The two original LPs issued under these titles rank among the finest Ellingtonian small group sides. The predominantly blues repertoire of Back to Back (all the pieces are called blues, but not all of them have the blues chord sequence) is the perfect setting for Sweets and Hodges to open out, with Duke getting a simpler, but no less forceful rhythm section backing than he did in his own band. The sister album Side By Side is a mélange of standards and Ellingtonian/Hodges numbers, partly by the same band and partly with an Eldridge/Webster/Brown frontline with Strayhorn replacing Duke at the keyboard. It's impossible to single out specific titles – they're all magical. And what Pollwinners have done is to complement this with other Ellington and Hodges sessions from the same period, giving 17 bonus tracks. This serves to contextualise the material to be sure, but it also detracts from the charming simplicity of the two original albums. Maybe a better way to think about acquiring this material would be to look at the recent Avid issue (AMSC1157), which conjoins it with the equally spartan but effective Ellington meets Coleman Hawkins session (and the outtakes from Battle Royal). Either way, a treat for Ellington and Hodges fans, and a great introduction to the small group work of both musicians.