Early Years

From prewar sides cut when George was a mere 20 years old through his postwar collaborations with Stephane Grappelli and Harry Hayes, this 5-CD set collects George's seldom-anthologized British recordings. You can really pinpoint the influence George's 1945 trip to New York had on his playing, too; after sitting in with Charlie Shavers and Sid Catlett, he returned to England as an apostle of bop. Includes How Come You Do Me Like You Do?; Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat; Boogie Ride; I Never Mention Your Name; Stardust; Watch the Birdie; Lady Be Good; Spookie Woogie; Henderson Stomp; Rock-a-Bye Basie, and many more. Remastered and annotated with discography!