These 24 tracks are prime swing classics from the likes of Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman, and Count Basie. This extraordinarily thorough two-disc collection contains every hit dance tune of the 1940s, and even some that time has forgotten.

Whether or not the Original Dixieland Jazz Band were the actual "creators of jazz" as the cover on this West End compilation asserts is up for serious debate, but one cannot deny the value of this budget-priced Essential Collection. Here are 49 tracks, arranged chronologically from 1917 through the early '30s. The band underwent changes during that time, but the music was the same. Also of note is how many tunes that are now standards in the New Orleans repertoire were written by members of this fine outfit: "Ostrich Walk," "Tiger Walk," "Sensation Rag," and many others. This double-disc set is essentially a non-remastered reissue of Avid's earlier collection of the same name that was released in 2001. ~ Thom Jurek

Translucent Tones was recorded almost two years after the debut CD by the Clarinet Trio. The dryness and chamber feel of the first opus have been ironed out to make place for a jazzier approach and a warmth only well-worn units can produce. This trio has reached a peak. The ease of conversation is remarkable as the three make the complex arrangements flow effortlessly. Listen to how they trade lines simultaneously in Nabicht's "Anna." Highlights include both of Ullmann's "Translucent Tones" -- they stand among his best compositions. His two arrangements of Nino Rota tunes bring a touch of sun to the set. Also worthy of note are the new arrangements of Ullmann's group pieces, "Blue Trees and Related Objects" and "Almost Twenty-Eight," "Variations on a Theme by Erik Satie," and the exercises "Animalische Stimmen" (an animal-sounding piece) and "Der Ton A" (a swinging number played on a single note). The trio is witty, playful, tender when necessary, and quite fun to listen to -- no poise, no rigid concept, just three clarinetists with different backgrounds and an all-encompassing knowledge of their instruments' legacy, led by a skilled avant-garde jazz composer. ~ Fran‡ois Couture

This is a hard-edged fusion quartet with guitarist Allan Holdsworth. ~ Michael G. Nastos

A three-disc box set from England's Avid Records, Little Jazz Giant tracks trumpeter Roy Eldridge's career from his early work as part of the Delta Four in 1935 through his own efforts to front a swing combo in the late '30s, his work with bandleaders Teddy Hill and Fletcher Henderson, his brilliant early-'40s sides with Gene Krupa, his profitable stay with Artie Shaw, his uncertain position with the modern bop community, and finally, four concluding tracks with Oscar Peterson. In retrospect, it's interesting how many of the most striking cuts here were actually written by Eldridge, including "That Thing," "The Gasser," "Fish Market," "Wild Driver," "Yard Dog," and "They Raided the Joint," each of which has a perceptible modernist edge. Pound for pound, Eldridge was one of the finest upper-range trumpet players jazz has ever produced, and this set has countless examples of his jet-propelled solos (check out his lightning-fast solos in the version of "St. Louis Blues" that is included here). Avid has released each of the discs from this set as single packages as well, entitled The Gasser (1935-1946), Wild Driver (1944-1950), and The Heat's On (1951-1952). ~ Steve Leggett

The follow-up to the introductory package 1-3, 4 is the album that established the Norwegian quartet Supersilent as an up-and-coming free improv artist, drawing much attention from the magazine The Wire, especially. When all young artists were either drawn to lowercase or atmospheric experimental electro, the quartet dived into burning-hot free improvisation, blending jazz, rock, and electronica idioms with a distinctive Scandinavian touch -- something in the use of space and the field recordings that evokes the mountains, snow, and fjords of Norway. As usual, the tracks are numbered instead of titled as to obliterate any preconceptions. "4.1" begins atmospherically before the drummer starts rolling and pounding. But this introduction comes to an abrupt end and almost feels like a false start, a warm-up. "4.2" is also mostly atmospheric, but now the E-Bowed electric guitar is more prominently featured, along with treated voice samples. Drums escalate, synthesizers build tension, and the sonic battle has begun. An intentionally sloppier incarnation of Steamboat Switzerland could have recorded "4.3." The album's highlight resides in "4.6," a long improvisation with many twists, turns, and shifts in dynamics and moods. 4 shows Supersilent exploring an unheard-of fusion of free styles, sculpting their own niche. Recommended. ~ Fran‡ois Couture