Harlem stride pianists

[thomastreichler]

I am listening to "Don Ewell Solo Piano 1969 - 1973", a Chiaroscuro twofer, combining three previously released lp's ("Jazz On A Sunday Afternoon", "Take It In Stride" and "A Jazz Portrait Of The Artist" as well as three previously unissued tracks from 1967). This is pure stride piano, strongly influenced by Fats Waller, James P. Johnson and Willie 'The Lion' Smith, superbly executed. Highly enjoyable!

Edited August 20, 2008 by Tommy T

[EKE BBB]

This has been recently published by Delmark:

Willie The Lion Smith & Don Ewell - Stride Piano Duets. Live in Toronto, 1966

This is not a reissue of the Grand Piano disc on Sackville, but completely new and fresh material. The music comes from tapes made during a gig shared by the Lion and Don Ewell in a Yonge Street Toronto hostelry -- the Golden Nugget -- in 1966. The tapes were owned by Don Ewell's widow, Mary, and have been taken over by Delmark.

[EKE BBB]

Also, there's is a new 2008 Ralph Sutton/Dave McKenna release (2 CDs) on Victoria records, called "To Sunnie With Love".

From JazzByMail website

Edited September 14, 2008 by EKE BBB

[AllenLowe]

every time this thread re-appears I think of my days as a rehearsal pianist at San Quentin -

[flat5]

What were you rehearsing for?

[Christiern]

The stride that dare not speak its name?

[EKE BBB]

Some stride talk at Mule Walk & Jazz Talk.

[BruceH]

My favorite of the "classic" stride pianists has got to be Fats Waller. He knocks my socks off.

[Hot Ptah]

My favorite of the "classic" stride pianists has got to be Fats Waller. He knocks my socks off.

I have been going to jazz concerts at the Folly Theater in Kansas City since it was restored in 1982. For several years, much of the audience was advanced in age. Unfortunately, not that many of them still attend.

In the late 1980s, the Count Basie band led by Frank Foster played at the Folly. Foster commented from the stage, "it looks like most of you heard the original Basie band before it left Kansas City." That was probably true of the audience back then.

The reason for this discussion--at the intermission the guy sitting behind me said to his friends, "I never thought much of Basie, when I would see him live here in the 1930s. Basie just wasn't that good. Fats Waller now, he was great. Fats Waller was THE man."

Edited February 20, 2009 by Hot Ptah

[EKE BBB]

New Fats Waller DVD: "This Joint Is Jumpin'"

[thomastreichler]

Also, there's is a new 2008 Ralph Sutton/Dave McKenna release (2 CDs) on Victoria records, called "To Sunnie With Love".

From JazzByMail website

How would you rate this one, Augustin? Thanks in advance.

[EKE BBB]

Also, there's is a new 2008 Ralph Sutton/Dave McKenna release (2 CDs) on Victoria records, called "To Sunnie With Love".

From JazzByMail website

How would you rate this one, Augustin? Thanks in advance.

Hi, Thomas!

It's been on my radar for a while, but still haven't pulled the trigger!

Regards,

A

[EKE BBB]

A few more stride-related entries on Mule Walk & Jazz Talk

The Lion, The Lamb & Eubie Blake at Newport '60

Bicephalous stride monster

Louis Mazetier & Rossano Sportiello video

Willie The Lion Smith transcriptions

[thomastreichler]

Also, there's is a new 2008 Ralph Sutton/Dave McKenna release (2 CDs) on Victoria records, called "To Sunnie With Love".

From JazzByMail website

How would you rate this one, Augustin? Thanks in advance.

Hi, Thomas!

It's been on my radar for a while, but still haven't pulled the trigger!

Regards,

A

I finally pulled the trigger and did not regret it. This is a highly enjoyable album. Ralph and Dave complement each other admirably. Both are players with a strong left hand, so you get to hear a lot of piano. The rhythm section, consisting of Gray Sargent, Jack Lesberg and Joe Ascione, swings like hell and they are getting some solo space as well. Each of the two piano players has a couple of features. Every fan of Ralph Sutton and/or Dave McKenna as well as of stride/swing/mainstream piano in general will enjoy this two disc set. One minor complaint: the liner notes are lacking any information on the recording date; I assume that it was recorded sometime in the mid 90's.

[EKE BBB]

Some more entries on stride piano at Mule Walk & Jazz Talk

Battling the Jersey Rocket

James P. Johnson transcriptions

Fats Waller interview (1943)

[papsrus]

Wonderful thread.

I'm just now getting into some stride, primarily through Fats Waller's Proper box set. The man could do some amazing things on the piano.

Have James P. Johnson's Smithsonian / Folkways release on the way. I'm very much looking forward to that. Also attempting to sort out where best to begin with Willie 'The Lion' Smith. The Chronological Classics seem a bit out of reach price-wise. Then again, just about everything he has listed at amazon is pretty pricey.

We'll see. Great thread though.

[Chuck Nessa]

Find the Commodore solos and the Good Time Jazz session The Lion.

[papsrus]

Find the Commodore solos and the Good Time Jazz session The Lion.

Thanks Chuck. Grabbed the Commodore solos.

[papsrus]

Have had James P., Fats, Willie The Lion, now Tatum playing much of the day today. Spurred me to snag the somewhat pricey Lambert Storyville disc, and a second disc by a player not in the stride camp, but nonetheless: Jimmy Yancey -- Complete Vol. 1, 1939 - 1940 (Document)

Edited July 6, 2010 by papsrus

[mjzee]

How is the Donald Lambert? eMusic has it for 12 credits.

[papsrus]

How is the Donald Lambert? eMusic has it for 12 credits.

I just have it on order as of today. Not yet arrived. By all accounts above, though, it's the one to get. It apparently covers most of the much rarer Pumpkin album (all but four tunes, I guess) plus additional material.

[cih]

Have had James P., Fats, Willie The Lion, now Tatum playing much of the day today. Spurred me to snag the somewhat pricey Lambert Storyville disc, and a second disc by a player not in the stride camp, but nonetheless: Jimmy Yancey -- Complete Vol. 1, 1939 - 1940 (Document)

I really need to get more into stride when funds allow - love the stuff. Also Jimmy Yancey (vol 1's my fave but vol 3 essential too - for 'At The Window' - a lesson in restraint. The photo of him with Charlie Spand always makes me think, shame they never recorded Spand around the time the pic was taken - seeing as he's at the piano and all...

Edited July 6, 2010 by cih

[mjzee]

Any thoughts on this?

eMusic

[AllenLowe]

not too good, if it's the one I remember, though it does have what's-his-name on clarinet (drawing a blank, wrote an excellent autobiography and also played bassoon) - for good Lucky, get the session from the late '30s early 40s (jazz-ology?) and the half LP with Willie the Lion.

the original Lambert LPs, by the way, have great, great liner notes by Mike Wellstood. Those notes are a must.

Edited July 14, 2010 by AllenLowe

[Larry Kart]

The reed player would be Garvin Bushell. And Mike Wellstood is a slip for Dick W. There was another stride scholar (maybe also a pianist, maybe not) named Mike -- Mike Lipskin who I believe was tight with Eubie Blake.

Speaking of stride albums with clarinet, I love Eubie's "The Marches I Played on My Ragtime Piano" (20th Century Fox), with Buster Bailey, bass, drums, and Kenny Burrell playing rhythm guitar!