Two discs featuring his celebrated solo, quartet, setpet, octet and orchestra recordings with such musicians as Herb Geller, Bob Enevoldsen, Curtis Counce, Joe Howard, Milt Bernhart, Johnny Desmond, Howard Roberts and Richie Kamuca, among many others, plus a special string section on 4 tracks conducted by the great Russell Garcia!

When you see John Williams standing before his mighty Boston Pops Orchestra... when you watch him collect another Academy Award or Emmy... when you notice his name as the credits roll by on the major films, have you ever wondered whether he thinks about his roots? Now, looking back to the musical beginnings of John Williams, this 2-CD set may be the perfect answer to this question. John T. William's impressive feeling for jazz accounts for his popularity in the West Coast musical circles as an arranger, conductor and pianist.

CD 1: Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, October 3, 1956 (#1-4), October 18, 1956 (#5-12), November 2, 1956 (#13-16) and Glen Sound Stage, Hollywood, May 8, 1957 (#17-18). CD 2: Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, October 3, 1957 (#1-4), October 4, 1957 (#5-9), October 14, 1957 (#10-12) and Hollywood, February 24, 1958 (#13-24).

#1-12 originally released on as "World On A String!" (Bethlehem), and #13-24 as "Son Nice!-Johnny Desmond" (Venise).

CD 1: 1.The Most Beautiful Girl In The World, 2.In A Little Spanish Town, 3.I'll Take Romance, 4.Zigeuner, 5.Tenderly, 6.Diane, 7.Dear To My Heart, 8.While We're Young, 9.Wait Till You See Her 10.One Love, 11.Bess,Oh Where's My Bess, 12.Hello, 13.Aunt Orsavella, 14.Spring Is Here, 15.Anything Goes, 16.Caribe, 17.One Love, 18.Our Waltz.

PERSONNEL: John T. Williams (p), Howard Roberts, Bob Gibbons (g), Joe Mondragon, Curtis Counce, Rolly Bundock (b), Jack Sperling, Jerry Williams (d) with a string section conducted by Russell Garcia.


CD 2: 1.I've Got The World On A String, 2.Get Happy, 3.That Old Black Magic, 4.Over The Rainbow, 5.Let's Fall In Love, 6.Stormy Weather, 7.My Shinning Hour, 8.Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea, 9.Come Rain Or Come Shine, 10.Here's What I'm Here For, 11.Hit The Road To Dreamland, 12.A Sleepin' Bee, 13.All Of You, 14.The Last Time I Saw Paris, 15.I Can't Get Started, 16.I Got Plenty O'Nuttin', 17.It's The Talk Of The Town, 18. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To, 19.It Ain't Necessarily So, 20.Tenderly, 21.This Can't Be Love, 22.Old Devil Moon, 23.My Happy Time, 24. There's A Small Hotel.

PERSONNEL: Frank Beach, Don Fagerquist, John Audino (tp), Ronnie Lang, Herman Gunkler (cl, as), Herb Geller (as), Buddy Collette, Gene Cipriano, Richie Kamuca, Bill Holman, Gene Cipriano (ts), Marty Berman (bars), Milt Bernhart, Dick Noel, Joe Howard, Ray Sims (tb), Bob Enevoldsen (vtb), George Roberts (btb), Tom Tedesco (g), John T. Williams (p), Buddy Clark (b), Jerry Williams, Frank Capp (d), Larry Bunker (vb), Johnny Desmond (vcl).