Reviews
"Digby Fairweather's liner notes say it all: Butterfield was a jazz trumpeter who can rightly be hailed as one of the greatest. Never an international star like Harry James, Louis Armstrong or Dizzy Gillespie, he was nevertheless in that bracket as far as instrumental virtuosity is concerrned and these 24 tracks prove it. Whether leading his own orchestra or merely one of the trumpet section of another band such as Bob Crosby or Artie Shaw, Butterfield's sound is unmistakable. There is a tremendous range of music here, whether it be wonderfully lyrical STARDUST with Artie Shaw's Orchestra, acting as more than a mere accompanist to Margaret Whiting on MOONLIGHT IN VERMONT and Sinatra on NEVERTHELESS and concluding with those collaborations with Ray Conniff that enjoyed so much success in the late Fifties. Apart from the exemplary liner notes there are the usual high Retrospective production values. Excellent" In Tune July 2012
"The displays of trumpet playing are inspiring of great awe. Although he makes it sound easy Billy always gives the impression that he’s putting everything he’s got into it. Here are two of the best Crosbys, Shaw’s greatest classic, excellent Goodman/Powell, absorbing Brad Gowans with all nine of them good, fine Whiting, Hucko and Wiley along the way and Boomie and McGarity romping on the Gus Hoo tracks. Five stars."- Steve Voce, Jazz Journal