"We’ve already outlined a general history of jazz by strolling down the many highways and byways of its different styles during the first fifty years of its life; now we’re going to propose another approach to this music, the most popular and creative of the 20th century, and incidentally, one that’s still continuing to develop, though in a different manner. We’ll be offering a chronological approach to the life and music of some great jazzmen. There are already several anthologies and compilations in this world to do with jazz and those who are part of it, but we wanted to take a different approach and go one step further if possible. We’ll be following our selected artists into every corner of their life, their critical and popular successes, anything unusual or innovatory they introduced, all in their order of composition; another “extra” with us will be the sound which will be cleaned and restored. So here goes – jazz to listen to, accept, listen to again, appreciate, think about…For these are the high points of a musical story belonging to the 20th century that’s still relevant fifty years later."
(André Francis)
Tracklisting:
CD 1:
1. Chimes blues
2. Copenhagen
3. Cake walking babies
4. St. Louis blues
5. Alone at last
6. Heebie jeebies
7. Cornet chop Suey
8. Big butter and egg man
9. Potato head blues
10. S.O.L. blues
11. Hotter than that
12. Fireworks
13. West end blues
14. Weather bird
15. St. James infirmary
16. Tight like this
17. Mahogany hall stomp
18. When you're smiling
19. Sweethearts on parade
20. Shine
21. Dusky stevedore
22. I'm in the mood for love
23. Thanks a million
24. Ev'ntide
25. Darling Nelly Gray
CD 2:
1. Jubilee
2. Shadrack
3. Cain and Abel
4. 2:19 blues
5. Hey lawdy mama
6. Ain't misbehavin
7. I wonder
8. You won't be satisfied
9. Blues for yesterday
10. Where the blues were born...
11. Back o'town blues
12. Some day
13. A song was born
14. My sweet Hunk O'Trash
15. New Orleans function
16. You rascal you
17. My Monday date
18. Basin street blues
19. Ole Miss
20. St. Louis blues
Released 2006.