Veteran trumpeter
Yank Lawson
often preferred to trade fours or eights with another horn player late in his career (four years before his death) rather than take full-length solos, but his fire and sound were very much unimpaired. For this date, he had a reunion with bassist
Bob Haggart
, coleading one of the last versions of
the Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band
. The sidemen include trombonist
George Masso
, clarinetist
Kenny Davern
, pianist
John Bunch
, guitarist
Bucky Pizzarelli
and drummer
Jake Hanna
. Together, they romp through ten songs (plus second versions of
"Creole Love Call"
and "Beale Street Blues") that have some reference to the South in their titles; examples are "Is It True What They Say About Dixie," "Charleston" and "Stars Fell on Alabama." The Dixieland-flavored music has plenty of likable ensembles and melodic solos; well worth acquiring by fans of the genre. ~ Scott Yanow