On one level, this compilation gives a very informative bird's eye view of the Benny Goodman small groups over their first decade. Racially integrated for the most part, with several star players alongside Benny, and a repertoire that helped to define the swing era, these groups were hugely important in jazz history. But given that they were recorded by RCA Victor and Columbia, both companies on top of their game in terms of technical quality, this set is somewhat let down from what would otherwise be four-star status by the quality of transfer and remastering. The yardstick for this is the 3-CD Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings set from 1997 (which parallels the first one-and-a-half CDs here, and which includes a large number of additional tracks and alternate takes) where the quality is exemplary. The Columbia contract began in mid-1939, and while there is an excellent Mosaic box of Benny's orchestral recordings on that label for this period, and a fine Mosaic box of the Capitol small group records that followed from 1944-5, there is currently no authoritative coverage of the Columbia/OKeh small groups. Given that these include all the Charlie Christian and much Mel Powell material, it is an open goal for the right reissue producer, but Acrobat's shot is slightly wide of that particular net. Again, what they do include here doesn't match up to the quality of the French classics series, now hard to get, but at least comprehensive and less muddy-sounding.