Description
Way back in 1985 Retrieval issued an LP which contained the complete output of Madame Tussaud's Dance Orchestra and, after many requests, this is now being re-issued on CD.
The original LP consisted of 18 tracks, 15 of which are included here (3 were deemed to be of too little interest to jazz fans to use). Obviously 15 tracks would not fill a CD, so Retrieval have added 5 1932/1933 Decca-recordings from Jack Hylton's Orchestra. Next they have jumped back in time for the Savoy Orpheans' 1926 version of Duke Ellington's "Jig Walk" - the first of Duke's compositions to be published and recorded in Europe.
Also included 2 Ellington numbers from Spike Hughes, which make an interesting comparison with the Madame Tussaud-sides in that Hughes was able to use a line-up that include some of Britain's best known musicians such as trumpeter Norman Payne, trombonist Lew Davis and saxist Buddy Featherstonhaugh, whereas there are no big names in the Tussaud outfit, which makes the results even more surprisingly good.
