In addition to being perhaps the most famous early rock & roll radio DJ of all, Alan Freed also promoted and presented many early rock & roll concerts, at which a house band was needed to play and back many of the artists. This 24-track CD, though credited to the Alan Freed Rock'n'Roll Big Band, actually features both that group (which performs half the 24 cuts) and a similar outfit called the King's Henchmen (the credited performers on the other dozen selections). The 12 Alan Freed Rock'n'Roll Big Band tracks were all done in November 1957, and used as filler on two various-artists compilation LPs (one on the Coral label, the other on Brunswick). The other 12 tracks, all recorded in February 1958, were issued as a King's Henchmen album titled Alan Freed Presents the King's Henchmen Playing New Orleans Rock'n'Roll. Though it's not known precisely who played on each sessions, it's likely that saxophonists King Curtis, Sam "The Man" Taylor, and Lowell "Count" Hastings played on all of them, as probably did guitarist Kenny Burrell and pianist Ernie Hayes. Getting that discographical confusion out of the way -- and the liner notes do provide a handy discography -- what we have are two dozen early rock & roll instrumentals that, while sounding pretty much like they were thrown together on the spot, are played with great professionalism. Stock early rock & roll/R&B progressions dominate, with plenty of honking saxes. But on the Alan Freed Rock'n'Roll Big Band tracks, there's also a big-band feel to the arrangements (especially in the trumpet parts). As for Freed himself, his participation was minimal; he certainly didn't play any musical instrument, though he introduces a few numbers (and adds a few exhortations here and there) in a hepcat tone of voice.