It’s best first to consider the subtext here. As the strapline has it, these are the Dorsey band’s hits, running over no fewer than six CDs, each given its ranking in the hit parade of the day. If this means that the tracks, say like some of those arranged by Sy Oliver which tended to please the jazz listener rather more than the ballad and sweet stuff, are largely missing, well, that’s down to the US public’s taste. That said, there’s a partial redemption with the presence of sides by the cheery Clambake Seven, that’s Dorsey’s band within the band, following the trend largely started by Benny Goodman in the 1930s.

It’s also no coincidence that many of the 78rpm singles gathered here feature the young Sinatra’s rather strait-laced vocal efforts, often accompanied by the Pied Pipers. As Frank always claimed, he learned much of his breath control and relaxed phrasing by observing how Dorsey himself tackled his peerless trombone sequences.

Opening with the rather tame ‘In Treasure Island,’ with vocal by Wright, from 1935, which charted at No 1, it’s TD’s own trombone command that immediately impresses, as it went on to do pretty well throughout the band’s existence. Things perk up with the enduring ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’, given a rousing arrangement by Paul Weston. The Dixieland-style Clambake Seven emerges, first, with ‘Rhythm In My Nursery Rhymes’, period vocals and all. The success of TD’s limpid, high register reading of ‘I’m Getting Sentimental Over You’ made it the band’s theme song and landed Dorsey with ‘The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing’ soubriquet, justified instrumentally if not personally given the details in Paul Watts’ comprehensive note. Dorsey’s technical control and perfect intonation probably caused many despairing trombonists to discard the instrument forever; me included!

More high register trombone followed on ’Stardust’, already a hit for Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong among many others, Wright’s dull vocal notwithstanding. On this showing, it’s no surprise that Dorsey’s band kept the dancers and bobby-soxers satisfied but in reality, six CDs of quality dance music may be beyond the endurance of Jazzwise readers. Even if there are occasional solo injections from the likes of trumpet star Charlie Shavers plus vocals by quality singers like Stafford and that man, Sinatra, this is strictly for big band dance fans only. Great to have, if you’re that way inclined.