Here's a find – literally. These hitherto unheard live tracks were found recently in a ‘once working musician's’ cupboard, hence the album's sub-title ‘Newly Discovered Recordings From The Closet’. They are primarily air-checks cut at Russell's instigation onto glass or shellac discs and, given their great age, not at all in prime condition.

Top sound engineer Doug Pomeroy has restored them to a very acceptable level of sonic quality; even so, there are some fragmentary passages and occasional extraneous noises, but nothing to limit enjoyment.

Panama-born Russell (1902-1963) made his initial name in New Orleans and then relocated to New York where his augmented orchestra was taken over in 1935 by Louis Armstrong. Thereafter as Paul Kahn's excellent booklet essay makes clear, the two old friends were ‘unstoppable, a complementary team.’ And it's this fusion of talents that's on offer here with many of these tunes having never been previously recorded by Armstrong and Russell.

Tracks 1-9 are from a residency at Chicago's Grand Terrace ballroom, Armstrong's own playing at its latter-day best, his solos building impressively, crisp and assured, the ensemble swinging hard, with the admirable Barbarin giving them added verve. To hear him behind Louis as he sings and plays on the exciting ‘Them There Eyes’ is a revelation, Louis finishing in exhilarating fashion on a dramatic top note.

For all Armstrong's dominance – he's the star, of course, as the various announcers emphasise –the band also boasted soloists such as trombonist Higginbotham, louche and declamatory, the fine altoist Holmes, clarinettist Nicholas and Red Allen, Louis namechecking them all as they played.

The later shorter sequences, their provenance less sure, introduce the overly fulsome vocalist Woods, with Williams more sure-footed in her single appearance. In between are five broadcast tracks by the Russell orchestra without its star; when he was elsewhere, they went out on their own. Again, the famed soloists are fine, and the band's performances are a joy to hear.

Finally, and surprisingly, come four Russell solo stride piano tracks, again previously unheard, and accomplished with impeccable grace and style. A second volume is promised; bravo Dot Time!