This is a comprehensive survey of alto sax player Bostic, a technical master of his instrument who cut his teeth with many jazz bands during the 1930s. He was to become a hugely influential player who had many hits during his '50s heyday with a jump blues and R&B stlye. Greatly admired by fellow musicians for his mastery of the saxophone, Earl Bostic's mavellous alto sax was also one of the great and distinctive sounds of both R&B and pop music and his records became perennials on juke boxes everywhere. First recording with Lionel Hampton in 1939, he started leading his own regular large group in 1945, cutting back to a septet the following year, when he began recording regularly. His bands became important training grounds for up-and-coming jazzmen like John Coltrane, Blue Mitchell, Stanley Turrentine and Benny Golson although he achieved his early reputation with jumping R&B tunes and his biggest hits in the '50s with more sophisticated material..............
DISC 1 1. East Of The Sun 2:41 2. When Your Lover Has Gone 2:29 3. Bugle Call Rag 2:22 4. Remember 2:41 5. Blue Moon 2:27 6. Beyond The Blue Horizon 2:31 7. 'Cause You're My Lover 2:16 8. Melody Of Love 2:37 9. Cocktails For Two 2:33 10. I'll String Along With You 2:39 11. I Love You Truly 2:58 12. Dream 2:48 13. Harlem Nocturne 2:16 14. Where Or When 3:06 15. Sweet Lorraine 2:40 16. Poeme 2:54 17. You Go To My Head 3:08 18. Off Shore 3:10 19. The Moon Is Low 2:41 20. Ain't Misbehavin' 2:19 21. The Sheikh Of Araby 2:44 22. I Hear A Rhapsody 2:37 23. Roses Of Picardy 3:01 24. Melancholy Serenade 3:01 DISC 2 1. Lover Come Back To Me 2:35 2. The Merry Widow Waltz 2:18 3. Cracked Ice 2:37 4. Song Of The Islands 2:58 5. Danube Waves 3:04 6. Wrap It Up 2:42 7. Blue Skies 2:41 8. Ubangi Stomp 2:05 9. Cherry Bean 2:24 10. Earl's Imagination 2:59 11. My Heart At Thy Sweet Voice 2:40 12. Lieberstraum 2:58 13. Temptation 2:45 14. Jeannine, I Dream Of Lilac Time 2:22 15. September Song 2:50 16. She's Funny That Way 2:30 17. Just Too Shy 2:33 18. Exercise 2:46 19. Josephine 2:45 20. Away 2:56 21. A Gay Day 2:48 22. Make Believe 2:53 23. Vienna, City Of My Dreams 2:32 24. Answer Me 2:15 DISC 3 1. Southern Fried 2:46 2. Jersey Bounce 2:08 3. Jumpin' At The Woodside 2:24 4. Tuxedo Junction 2:41 5. 720 In The Books 2:01 6. Air Mail Special 1:58 7. Pompton Turnpike 2:36 8. Woodchopper's Ball 2:23 9. Night Train 2:37 10. Stompin' At The Savoy 2:28 11. Honeysuckle Rose 3:01 12. No Name Jive 2:20 13. Lester Leaps In 2:24 14. 920 Special 2:22 15. Special Delivery Stomp 2:24 16. Anvil Chorus 2:12 17. Two O'Clock Jump 2:42 18. Back Beat 2:14 19. John's Idea 2:09 20. Royal Garden Blues 2:25 21. Indian Boogie Woogie 2:30 22. Fur Trapper's Ball 2:13 23. Lunceford Special 2:18 24. Back Bay Shuffle 2:14 DISC 4 1. Twilight Time 2:28 2. Stairway To The Stars 2:42 3. Rockin' With Richard 2:39 4. Be My Love 2:32 5. Pinkie 2:14 6. Goodnight Sweetheart 2:10 7. Over The Waves Rock 2:25 8. Jer-On-Imo 2:30 9. C Jam Blues 2:39 10. Wee-Gee Board 3:24 11. The Wrecking Rock 2:25 12. Sweet Home Rock 2:55 13. Don t Do It Please 4:12 14. Ten Out 3:38 15. Telstar Drive 4:27 16. Taste Of Fresh Air 3:47 17. Hunt And Peck 5:19 18. Fast Track 6:29 19. Apple Cake 5:09
