Joe Venuti & Earl Hines - Hot Sonatas

The more you consider this magical collaboration, the more it amazes. Both Joe Venuti and Earl Hines were already stars of the jazz landscape a full 50 years before they paired up for this elegant 1975 session--Venuti in tandem with guitarist Eddie Lang and Hines with the one and only Louis Armstrong. They were both 72 years old when their label, Chiaroscuro, decided to record an album of duets, marking the very first time the two legends had ever played with each other--on record or otherwise. It's very hard to imagine either of them being any more fertile at any other point in their careers. The interplay is magnificent, the improvisations colorful and pulsating, and the end result is a fascinating testament to the beauty of experience and mutual respect. --Marc Greilsamer Amazon.com

Hot Sonatas cooks with a nostalgic swing

I first listened to this collaboration over 20 years ago. I was enchanted from the beginning. Unfortunately the vinyl record was a public library recording which I failed to tape, thinking I could check it again anytime. Someone else must have liked it as much as I, because I never saw it again. I have often looked for this album over the years, but it was a cut out and unavailable. Now at last, here it is on CD. This music not only swings, as its title implies, but it has charm and grace. If you are a fan of classic jazz, don't miss this chance at something that will never happen again. July 30, 1999

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