Here is the best single-CD survey available of the classic jazz recordings made by one of the New Orleans all-time greats. Jimmie Noone (1895-1944) was, along with Sidney Bechet and Johnny Dodds, the finest of all the New Orleans clarinettists, blessed with an always lyrical tone, a remarkable technique and a deep appreciation of the blues. His records stand as significant milestones in the history of jazz. The Apex of Jazz Clarinet is a fitting description of his work. The compilation follows his career from his first recording, with Ollie Power’s Harmony Syncopators in 1923 (Play That Thing), through two decades to his final sessions with Kid Ory just before his death (High Society). The series of recordings Noone made in between, leading his own band from 1928 to 1940, are classics of their kind, including that memorable spell at Chicago’s Apex Club when his band included Earl Hines – exhilarating classics such as I Know That You Know, Four or Five Times, Apex Blues, My Monday Date and his theme tune Sweet Lorraine. This is a notable addition to Retrospective’s jazz range, which includes clarinettists Irving Fazola (RTR4337), Benny Goodman (RTS4144), Frank Teschemacher (RTR4194), Buster Bailey (RTS4356), Edmond Hall (RTR4286) and of course Sidney Bechet (RTS4372).

Tracklisting:
1. I Know That You Know
2. Play That Thing
3. Here Comes the Hot Tamale Man
4. Four or Five Times
5. Every Evening I Miss You
6. Apex Blues
7. A Monday Date
8. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me
9. Oh, Sister, Ain’t That Hot?
10. Sweet Lorraine
11. King Joe
12. It’s Tight Like That
13. Chicago Rhythm
14. I Got a Misery
15. My Daddy Rocks Me With One Steady Roll
16. San
17. Delta Bound
18. ’Way Down Yonder in New Orleans
19. The Blues Jumped a Rabbit
20. Sweet Georgia Brown
21. Bump It (Apex Blues)
22. I Know That You Know
23. Japansy
24. New Orleans Hop Scop Blues
25. Clambake in B Flat
26. High Society