Duke Ellington -- The Centennial Collection (Bluebird/BMG)

This double-disc set is the ultimate primer for enthusiasts of all ages. The first baker's dozen of selections are gems from Duke Ellington's voluminous songbook, such as "Black And Tan Fantasy," "East St. Louis Toodle-o," "Mood Indigo," "Rockin' In Rhythm" and "Perdido". The final seven sides are all never-before-available radio broadcasts of the Ben Webster/Jimmy Blanton-era band from 1941. The DVD is equally impressive and stuffed with rarely-seen footage. The contents boast the 1934 short film "Symphony In Black," including vocals from Billie Holiday, as well as early music videos called "Soundies" (circa 1941) of "Hot Chocolate (Cotton Tail)," "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good," "Flamingo," "Bli-Blip," "Jam Session," the four-song "Jamboree #7" medley with "Mood Indigo," "Sophisticated Lady," "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" and "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," plus an audio-only interview with Ellington from January of 1941.

Benny Goodman -- The Centennial Collection(Bluebird/BMG)

The undisputed King of the Swing Era has never sounded or looked so good as Benny Goodman does on the 21-song CD and 14-chapter DVD. The genre-defining "King Porter Stomp," "Body And Soul," "These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You," "Bugle Call Rag," "Sing, Sing, Sing," and "Lullaby In Rhythm" have all been completely remastered, with some new digital restorations from vintage acetates. However, the real meat can be found within the rarely seen and previously unreleased footage on the accompanying video disc, commencing with a medley of "I've Got A Heartful Of Music," "Avalon" and "House Hop," from the film Auld Lang Syne (1936), a trio of numbers used in the movie The Powers Girl (1942) and the cinematic "upcoming attractions" trailer for The Gang's All Here (1943). Other essential scenes include Goodman and Peggy Lee's collaboration on "Why Don't You Do Right?" -- one of two Stage Door Canteen (1943) extracts, as well as some raw newsreel shots captured at the opening of the biopic The Benny Goodman Story (1955) and four 1966 performances at the Belgian Jazz Festival.

Coleman Hawkins -- The Centennial Collection (Bluebird/BMG)

This set is a personal favourite and rightfully commemorates the rapidly approaching 100th birthday (November 21, 1904) of tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins. The 20 audio selections cover nearly three decades with a formidable coterie of collaborators, such as "Hocus Pocus" with Fletcher Henderson, "One Sweet Letter From You" and "Dinah" by the Lionel Hampton-led combo, as well as "Half Step Down, Please," "Angel Face" and "I Love You" featuring the "Fats" Navarro (trumpet) incarnation of The Hawk's band circa 1947. The CD is bookended by the classic 1939 version of "Body And Soul" and the 1956 string arrangement update, aptly demonstrating Hawkins' remarkable strength as an unequalled interpretive instrumentalist. The contents of the DVD include rare performances of "Indian Summer," "Avalon," and "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid" during a local New Jersey TV show "Jazz Party". Plus, a reading of "Wild Man Blues" from a network television appearance and "Lover Man," taken off an undeveloped TV pilot. Needless to say, these newly-unearthed nuggets are worth the price of admission in and of themselves.

Artie Shaw -- The Centennial Collection (Bluebird/BMG)

Producers of this anthology were undoubtedly faced with a hard decision when trying to pair down possible inclusions for the 79 minute CD. The 20 songs chosen represent the best of Artie Shaw (clarinet) during the perpetual reinvention of his ever-changing orchestras in the late 1930s and early '40s. "Begin The Beguine," "Any Old Time" (with Billie Holiday on vocals), "Nightmare," "Frenesi," "The Man I Love," "Carioca," "Say It With A Kiss" (with Helen Forrest on vocals), "Star Dust," "Summertime," "There'll Be Some Changes Made," "The Grabtown Grapple" and "Everything Is Jumpin'" are only a few of Shaw's indispensable entries. The DVD has a cinematic short titled "Class In Swing," plus "Everything Is Jumpin'" and "Concerto For Clarinet" extracted from the film Second Chorus (1939). Aficionados are likewise treated to a full-length video interview from 2001 and exemplary biographical information in Richard Sudhalter's extensive liner notes.