Billy Butterfield - Issued Recordings 1944-1947 (CD)

All Music Guide

Billy Butterfield is best remembered as a talented sideman, playing trumpet with various groups, including Arite Shaw, Benny Goodman, Les Brown and The World's Greatest Jazz Band. But for a brief time between 1944 and 1947, he led his own big band. This European compilation gathers tracks he recorded commercially for Capitol and additional selections made strictly as radio transcriptions. Johnny Mercer is added on vocals for a swinging take of "It Ain't Necessarily So," while the leader's peppy playing is a highlight of "Oh Lady Be Good." Butterfield also penned or cowrote several songs, though none of them is particularly memorable. "Bugle Call Rag" was a jazz favorite long before bluegrass musicians discovered it and this arrangement features Butterfield's sassy muted horn. Among the many musicians present are pianist Johnny Guarneri, bassist Bob Haggart, drummer Cozy cole, guitarists Carl Kress and Barry Galbraith, trumprter Chris Griffin and baritone saxophonist Ernie Caceres. - Ke...n Dryden, All Music Guide Read more Less