Sir Charles Thompson is one of the longest active jazz musicians – he was touring in territory bands in the 30s, play ing with the founding fathers of bebop in the 1940s, starring on 52nd Street in the 1950s and was highlighting the Japanese jazz scene when these sides were recorded. Yoshio Toyama led a New Orleans style band for many years along with his wife Keiko. They met Thompson and arranged a session to pay tribute to the wonderful sides Sir Charles recorded for Vanguard in the 1950s some of the most revered small group sides ever recorded.