Willie "The Lion" Smith, Luckey Roberts, and James P. Johnson were Fats Waller's mentors and musical role models. While Roberts made far too few recordings in general and Johnson didn't lead full-blown studio swing sessions until the late 1930s, Waller & His Rhythm practically defined the genre of small group swing beginning in 1934. Willie "The Lion" Smith made his first recordings as a leader during the years 1935-1937 with a little group identified on the Decca label as His Cubs. The approach was somewhat similar to Waller's, and the Cubs do handle a Waller cover in the form of "There's Gonna Be the Devil to Pay," as well as a Waller original, "I Can See You all Over the Place," better known as "Squeeze Me" …
Anastacio, a football fan supporting the Sporting Club, meets the Baratas while on vacation with his family. They make friends and when Anastacio, his wife and two kids decide to travel from Lisbon to Porto to attend the Invicta/Sporting soccer game, The Baratas invite them in their home. What they do not know is that Anastacio is not a nouveau riche like them and when Juju, Anastacio's daughter falls in love with Eduardo, the Baratas'son, things get complicated…
Willie "The Lion" Smith, one of stride piano's Big Three of the 1920s (along with James P. Johnson and Fats Waller), recorded a lot less than his two friends. In fact, with the exception of two selections apiece with the Gulf Coast Seven in 1925 (which features trombonist Jimmy Harrison and clarinetist Buster Bailey) and 1927's Georgia Strutters (starring singer Perry Bradford, Harrison, and cornetist Jabbo Smith), along with the rare and originally unreleased 1934 solo piano showcase "Finger Buster," this CD does not get started until 1935. Smith's Decca recordings of 1935 and 1937 were formerly quite obscure, showcasing his piano with three different versions of "His Cubs"…