(2-CD set for the price of one CD) Stuff Smith was not just a violinist, he was one of the hardest swinging musicians in the history of jazz and certainly the most forceful swing violinist ever. He was a stunning live performer who was an influence on Dizzy Gillespie, and he was known to perform with a battered stovepipe hat on the back of his head and a stuffed parrot perched on his shoulder. 49 of Smith’s finest performances from 1936-45 are captured here.