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Muggsy Spanier was one of the most prominent cornettists in Dixieland jazz, enjoying a career which began in the early '20s and spanned more than four decades. He stayed true to the traditions of music he grew up with, his forceful and uncomplicated style enabling him to lead ensembles with passion and intensity. He effectively defined the repertoire and approach of the Dixieland revival movement with 16 recordings by his Ragtime Band in late 1939. Those recordings are all included in this great value 47-track collection in our Fabulous label Jazz legends series, which covers the full first quarter-century of his recording career. It naturally includes many recordings by bands which he led, but also features fascinating tracks from early in his career with a variety of occasional line-ups as well as from his regular gig in the '30s with Ted Lewis. It also includes collaborations with many of the true luminaries of the genre, notably in Sidney Bechet's Big Four, and with the likes of Coleman Hawkins, Bob Crosby and Ben Pollack, plus a gem of track as he accompanies singer Lee Wiley. It's an admirable showcase of his work when he laid the laid the groundwork for the New Orleans revival in which he participated during the '50s and '60s