Released in 1993 as a limited edition 4CD box set by the revered archival label Mosaic Records, The Complete Capitol Small Group Recordings 1944-1955 gathers the definitive small-ensemble masterworks recorded by the "King of Swing," Benny Goodman, during his tenure with Capitol Records. Spanning trios, quartets, quintets, and septets, this comprehensive anthology captures Goodman transitioning smoothly from traditional swing virtuosity into modern post-war jazz contexts. Featuring legendary collaborators including Teddy Wilson, Red Norvo, Jess Stacy, Mel Powell, Wardell Gray, Fats Navarro, and Charlie Shavers, the collection delivers landmark performances, rare alternate takes, and historical sessions—including his short-lived yet brilliant experimentations with bebop and mid-50s classic reunions.

On Stomping At The Savoy, the definitive architect of swing-era keyboard refinement, American jazz piano icon Teddy Wilson, steps completely unaccompanied into the studio to deliver an exceptionally elegant, relaxed, and masterfully fluid solo document. Recorded in London in June 1967 and beautifully preserved on this pristine digital archive by Alan Bates’s legendary historical imprint Black Lion Records, this foundational milestone showcases the undisputed master of the elegant single-note style running through the core American songbook. Spanning over 48 minutes of immaculate high-fidelity spatial design, the 12-track landscape operates with a swinging, rhythmically light, and beautifully balanced kinetic energy. Wilson handles these timeless melodies with his legendary, aristocratic grace, firing off magnificent solo layouts like the title track stride workout Stomping At The Savoy, a gorgeous, fluidly moving take on Moonglow, and two fascinating, brilliant alternative tracking perspectives of Fats Waller's Honeysuckle Rose. Driven by his impeccable tenth-interval left-hand walking counterpoint and sparkling, crystal-clear right-hand lines, this pristine archive remains an indispensable masterpiece for serious swing purists and solo jazz piano collectors worldwide.

Intimate listening from pianist Teddy Wilson, but surprisingly lively listening too - as Teddy's as fleet on the keys as ever, and maybe even more so in this well-recorded session from the 50s! The record's got a great Verve vibe - simple, unadorned presentation of the Teddy Wilson genius at its mature height - with bass and drums to help bring in a gentle bit of rhythm, but Teddy handling most of the energy himself - with an amazing command of the keyboard that really transforms these familiar tunes. The approach is like Erroll Garner at his best from the time - subtle magic from simple sources - but Teddy's lighter, and more lyrical too - especially on his flourishes on the keys.

Although in 1957 some listeners considered swing and cool jazz to be at the extreme poles of the jazz world, this LP, recorded at that year's Newport Jazz Festival, shows just how similar the two idioms were. The Teddy Wilson Trio (with bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Specs Powell) plays lightly swinging versions of four swing era standards and welcomes baritonist Gerry Mulligan to sit in on a spirited rendition of "Sweet Georgia Brown," and then Jeru's quartet (with trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, bassist Joe Benjamin, and drummer Dave Bailey) plays cooly exciting versions of "My Funny Valentine" and "Utter Chaos"; one could easily imagine Wilson helping out on those two songs. Strangely enough, this LP reissue of the original set also contains three standards by the Don Elliott Quartet with pianist Bill Evans, but never lists the full personnel (mellophonist Elliott, bassist Ernie Furtado, and drummer Al Beldini)…

The last years of pianist Teddy Wilson's career were productive, fruitful, energetic, and active ones. This 14-track 1980 live concert setting showcases Wilson playing standards written by Duke Ellington and the brothers Gershwin, and they give the pianist excellent vehicles to strut his stuff. While in a trio setting with the relatively obscure bassist Layman Jackson and drummer Billy Daniels, Wilson is the centerpiece, playing solo for long stretches before his rhythm mates chime in. Many of the Gershwin features are extended medleys with multiple tunes strung together, Wilson playing fast and strong or delicate and light at the snap of two fingers. The Ellington material is closer to Wilson's true heart and all of it is rendered beautifully. As was his style, you hear quite a few stride inflections, blues, ballads, and some fleet boppish lines. Teddy Wilson was precious, and this recording - one of the best in the Jazz Hour series - shows why.

The Hep series of Teddy Wilson recordings has been largely superseded by the more complete Classics program. This release has 16 titles from Wilson's first four recording sessions as a leader of all-star bands (skipping his solo piano records). Since Billie Holiday has vocals on 14 of the 16 songs (every one except "Sweet Lorraine" and "Sugar Plum"); this material has been reissued numerous times, but the performances do contain their fair share of classics.

These recordings for Verve records were made in 1956. Besides Teddy on piano, we hear the solid bass of Gene Ramey and the ever swinging drums of 'papa' Jo Jones. The interplay between these musicians is of a very high level, despite the fact that most selections on this cd are restricted to three or four minutes. Teddy plays with all the qualities as he did in the late thirties and early forties, but the rough edges are gone now. Highlights on the CD are: I Got Rhythm, Limehouse Blues and Blues For Daryl, which reminds us of the Just A Mood-session of the late thirties with Red Norvo and Harry James.

In the late '30s and early '40s, pianist Teddy Wilson was a big deal in the land of jazz. He had many opportunities to perform as a sideman, and eventually got his breaks. These sessions showcase of variety of his efforts with big bands, large ensembles, small groups, and a singer named Billie Holiday. Though none of his own compositions are credited ("Big Apple" should be,) he certainly had a hand in the arrangements, and was given space to play quite a bit of piano. The Hep label has generously provided 23 selections with Wilson and bandmates including stalwarts Hot Lips Page, Lester Young, Freddie Green, Red Norvo and Pee Wee Russell, as well as backing trombonist Benny Morton's All Stars. There are two takes of "Ain't Misbehavin'," "Just a Mood" (Blue Mood,) "When You're Smiling," and "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me" for contrast sake. The sound reproduction of these vintage performances is excellent, and this one can easily be recommended to both fan and novice.

