More than just a roundup of the Les Paul Trio's Decca recordings -- which by themselves wouldn't add up to a single CD, let alone two -- this 50-track set is a bewilderingly diverse compendium of Paul's adventures in show business prior to his string of hits with Mary Ford. In doing so, MCA has made amends for at least four decades of neglect, unearthing ten previously unreleased tracks as part of the deal. The set begins with six of Paul's earliest sides backing salacious blues shouter Georgia White on acoustic guitar, and then there are four extremely rare sides of Paul doing his hillbilly Rhubarb Red act, tootling on harmonica, strumming rhythm guitar, and singing in a honeyed voice. Throughout the collection, there are extensive samplings of Paul backing several top singers from the mainstream of '40s pop -- Bing Crosby, the Andrews Sisters, Dick Haymes, Helen Forrest, and the Delta Rhythm Boys -- his clever, caressing guitar obligatos enhancing the vocals and foreshadowing his ballad work with Ford.

Label:      MCA Records – MCAD2-11708

Format:     2 x CD, Compilation, Remastered, Mono

Country:    US

Released:   1997

Genre:      Jazz

Style:      Swing, Guitar Jazz, Jazz Instrument

PLEASE NOTE VERY SLIGHT MARK ON SPINE, DOES NOT AFFECT BOOKLET OR TRAY CARD

TRACKLIST:

With Georgia White:     

1-1         New Dupree Blues

1-2         Daddy Let Me Lay It On You

1-3         I Just Want Your Stingaree

1-4         Black Rider

1-5         I'll Keep Sittin' On It (If I Can't Sell It)

1-6         Trouble In Mind

Les Paul As Rhubarb Red:      

1-7         Just Because

1-8         Answer To Just Because

1-9         Deep Elem Blues #2

1-10        Deep Elem Blues

With Terry Shand & His Orchestra:   

1-11        Cindy

1-12        The Filipino Hombre

Les Paul & His Trio:    

1-13        Dream Dust

1-14        Begin The Beguine

1-15        Dark Eyes

1-16        Blue Skies

1-17        Blue Skies

1-18        Begin The Beguine

1-19        Dream Dust

1-20        Dark Eyes

With Bing Crosby: 

1-21        It's Been A Long, Long Time

1-22        Whose Dream Are You?

Les Paul & His Trio:    

1-23        Hawaiian Paradise

1-24        My Isle Of Golden Dreams

With Helen Forrest:     

1-25        Spellbound

1-26        Everybody Knew But Me

2-1         Baby, What You Do For Me

2-2         Everybody Knew But Me

Les Paul & His Trio:    

2-3         Song Of The Islands

2-4         Sweet Leilani

2-5         Kings Serenade

2-6         To You, Sweetheart, Aloha

2-7         Sweet Hawaiian Moonlight

2-8         Aloha Oe

With Bing Crosby: 

2-9         Pretending

2-10        Gotta Get Me Somebody To Love

With Delta Rhythm Boys: 

2-11        A One-Sided Affair

2-12        What Would It Take?

With The Andrews Sisters:     

2-13        Rumors Are Flying

2-14        It's A Pity To Say Goodnight

Les Paul & His Trio:    

2-15        Steel Guitar Rag

2-16        Guitar Boogie

2-17        Guitar Boogie

2-18        Caravan

2-19        Somebody Loves Me

With Bing Crosby: 

2-20        Gotta Get Me Somebody To Love

2-21        What Am I Gonna Do About You?

2-22        Drifting And Dreaming (Sweet Paradise)

With Dick Haymes: 

2-23        What Are You Doing New Years Eve?

2-24        My Future Just Passed