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One of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one major source; 'one of a small number of pianists whose playing shaped the history of jazz', Earl Hines was born on December 28th 1903. In 1925, Hines moved to Chicago. In the poolroom at Chicago's Musicians' Union Hines met Louis Armstrong. They became good friends and Armstrong joined Hines in Carroll Dickerson's band at the Sunset Cafe. In 1927, this became Louis Armstrong's band under the musical direction of Hines. Armstrong and Hines then recorded what are often regarded as some of the most important jazz records ever made. On December 28, 1928, Hines opened at Chicago's Grand Terrace Cafe leading his own big band, the pinnacle of jazz ambition at the time, and for the next 12 years and through the worst of the Great Depression and Prohibition, Hines' band was "The Orchestra" at The Grand Terrace. From there, Hines and his band broadcast on "open mikes" over many years, sometimes seven nights a week, coast-to-coast across America - Chicago being well placed to deal with the U.S. live-broadcasting time-zone problem. In early 1948, Hines joined up again with Armstrong in what became the "Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars" 'small-band'. Next, back as leader again, Hines took his own small combos around the States. In 1954, he toured his then seven-piece group nationwide but, at the start of the jazz-lean 1960s, Hines settled "home" in Oakland, California, opened a tobacconist's, and came close to giving up the profession. He didn't of course, being persuaded out of retirement in 1964 by his manager who saw to it that Hines was 'rediscovered' after as series of recitals in New York, and from then until his death in 1983 he recorded endlessly. This 4 CD collection features eight complete Earl Hines albums, which represent best the huge range of music Hines recorded during his long and varied career, and includes some of his best solo albums.

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