During most of the period 1939-1950, Metronome Magazine put together all-star sessions featuring their poll-winners; when the winners were not available, other high vote-getters were substituted in their place. This fascinating CD starts off with two numbers from an unrelated 1937 all-star group that features trumpeter Bunny Berigan, trombonist Tommy Dorsey, and pianist Fats Waller playing "Blues" and a very memorable rendition of "Honeysuckle Rose." In addition, bands from 1939, 1941, 1946, and 1949 (the years that RCA recorded the poll-winners) are represented. While the 1939 group is practically a Benny Goodman reunion band (including Berigan, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, and Jack Teagarden, among many others) and the 1941 outfit combines many top swing players (such as Goodman, James, Cootie Williams, Dorsey, Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Count Basie, Charlie Christian, and Buddy Rich), the 1946 grouping utilizes Woody Herman's First Herd as a nucleus (along with Harry Edison, Cootie Williams, Dorsey, Buddy DeFranco, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, and Teddy Wilson). The final selections, dating from 1949, find the lineup dominated by top beboppers, including trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Fats Navarro (who trade off during a remarkable passage on "Victory Ball"), J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding, DeFranco, Charlie Parker, and Lennie Tristano. Solos are brief during all of these performances (sometimes only eight or 16 bars), but practically every musician gets a chance to be heard. The other Metronome sessions have been reissued on a Tax LP which covers the Columbia sessions, and by Capitol. This CD, which has all of the Victor sessions' alternate takes, is highly recommended to all serious jazz fans. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi

1		Honeysuckle Rose
2		Blues
3		Blue Lou [Take 1]
4		Blue Lou [Take 2]
5		Blue Lou [Take 3]
6		The Blues [take 1]
7		The Blues [take 2]
8		Bugle Call Rag
9		One O'Clock Jump (All Star Jump)
10		Look Out
11		Metronome All Out
12		Overtime
13		Overtime [Alternate Take]
14		Victory Ball
15		Victory Ball [Alternate Take]