1933-1934

Arguably the finest bass saxophonist of all time and certainly a major jazz player in the 1920s, Adrian Rollini's own sessions as a leader during 1933-34 tended to be on the commercial side due to the nature of the time. This collector's LP has three complete sessions and two versions of a song ("Waitin' at the Gate for Katy") from a fourth date. The best part about the playing of the all-star orchestras are the occasional solos of clarinetist Benny Goodman and trumpeter Bunny Berigan. Unfortunately, most of the songs (such as "Sweet Madness," "Savage Serenade," "Sitting on a Log" and "I Raised My Hat") were not destined for immortality, and the vocalists (Herb Weil, Clay Bryson, Howard Phillips, Jane Vance and Joey Nash) are all quite forgettable. However, swing collectors and BG and Berigan fans will probably want to search for this LP.