Rowland Bernard “Bunny” Berigan remains one of the legends of classic jazz, a titanic trumpeter, and one of the authentically tragic figures of the music’s history. Berigan was a musician whose musical well of ideas was drawn largely from Louis Armstrong’s brimming reservoir. He was a superb technician and skilled sight-reader whose carefree command of his horn carried him easily through any contemporary challenges. But – like Bix Beiderbecke – alcohol would be his downfall. “Bunny was great”, observed Armstrong in a rare critical moment, “but he had no business dying that young!” Berigan died on June 2nd 1942 aged just 33 and consequently for some listeners the music on this album may be entirely new. If so prepare yourself for jazz revelations and wonders.