Armstrong-tinged trumpeter Newton (1906-1954) may be largely forgotten now, but in his day he stood out as an intriguing, often advanced soloist, known also for his Left-ish political views, and for having a talent as a visual artist.

In other words, Newton had a wider world view than many of his contemporaries, which may have counted against him in certain circles but nonetheless, ensured his employment by Barney Josephson at the racially integrated Café Society in New York and doubtless commended him to Messrs Lion and Wolff, the German émigré proprietors of Blue Note Records: his stirring Port of Harlem Seven (with Sidney Bechet) and Quintet sides made for them are selected here.

Newton had cut his teeth in travelling big bands and recorded widely for others, but it’s his own small group recordings that Retrospective compiler Ray Crick has turned to, and very welcome they are. Many badged as by his Uptown Serenaders, and with an almost Bobcat feel, they used many of the best African-American swing sidemen of the day, the always forceful Hall, bustling Scott and the wheezy-sounding Brown taking their chances well.

Later tracks are by Newton’s highly accomplished Café Society Orchestra with its three-man sax line-up, Kersey memorable on piano and Tab Smith transcendent on soprano on his ‘Tab’s Blues’, Newton adventurous and invariably rewarding.

It’s said that Newton lacked the drive to succeed that others had; beset by periods of illness and generally unlucky in life, his career eventually petered out. Still, there are gems aplenty amid these 25 tracks and Newton certainly deserves to be remembered.