Rex Stewart: Trumpet in Spades – HIs 48 Finest 1930-1959

CD 1

1. Duke Ellington: Trumpet in spades
2. McKinney’s Cotton Pickers: Rocky road
3. Just blues
4. Sugarfoot stomp
5. Singin’ the blues
6. McKinney’s Cotton Pickers: Do you believe in love at sight?
7. Fletcher Henderson: New King Porter stomp
8. Duke Ellington: In a sentimental mood
9. Kissin’ my baby goodnight
10. Rex Stewart & His Fifty-Second Street Stompers: Rexations
11. Rex Stewart & His Fifty-Second Street Stompers: Lazy man’s shuffle
12. Rex Stewart & His Fifty-Second Street Stompers: The back room romp
13. Rex Stewart & His Fifty-Second Street Stompers: Tea and trumpets
14. Duke Ellington: Braggin’ in brass
15. Rex Stewart & His Fifty-Second Street Stompers: San Juan Hill
16. Rex Stewart & His Fifty-Second Street Stompers: Fat stuff serenade
17. Rex Stewart & His Feetwarmers: Montmartre
18. Rex Stewart & His Feetwarmers: Finesse
19. Rex Stewart & His Feetwarmers: I know that you know
20. Rex Stewart & His Feetwarmers: Solid old man
21. Barney Bigard: Barney goin’ easy
22. Duke Ellington: Tootin’ through the roof
23. Duke Ellington: Morning glory
24. Duke Ellington: Dusk
25. Rex Stewart & His Big Seven: Cherry
26. Rex Stewart & His Big Seven: Bugle call rag

CD 2

1. Rex Stewart & His Big Seven: Diga-diga-doo
2. Sidney Bechet: Ain’t misbehavin’
3. Sidney Bechet: Save it, pretty mama
4. Duke Ellington: Across the track blues
5. Rex Stewart & His Orchestra: Without a song
6. Rex Stewart & His Orchestra: Mobile Bay
7. Rex Stewart & His Orchestra: Linger awhile
8. Duke Ellington: Boy meets horn
9. Jack Teagarden: The world is waiting for the sunrise
10. Jack Teagarden: The big eight blues
11. Duke Ellington: John Hardy’s wife
12. Rex Stewart & His Orchestra: Subtle slough
13. Rex Stewart & His Orchestra: Menelik, the Lion of Judah
14. Duke Ellington: Main stem
15. Rex Stewart & His Big Eight: Rexercise
16. Rex Stewart & His Orchestra: Shady side of the street
17. Cootie & Rex – The Big Challenge: I’m beginning to see the light
18. Cootie & Rex – The Big Challenge: I knew you when
19. Fletcher All Stars Henderson: The way she walks
20. Fletcher All Stars Henderson: A hundred years from today
21. The Talkative Horns Of Rex Stewart & Dicky Wells: Little Sir Echo
22. Eddie Condon & His Boys: Everybody’s movin’

Here is the essential collection of recordings by Rex Stewart (1907-1967), remembered as one of jazz’s greatest, hottest soloists; one who brought a new dimension to the art of jazz cornet playing. Retrospective’s Trumpet In Spades (the title of Duke Ellington’s 1936 “Rex’s Concerto”) offers a comprehensive survey of his 48 finest performances, stretching from his early 30s days with Fletcher Henderson (Just Blues) and McKinney’s Cotton Pickers (Rocky Road) through to 1959. Central to an extraordinary career was his many years bringing a new, distinctive voice to Duke Ellington’s wonderful orchestra and no fewer than 23 classics feature either the Duke’s full orchestra (Boy Meets, Horn; Morning Glory) or spin-off groups such as Rex’s 52nd Street Serenaders (Rexatious). In addition are four glorious tracks from his 1939 Feetwarmers session in Paris with Django Reinhardt (Montmartre) and highlights from historic collaborations with such as Sidney Bechet (Ain’t Misbehavin’) and Jack Teagarden (The Big Eight Blues). The selection closes with six memorable numbers representative of his playing in the late 50s, which included such notable sessions as The Big Challenge with Cootie Williams and The Big Reunion with the Fletcher Henderson All-Stars. Altogether a superb addition to Retrospective’s remarkable series of the great jazz trumpeters.