That Roy Milton gets nary a mention in documentaries or surveys of American music reflects how far we have to go in recognizing the true pioneers of this music. Louis Jordan may have created the small swing combo, but Roy Milton boiled it down to its absolute essence--the blues--and emerged as one of the biggest stars in the golden age of jump blues. With a slick combo of big-band veterans (all stars in their own right), rock-solid boogie rhythms, and a sly wit, Milton and His Solid Senders churned out hit after hit, the best of which are to be found in this excellent collection. "RM Blues" is the song that put Specialty Records on the map, while "Hop, Skip & Jump" may be the finest jump-blues song ever recorded. The others merely bridged the gap between R&B and rock & roll. Just buy it. --Ken Hohman