Ragtime Music

Much like the "Five Degree of Kevin Bacon," it seems that Ray Bryant can be connected to most great pianist (and virtually every other important jazz musician) pretty directly.

This one is a snap. It Seems that James P. Johnson used to earn his living (at least in the early years) playing "rent" parties in Harlem.

At bigger parties several pianists would actually compete...to the delight of the crowd. How these contests were judged I don't know, but who did he compete against? None other than Fats Waller and...BOBBIE HENDERSON, who appears with Ray Bryant on "Key One Up." Too easy.

This disc is a fabulous collection of original pieces by Mr. Johnson, most of which combine the strucure of Joplin with the entertaining goofiness of Waller.

The early cuts are pretty muted and dull sounding, (hell, it was 1921!) but the later stuff sounds surprisingly clean.

This disc, and its 22(!) cuts makes for a fabulous addtion to any piano lovers collection.

This is the first of eight volumes in the Classics re-issue of all James P. Johnson recordings released (mostly)under his own name.

Tracks 1 - 3 are piano solos from 1921, and show that the essentials of Johnson's stride piano style were already well in place. All are strong swinging performances with Johnson's trademark precision and drive. Tracks 4-6 are eminently forgettable: mediocre performances by what sounds like a theate pit ensemble. Tracks 7 - 12 are piano solos from 1923, but show Johnson in his "novelty piano" guise, sounding very similar to his contemporary piano roll performances.

The quality picks up for the second half of the CD. "Snowy Morning Blues" is a classic statement of one of Johnson's favorite compositions. Tracks 17-18 are lively trumpet / piano performances accompanying the limited singing talent of Perry Bradford. The final tracks are jazz band recordings featuring both Johnson and his pupil Fats Waller at the piano, exploiting the success they had as a duo in "Keep Shufflin'" on Broadway.

This CD isn't essential Johnson (tracks 1-3 & 14 apart) but lovers of stride piano or 1920s New York jazz will want to own it.

Much like the "Five Degree of Kevin Bacon," it seems that Ray Bryant can be connected to most great pianist (and virtually every other important jazz musician) pretty directly.

This one is a snap. It Seems that James P. Johnson used to earn his living (at least in the early years) playing "rent" parties in Harlem.

At bigger parties several pianists would actually compete...to the delight of the crowd. How these contests were judged I don't know, but who did he compete against? None other than Fats Waller and...BOBBIE HENDERSON, who appears with Ray Bryant on "Key One Up." Too easy.

This disc is a fabulous collection of original pieces by Mr. Johnson, most of which combine the strucure of Joplin with the entertaining goofiness of Waller.

The early cuts are pretty muted and dull sounding, (hell, it was 1921!) but the later stuff sounds surprisingly clean.

This disc, and its 22(!) cuts makes for a fabulous addtion to any piano lovers collection.

This is the first of eight volumes in the Classics re-issue of all James P. Johnson recordings released (mostly)under his own name.

Tracks 1 - 3 are piano solos from 1921, and show that the essentials of Johnson's stride piano style were already well in place. All are strong swinging performances with Johnson's trademark precision and drive. Tracks 4-6 are eminently forgettable: mediocre performances by what sounds like a theate pit ensemble. Tracks 7 - 12 are piano solos from 1923, but show Johnson in his "novelty piano" guise, sounding very similar to his contemporary piano roll performances.

The quality picks up for the second half of the CD. "Snowy Morning Blues" is a classic statement of one of Johnson's favorite compositions. Tracks 17-18 are lively trumpet / piano performances accompanying the limited singing talent of Perry Bradford. The final tracks are jazz band recordings featuring both Johnson and his pupil Fats Waller at the piano, exploiting the success they had as a duo in "Keep Shufflin'" on Broadway.

This CD isn't essential Johnson (tracks 1-3 & 14 apart) but lovers of stride piano or 1920s New York jazz will want to own it.

Volume Two of Classics eight volume James P. Johnson set contains some of the stride masters' greatest recordings in addition to some less memorable band tracks.

Tracks 3-4 and 9-12 are superb examples of stride piano demonstraing all Johnson's formidable talents: superb touch, a great improvisational imagination, power, drive and swing. The variations on the last strain of "Modernistic" are a text book example of Johnson's approach to the piano, while "Feelin' Blue" is a strong example of Johnson's approach to blues, a more powerful interpretation than Waller's similar "Numb Fumblin'".

Tracks 7-8 are big band numbers featuring King Oliver, Johnson sharing the piano with Waller, and a pretty dreadful vocal trio. Tracks 18 - 22 are entertaining: fine band tracks featuring Johnson with Max Kaminsky and the great Pee Wee Russell (listen to the way he swings into the final chorus!). "There'll Be Some Changes Made" is the standout track, but lovers of outrageous musical quotations will admire the way in which in "Dinah" James P. manages to bring in the melody of that classic jazz number, "Yes, We Have No Bananas".

As with all the Classics sets, there are some weak tracks, but this is an enjoyable CD, and the piano solos alone make it an essential purchase for lovers of stride piano.

This CD offers some of Jeanette Macdonald and Nelson Eddy's most beloved songs from their movies. Their natural chemistry is apparent in songs like "Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life" and their individual talents are shown in the solos that they sing. These two legendary performers draw the audience into their songs and each is a special memory of the movie that it came from. Macdonald and Eddy were made to sing together. It is surprising that they were not sweethearts off screen after hearing their voices and seeing their movies. Their passion and tenderness towards each other is something out of a fairy tale. This CD has all the fun, romance, and innocence that was epitomized in their movies. It is a true treasure and a favorite in my music library.