AMG Review of Masters of Classic Jazz: The Trumpet

Greg Adams
All Music Guide

This is one of four thematic two-disc sets in a series, each of which spotlights a specific instrument or jazz subgenre via vintage radio transcriptions. Masters of Classic Jazz: Trumpet features 47 tracks by six swing-era jazz trumpeters: Red Allen, Roy Eldridge, Bobby Hackett, Jonah Jones, Charlie Shavers, and Muggsy Spanier. The seven tracks by Charlie Shavers are duplicated on Soundies' Shavers Shivers. These 1940s transcriptions benefit from better remastering than is often heard on imports, and the accompanying essay provides specific information about the artists and sessions. The program does not offer a coherent overview of jazz trumpeting, or even a representative sampling for beginners, but rather serves as a rarities package for serious jazz enthusiasts.