Weed: A Rare Batch

As is usual with most of Stash's earliest releases, much of the music on this LP refers in one way or another to drugs in its lyrics but these jazz and blues performances from the swing era are most notable for the fine playing by a wide variety of artists. There is one selection apiece from Chick Webb (Ella Fitzgerald singing "When I Get Low I Get High"), Tampa Red, Oscar's Chicago Swingers, Carl Martin, the Harlem Hamfats, Julia Lee, Sammy Price, Cootie Williams (a hot version of "Ol' Man River"), Adrian Rollini, Lorraine Walton, Yack Taylor ("Knockin' Myself Out"), Blue Steele and Lucille Bogan ("Pot Hound Blues"). Many of these selections have yet to be reissued on CD.