A multiplicity of tracks and sessions issued anew on Fairweather's own label. As befits the instigator of the National Jazz Archive, he has all the facts to hand and is clearly keen here to pay tribute to a long-time collaborator and friend, the vocalist and reissue specialist Chris Ellis. Their [a] tracks, all 15 of them are from a long-deleted Dormouse album and pinpoint a variety of period songs, each energised by Litton's romping, stride-based piano, the solid chording and solo playing of guitarist Sealey and the slapped bass of the redoubtable Winters, a veteran from the great Ambrose band. Fairweather adds his own distinctive flourishes while Ellis takes centre stage, sounding rather like an Anglicised and rather straight version of Bing Crosby, his light-touch vocals better on rhythm numbers like Johnny Mercer's ‘You Can't Stop Me From Dreaming’. The slower pieces show some lowregister uncertainties, the overall effect more worthy than inspired. Instrumentally fine, though. The three [b] tracks, previously on Black Lion go on in much the same way; it's good to hear the added zing imparted by late Denny Wright and the now-silenced Brian Lemon, with Digby heard at greater length. Ellis digs in on ‘Changes Made’, the first of two [c] tracks, reminding me momentarily of George Melly, with Bates winging merrily along before Strange builds well on ‘Dinah’. The final, very zippy ‘Old Man Harlem’ is from a still-available Challenge album and is included as a ‘taster. Great for good-time fans; others may need convincing.