Fresh off his star-making stint with Gene Krupa, swinging sax man Charlie Ventura formed his own band in 1946, the year this 80-track collection kicks off. His Big Four, Quartet, Sextet, Septet and Orchestra are all represented, taking you up to 1952: Slow Joe; Charlie Boy; East of Suez; F.Y.I.; Birdland; If I Had You; Boptura; Lotus Blue; Ha!; Caravan; Dark Eyes; Rose Room; Blue Prelude; Avalon, and more.
Disc: 1
1. Charlie Boy
2. I Don’t Know Why I Love You Like I Do
3. Chopin’s Minute Waltz
4. Slow Joe
5. What Is This Thing Called Love
6. I’m in the Mood for Love
7. Misirlou
8. How High the Moon
9. Moon Nocturne – Part 1
10. Moon Nocturne – Part 2
11. I’ll Never Be the Same
12. Annie, Annie Over
13. Synthesis
14. Blue Champagne
15. Stop and Go
16. Pennies from Heaven
17. Eleven Sixty
18. East of Suez
19. Baby, Baby All the Time
20. If I Had You
Disc: 2
1. Euphoria
2. F.Y.I
3. Oh, Lady Be Good
4. Deed I Do
5. Sweet Georgia Brown
6. Pina Colada
7. I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles
8. Once in a While
9. Whatta Ya Say We Go
10. Body and Soul
11. Birdland
12. Lullaby in Rhythm
13. For Bobbers Only
14. Barney Google
15. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
16. Yesterday / the Peanut Vendor
17. Euphoria
18. Fine and Dandy
19. East of Suez
20. If I Had You
Disc: 3
1. I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles
2. Pennies from Heaven
3. How High the Moon
4. Boptura
5. Feather’s Den
6. Yankee Clipper
7. Lotus Blue
8. High on An Open Mike
9. Too Marvellous for Words
10. Lullaby of the Leaves
11. Ha!
12. Take the a Train
13. Prelude to a Kiss
14. Solitude
15. Mood Indigo
16. It Don’t Mean a Thing
17. Sophisticated Lady
18. Caravan
19. Dark Eyes
20. Avalon
Disc: 4
1. Confessin’
2. Bugle Call Rag
3. Rose Room
4. That Old Feeling
5. After You’ve Gone
6. There’s No You
7. Perdido
8. Can’t Get You Off My Mind
9. Lover
10. Yesterdays
11. After You’ve Gone
12. Love Is Just Around the Corner
13. Ol’ Man River
14. O.H. Blues
15. Jersey Bounce
16. Deep Purple
17. Girl of My Dreams
18. Blue Prelude
19. Ain’t Misbehavin’
20. Limehouse Blues