Album Review

Scott Yanow [allmusic.com]

The first of four Al Hirt Audiophile albums recorded during the same year, this LP finds the trumpeter in prime form before he started making commercial hit records. With trombonist Bob Havens and clarinetist Harold Cooper completing the frontline, Hirt runs through an exciting set of Dixieland. This version of ''Saints'' is quite unusual, for Hirt and his fellow horn players start off trading four-bar phrases and gradually cut it in half again and again until they are trading off every beat. Other highlights include ''Tiger Rag,'' ''Fidgety Feet'' and ''Hindustan.'' An excellent example of Hirt's Dixieland playing, but unfortunately, all of his Audiofidelity releases are long out of print.