« (...) il signe quelques-uns des chefs-d’œuvre de son temps et de son histoire. » JAZZMAN (Sélection La discothèque idéale Jazzman)
It has to be admitted that, to anyone except the fanatical enthusiast, the bulk of Sidney Bechet’s Victor recordings can be rather daunting, so there may be a good case there for a selection, at least for those dipping a foot in the water. This selection is probably as good as any from that area, althoug many different tracks also have their own virtues. None of the earlier items give much cause for contention either, although to call a selection which covers only 1932 to 1941 quintessential is somewhat misleading and may have something to do with the fact that the proprietors of this new organisation seem to be in some way related to the old RCA Black & White series. Althoug the earlier Clarence Williams recordings may be inapropriate here, surely some of the things that Bechet did after 1941 are worthy of inclusion in an unbiased choice. This does probably make as good an introduction to the middle-period Bechet, when he has at his peak of inventiveness and in good company, as any. The sound, unfortunately, is over-bright and often edgy. Christopher HILLMAN-JAZZ JOURNAL
