provide a highly enthusiastic response to our programs. Now, this new recording will allow them to take more of the distinctive Bob Cat sound home with them." (Ed Metz). Featuring Ed Metz (p, mus. dir.), Werner Lutz (tp). Harold Johnson (tb). Paul Hubbell (cl, ss, ts), Terry Myers (ts, ss), Bob Leary (g), Carl McVicker (b), Eddie Metz (dr). 16 Tracks. Recorded on April 19 and 20, 2000 at Stark Lake Studios, Ocoee, Florida.