A key player in the development of bebop, Roy Eldridge was one of the first trumpet players in jazz to break away from the smooth, lyrical style of Louis Armstrong, and develop a faster pace and a more versatile delivery. Critic Gary Giddins described Eldridge as having a "flashy, passionate, many-noted style that rampaged freely through three octaves, rich with harmonic ideas impervious to the fastest tempos". His playing influenced an entire generation of jazz musicians, many of whom would go on to become leading players in their own right, including Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Howard McGhee and Fats Navarro. Eldridge would also appear alongside, and record with, a considerable number of these performers. With a long and much-celebrated recording career, it was the albums he made, or contributed to, for Verve Records that arguably feature his finest work, particularly those made towards the end of the 1950s and the dawn of the ‘60s.
DISC 1
1. Still Love Him So 5:23 - 2. The Moon Is Low 6:04 - 3. I Missed My Hat 5:17
5. Ballad Medley: I Remember You/Chelsea Bridge/I've Got The World On A String 6:17
6. Polite Blues 7:53 - 7. Close Your Eyes 2:37 - 8. Where's Art 4:05 - 9. I Don't Know 3:58
10. Striding 4:35 - 11. Wailing 3:11 - 12. I've Found A New Baby 9:13
13. I Can't Get Started 9:46 - 14. Sometimes I'm Happy 5:22
15. Ballad Medley: I'm Thru With Love/Can't We Be Friends/Don't You Think?/I Don't Know Why I Love You Like I Do/If I Had You 9:18
DISC 2
1. Steeplechase 17:26 - 2. Tour De Force 11:09
3. Ballad Medley: I'm Thru With Love/The Nearness Of You/Moonlight In Vermont/Summertime 8:42
4. Introduction 1:17 - 5. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me 12:56
6. Day By Day 4:30 - 7. Embraceable You 2:15 - 8. Moonglow 2:45
9. Sweet Georgia Brown 13:18
DISC 3
1. Salute To Benny 8:32 - 2. They Can't Take That Away From Me 6:02
3. Romping 11:43 - 4. Gypsy In My Soul 4:15
5. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone 6:12 - 6. Bossa Nova 2:47
7. The Way You Look Tonight 2:26 - 8. Sweet Sue, Just You 2:29
9. I've Got A Crush On You 2:26 - 10. When I Grow Too Old To Dream 3:03
11. Creme De Menthe 2:43 - 12. Honeysuckle Rose 4:18
13. All The Things You Are 3:31 - 14. Easy Living 3:49
15. But Not For Me 3:18 - 16. Songs Of The Islands 3:08 - 17. Misty 2:46
DISC 4
1. Bean Stalkin' 7:57 - 2. I Can't Get Started 2:36
3. Time On My Hands 2:12 - 4. The Walker 7:23
5. Tea For Two 6:00 - 6. Blue Moon 2:23
7. Cocktails For Two 2:19 - 8. Kerry 7:55
9. Satin Doll 11:18 - 11. Perdido 11:39
12. The Rabbit In Jazz 16:52