Alive In New Orleans

Although this Laserlight release does list the correct personnel and songs (which puts it a cut above some of the other Laserlight budget sets), there is no mention on this 1998 CD that the music is from 1977 and that it was formerly put out as a First American LP. The liner notes only deal with Fountain's early days (pre-1960) and are therefore irrelevant to the release. It is a pity, because the music is actually quite good. Veteran clarinetist Pete Fountain, who had not recorded a strong jazz set as a leader in about a dozen years, heads a spirited octet that included tenor saxophonist Eddie Miller, both Jack Delaney and Jim Duggan on trombones, trumpeter Mike Serpas, pianist Earl Vuiovich (misspelled here as "Volovich"), bassist Oliver Felix and drummer Charlie Lodice. The band mostly performs Fountain's usual Dixieland repertoire with highlights being "Jazz Me Blues," "Struttin' with Some Barbeque," "Margie" and "Indiana." There is an unidentified vocalist on a couple of tracks (Delaney?) who is okay for this setting. Worth picking up by Dixieland fans despite the erratic packaging.