"Erskine Hawkins stands right up there with Basie as one of the best swinging big bands from that era. Great riffs, great playing, and a strong blues influence. His "tuxedo junction" was covered by Glen Miller almost note for note.Guess who became famous? This compilation features tracks from the 40's. It's great to listen to the band go from straight swing (sweet georgia brown) to the R&B influenced "cornbread". And the sometimes schmaltzy vocals aren't on this disc. A great introduction to a great and mostly forgotten band. And a quick note:anything from this label comes highly recommended. Low price and good song selection."