[1] The album was released posthumously, consisting of the last recordings made by Celestin,[1] who died on December 15, 1954.

Mares had wanted to record Celestin, and knew that the jazz and New Orleans musician was in failing health.

Needing enough material to fill an album, at least a 10-inch one, he arranged to have the songs recorded at extra length each, instead of the three-minute limit that was standard at the time.

[4] The liner notes put a spin on this, citing Mares' desire to record the songs in their "full and complete versions.

[6] Two of these are standards played by almost every Dixieland outfit in existence ("Down by the Riverside", "When the Saints Go Marching In"), but the other two were less well-known ("Marie La Veau", "Oh Didn't He Ramble").