Maxwell Davis - A Tribute to the Big Bands: Lionel Hampton & Woody Herman (2021)

With signs of a resurgence of interest in big bands in the late 1950s, Maxwell Davis came up with the idea of producing a series of albums for Crown Records recorded in the finest stereophonic sound, in a tribute to such legendary bandleaders as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Woody Herman, Charlie Barnet and Stan Kenton, among others. For this purpose, he wrote all new arrangements and reimagined and conducted a number of tribute bands to perform the music with the signature spirit that made their original leaders famous. The personnel for each album consisted primarily of prominent members and soloists who performed with the original bands, with additional valuable contributions from some of the best jazz musicians working in the Hollywood and New York studios.

Maxwell Davis' writing is as fresh in these sessions as it was when it inspired the work of the early arrangers. Thanks to his efforts, each of these albums retains the lush, individual sound of those notable bands. Listening to these performances brings us joy and memories from the golden age of big bands, which up to this day illuminate the music scene every time that a good band charges and swings through timeless material.