A galaxy of innovators present a history of jazz, from its earliest beginnings in a bygone century, through its many transitions, taking in ragtime, swing, bebop, hard bop and free jazz, and other strains throughout the development of this vital music. The cast list includes the greatest musical magicians of 20th century, people that created and developed this ever changing music. Compiled and annotated by joop visser, acknowledged jazz historian. Includes 89 tracks over 4 cds with a 32 page booklet. Tracklisting scott joplin maple leaf rag original dixieland jazz band tiger rag kid ory's sunshine orchestra ory's creole trombone king oliver dippermouth blues new orleans rhythm kings tin roof blues clarence williams blue five wild cat blues andrew hilaire jelly roll morton's red hot peppers black bottom stomp russell's hot six 29th and dearborn louis armstrong potato head blues baby dodds jelly roll morton wolverine blues jimmy noone's apex club orchestra apex blues bunk johnson's street paraders make me a pallet on the floor bessie smith backwater blues frankie trumbauer and his orchestra singing the blues bix beiderbecke and his gang since my best gal turned me down joe venuti's blue four a mug of ale the chicago rhythm kings i've found a new baby fats waller handful of keys the louisiana rhythm kings basin street blues don redman and his orchestra chant of the weed bennie moten's kansas city orchestra toby fletcher henderson and his orchestra down south camp meeting red allen coleman hawkins jamaica shout benny carter devils holiday eddie condon and his orchestra the eel chick webb's savoy orchestra stomping at the savoy art tatum liza ben thigpen andy kirk and his clouds of joy walkin' and swingin' count basie one o'clock jump billie holiday this year's kisses tommy dorsey i'm getting sentimental over you jimmie lunceford and his orchestra for dancers only bunny berigan and his orchestra i can't get started teddy wilson rosetta bob crosby and his orchestra south rampart street parade benny goodman and his orchestra don't be that way cab calloway at the clambake carnival chu berry little jazz ensemble forty six west fifty two johnny hodges jeep's blues harry james and the boogie woogie trio woo woo pee wee russell's rhythmakers dinah coleman hawkins and his orchestra body and soul duke ellington ko ko charlie christian wholly cats jack teagarden's big eight shine glenn miller in the mood django reinhardt nuages artie shaw stardust gene krupa let me off uptown lionel hampton flying home lester young sometimes i'm happy billy eckstine and his orchestra blowing the blues away dizzy gillespie all stars good bait j.c. Heard red norvo and his selected sextet congo blues charlie parker's reboppers ko ko don byas super session jay jay johnson's beboppers jay bird the beboboys webb city bud powell trio indiana chuck thompson dexter gordon quintet the chase claude thornhill and his orchestra thrivin' on a riff tiny kahn red rodney's be boppers all god's children got rhythm ella fitzgerald how high the moon fats navarro nostalgia shadow wilson leo parker's all stars wee dot johnson take wee dot don lamond woody herman and his orchestra four brothers thelonious monk misterioso kenny clarke and the tadd dameron sextet lady bird james moody's modernists tin tin deo lennie tristano wow george shearing conception charlie ventura east of suez shorty rogers over the rainbow stan getz the song is you gerry mulligan bernie's tune stan kenton and his orchestra young blood chet baker look for the silver lining sarah vaughan shulie a bop clifford brown daahoud ben webster art tatum quartet night and day horace silver the preacher sonny rollins st. Thomas miles davis round about midnight art pepper straight life art blakey and the jazz messengers moanin' ornette coleman the blessing john coltrane giant steps dave brubeck take five charles mingus goodbye pork pie hat