Jimmy Mundy was a valuable arranger during the swing era, contributing important charts to many big bands, particularly those of
Earl Hines,
Benny Goodman, and
Count Basie. He had a short-lived orchestra of his own in 1939, but it did not make much of an impression. This CD has all of the sessions that
Mundy led during the period. He is heard on two numbers with a septet that is mostly taken from
Earl Hines' 1937 band, including trumpeter
Walter Fuller on vocals, trombonist
Trummy Young, guest drummer
Chick Webb, and
Mundy himself on tenor. His four selections with his 1939 orchestra are here (clarinetist
Jimmy Hamilton, pianist
Bill Doggett, and drummer
Shadow Wilson are the only future names in the band), plus selections from three other ensembles from 1945-1947. Four numbers feature a novelty vocal group called the Ginger Snaps, one ensemble has trumpeter
Ray Linn and
Lucky Thompson on tenor, and four V-discs feature an all-star Los Angeles band with trumpeter
Clyde Hurley, altoist Willie Smith, and
Thompson. This formerly rare music should please swing fans.
–
Scott Yanow, Rovi