Stuff Smith was not just a violinist, he was one of the hardest swinging musicians in the history of jazz and certainly the most forceful swing violinist ever. 49 of Smith’s finest performances between 1936 and 1945 are captured on this 2 CD set. Smith was a stunning live performer who was an influence on, amongst others, Dizzy Gillespie. He was known to perform with a battered stovepipe hat on the back of his head and a stuffed parrot perched on his shoulder!

CD 1:
[1] I’SE MUGGIN’, PTS 1 & 2 (Smith) 1936 [6.27]
[2] I HOPE GABRIEL LIKES MY MUSIC (Franklin) 1936 [2.39]
[3] I’M PUTTING ALL MY EGGS IN ONE BASKET (Berlin) 1936 [2.58]
[4] I DON’T WANT TO MAKE HISTORY (Robin, Rainger) 1936 [2.53]
[5] T’AINT NO USE (Magidson, Lane) 1936 [3.31]
[6] AFTER YOU’VE GONE (Creamer, Layton) 1936 [3.08]
[7] YOU’SE A VIPER (Smith) 1936 [3.05]
[8] ROBINS AND ROSES (Lesue, Burke) 1936 [2.55]
[9] I’VE GOT A HEAVY DATE (Kahn, Green) 1936 [2.41]
[10] IT AIN’T RIGHT (Rothberg, Meyer) 1936 [2.37]
[11] OLD JOE’S HITTIN’ THE JUG (Palmer, Stride) 1936 [2.40]
[12] SERENADE FOR A WEALTHY WIDOW (Foresythe) 1936 [3.16]
[13] KNOCK, KNOCK, WHO’S THERE? (Tyson, Davey, Lopez, Morris) 1936 [3.00]
[14] BYE, BYE BABY (Hirsch, Hardman) 1936 [3.06]
[15] HERE COMES THE MAN WITH THE JIVE (Smith, Palmer) 1936 [2.59]
[16] TWILIGHT IN TURKEY (Scott) 1937 [2.23]
[17] WHERE IS THE SUN? (Edmond, David) 1937 3.05
[18] UPSTAIRS (Smith) 1937 [2.53]
[19] ONYX CLUB SPREE (Smith) 1937 [2.42]
[20] ONYX CLUB STOMP (Smith) 1937 [2.45]
[21] BIG WIG IN THE WIGWAM (Kutz, Young, Trede, Roe) 1937 [2.39]
[22] IT’S UP TO YOU (Smith) 1940 [2.55]
[23] I’VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN (Porter) 1940 [2.45]
[24] CRESCENDO IN DRUMS (Smith) 1940 [3.20]

CD 2:
[1] HUMORESQUE (Dvorak) 1943 [2.30]
[2] A GHOST OF A CHANCE (Crosby, Washington, Young) 1943 [2.54]
[3] MINUET IN SWING (Smith) 1943 [2.16]
[4] THE RED JUMPS (Allen) 1943 [2.24]
[5] MELODY IN F (Rubinstein) 1943 [2.24]
[6] SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY (Whiting, Moret) 1943 [2.57]
[7] TO A WILD ROSE (McDowell) 1943 [2.29]
[8] BUGLE CALL RAG (Pettis, Schoebel, Meyers) 1943 [2.12]
[9] DESERT SANDS (Smith) 1943 [3.19]
[10] LA CINQUANTAINE (Gabriel, Marie) 1943 [2.08]
[11] BLUES IN MARY’S FLAT (Osborne, Smith) 1944 [2.44]
[12] BLUES IN STUFF’S FLAT (Osborne, Smith) 1944 [2.53]
[13] I GOT RHYTHM (Gershwin) 1944 [3.04]
[14] SWEET LORRAINE (Parish) 1944 [2.43]
[15] MIDWAY (Smith) 1944 [2.10]
[16] LOOK AT ME (Smith) 1944 [2.50]
[17] SKIP IT (Smith) 1944 [2.23]
[18] STOP, LOOK (Smith) 1944 [2.56]
[19] DON’T YOU THINK Smith) 1944 [2.50]
[20] DESERT SANDS (Smith) 1944 [2.40]
[21] PERDIDO (Tizol, Lenk, Drake) 1945 [7.06]
[22] BUGLE CALL RAG (Pettis, Schoebel, Meyers) 1945 [4.12]
[23] DESERT SANDS (Smith) 1945 [4.00]
[24] TIME AND AGAIN (Smith) 1945 [3.14]

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