This anthology tells my story over the the last 53 years.  I have done so many things and proud of it  and it is all there at least a cross section.  As a young lad when I first hit Europe I was playing for people who really understood and loved Classic Jazz and had heard all the legends like Louie up close.  They said I was the greatest trumpet player since Louis Armstrong.   Don’t know if that is true but it is nice to be appreciated by people that know what they are listening to.  Later the great writer Leonard Feather reviewed my “Stardust” album and gave it  5 stars with special comment on my Louie roots which is so true as Louie was my first mentor and my foundation and you see a handwritten note on this anthology from Louie encouraging me as the boy you see in the picture on the cover.  This is the title track from that album and I only did one take.  Wanted to do another but no one would let me especially Norris Turney lead alto in Dukes band that I used on the session who takes the opening chorus.  Obviously they  loved the solo.   I look back at a long career so many high points and I am so happy it has been finally documented.

Stardust :