Willie Smith - Willie Smith: Alto Sax All-Time Great (His 48 Finest)

Willie Smith (1910-1967) stands alongside Johnny Hodges and Benny Carter as one of the three great alto saxophone players of the pre-Charlie Parker generation � yet this is the first double CD devoted to his formidable artistry. Retrospective�s tribute to this towering figure in jazz history presents a 48-track survey that tracks his extraordinary career from sax-section leader in the 30s to high-flying soloist in the 50s, opening with 10 classics from his 13 years as one of the big stars of the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra.