In Copenhagen

The great and instantly recognizable clarinetist Edmond Hall is at the peak of his powers on this CD during what would be his final studio dates. Hall, who died just two months later from a heart attack (and whose only later recordings were a few songs at the Spirituals To Swing concert), is heard on three hot numbers with Papa Bue's Viking Jazz Band; "Struttin' With Some Barbeque" is given particularly joyous treatment. Eleven of the other selections really showcase Hall as the only horn with a fine Scandinavian rhythm section; plus, there is an unusual departure in Hall's brief unaccompanied rendition of "It Ain't Necessarily So." Whether it be "Muskrat Ramble," an especially creative "Jazz Me Blues," "Oh Baby," or "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise," Edmond Hall, who never recorded an uninspired solo, rarely sounded better. He exited on top.