This 10-CD box set contains twenty rare, classic original big band albums from the 1950s. They range from classics by Count Basie and Duke Ellington via tributes to the latter by 'newcomers' such as Clark Terry and Dizzy Gillespie, on to the cool sounds of Marty Paich, Stan Kenton and Pete Rugolo and the advanced arrangements of Gil Evans, Bill Holman or George Russell.

Contents:

CD 1
April in Paris
- Count Basie and His Orchestra
The Cosmic Scene
- Duke Ellington's Spacemen

CD 2
Duke With a Difference
- Clark Terry
A Portrait of Duke Ellington
- Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra

CD 3
Trane Whistle
- Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis's Big Band
Taylor Made Jazz
- Billy Taylor and His Orchestra

CD 4
At the Monterey Jazz Festival
- Woody Herman's Big New Herd
A Message from Birdland
- Maynard Ferguson and His Orchestra

CD 5
New Bottle, Old Wine
- Gil Evans
In a Jazz Orbit
- Bill Holman

CD 6
Brass Shout
- Art Farmer
Jazz in the Space Age
- George Russell and His Orchestra

CD 7
Really Big!
- The Jimmy Heath Orchestra
Jazz North of the Border and South of the Border
- Chico O'Farrill and His Orchestra

CD 8
Skin Deep
- Louis Bellson and His Orchestra
Adventures in Rhythm
- Pete Rugolo and His Orchestra


CD 9
They Met at the Continental Divide
- The Trombones, Inc.
Big Fat Brass
- Billy May

CD 10
The Broadway Bit
- Marty Paich
Kenton with Voices
- Stan Kenton and His Orchestra