Teddy Wilson is often referred to as the definitive swing pianist, stylish, elegant and technically and artistically brilliant, and adept in any setting, be it solo, small bands or orchestras, as a leader or sideman, and renowned as one of the most sensitive and sought-after accompanists, especially by female vocalists of the day. He was especially celebrated for his work with Billie Holiday. In the era before the introduction of the Billboard charts in 1940, Joel Whitburn’s respected book “Pop Memories 1890-1954”, which lists artists hits based on various sources, and also the Your Hit Parade chart published by the popular radio show, are treated as the most reliable guides as to what were “hits”. This 46-track 2-CD collection comprises all Teddy Wilson’s 38 career hits based on those sources under his own name, along with selected A & B sides from this era. It Includes the No. 1 hits “Carelessly” and “You Can’t Stop Me From Dreaming”, and other Top 3 hits with “The Way You Look Tonight”, “Pennies From Heaven” “There’s A Lull In My Life” and “Remember Me”. It features performances by featured vocalists Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Helen Ward, Red Harper and others, and recordings with major jazz names likes Roy Eldridge, Lionel Hampton, Ben Webster, Cootie Williams, Harry Carney, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Cozy Cole, Harry James, Buck Clayton and more, featured in his ensembles. Looking at his career from a particular angle, his hits, it’s a great showcase for an important and influential artist.

Teddy Wilson covers a dozen songs by George Gershwin on this live date with bassist Arvell Shaw and drummer Bert Dahlander. All of the music had been in Wilson's repertoire for some time at this point in his career, so his playing seems effortless. The sequencing is a bit unusual, in that all of the faster numbers, including a very brisk "Liza" and "Oh, Lady be Good" (powered by Dahlander's brushwork), are on the first side, while all of the ballads, including a lush "Summertime" and an inventive "Bess, You is My Woman Now," are heard on the second half. Wilson is in top form with his typically eloquent yet swinging style. Shaw is given a number of solo opportunities, displaying his superb arco bass technique in "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and "Our Love Is Here to Stay."

This CD contains the best recordings from the early years of the fiery trumpeter Roy Eldridge. Eldridge, one of the great swing trumpeters and a powerful player into the 1970s, is heard with Teddy Hill's orchestra, backing singer Putney Dandridge, on four titles with Fletcher Henderson (including the hit "Christopher Columbus"), starring on a four-song session with Teddy Wilson, joining Billie Holiday on "Falling in Love Again," soloing on two numbers with Mildred Bailey (his "I'm Nobody's Baby" solo is years ahead of its time), and, best of all, leading a small group through six songs (plus an alternate) from his own explosive sessions of January 1937. This brilliant music is essential for all serious jazz collections.

Distinctive piano player, one of the most influential ticklers of the Swing era, fabled for work with Billie Holiday and Benny Goodman. 12 standards, Recorded 1941-1950.

This exciting CD has 20 diverse performances that were originally produced by Leonard Feather for the Victor label during 1946-47. The first eight selections feature various versions of Esquire's All-American Award Winners and have some unique combinations of musicians. "Long Long Journey" was the first record to match together Duke Ellington (who verbally introduces the song) and Louis Armstrong, and on "Snafu" Armstrong takes a surprisingly modern solo that hints at bebop. Trumpeter Charlie Shavers creates a remarkable improvisation on "The One That Got Away," ltoist Johnny Hodges plays beautifully on "Gone with the Wind" and other key players include tenor saxophonist Don Byas, trumpeter Buck Clayton, trombonist J.J. Johnson and tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins. In addition, there are selections featuring trombonist Jack Teagarden, the 52nd Street All-Stars (with Shavers, Hawkins and tenorman Allan Eager), the tenor of Lucky Thompson, trumpeter Neal Hefti, altoist Benny Carter, singer Mildred Bailey and solo piano records by Art Tatum and Erroll Garner. The mid-to-late '40s were a particularly rich period for jazz and this highly recommended CD is filled with gems.

This segment of the Teddy Wilson chronology contains 23 recordings made for the Columbia label in New York and Chicago between December 11, 1939 and September 16, 1941. The first eight tracks showcase Wilson's 12-piece big band, using arrangements by Wilson, Edgar Sampson and Buster Harding. This unusually upsized version of the Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra had Doc Cheatham and Harold "Shorty" Baker in the trumpet section, Ben Webster and Rudy Powell among the reeds, and Al Casey and J.C. Heard playing rhythm. Those who are accustomed to Wilson's customary small group sound will find this material pleasantly, perhaps surprisingly different from the norm. In December of 1940 Wilson led an octet with Bill Coleman, Benny Morton and Jimmy Hamilton in the front line…

For this Classics CD (one in a series of Teddy Wilson releases that reissue all of the pianist's early recordings as a leader), Billie Holiday is featured on nine of the titles including "I'll Get By," "Mean to Me," "Foolin' Myself," and "Easy Living"; all of those gems also feature tenor saxophonist Lester Young. Much rarer are three songs with singer Helen Ward, a vocal by Frances Hunt ("Big Apple"), three by the forgotten vocalist Boots Castle, and five instrumentals. It is a pity that the selections without Holiday were not reissued separately since the Lady Day performances are generally quite common. Such immortal sidemen are heard from as Young, trumpeters Cootie Williams, Harry James and Buck Clayton, altoist Johnny Hodges, baritonist Harry Carney, and clarinetists Buster Bailey and Benny Goodman; this music is essential in one form or another.