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Jazz Piano Anthology: In the Beginning

by: Various Artists

Release Date September 23, 1997
JAZZ PIANO ANTHOLOGY * IN THE BEGINNING features superb musicians in equally superlative performances. Points off for audio fidelity on the Waller and the acoustically-recorded Morton tracks. Many sides here are later-career efforts, so the sound is quite good. CD comes with excellent liner notes.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS --
James P. Johnson received little acclaim in his lifetime, although he was known and admired by fellow musicians. Johnson invented the Harlem-stride style later emulated by Fats Waller. The difference though, as Waller was the first to admit, was Johnson was best at it. Waller used to lament that he didn't have as quick a left hand, and that's really what stride is all about.

Until he was almost 40, ... Read More: