88s Chicago Breakdown

Butch Thompson | Format: Audio Cassette

Product Details

• Audio Cassette (May 10, 1994)
• Label: Daring Records
• ASIN: B000001CXT
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,668,912 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. King Porter Stomp

2. Krooked Blues

3. A Solas

4. Chicago Breakdown

5. Original Jelly Roll Blues

6. How Long Blues

7. Beale Street Blues

8. Sweet Substitute

9. Sunday Rag

10. Working Man Blues

11. Mamamita

12. Someday, Sweetheart

13. Fickle Fay Creep

14. Michigan Water Blues

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth buying, December 1, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Chicago Breakdown 88's (Audio CD)

I like this CD; it was a worthwhile purchase. For those who like early jazz it is particularly interesting to hear Jelly Roll Morton recorded with modern technology on solo piano. My main criticism is with the recording style. First, the piano, a Falcone concert grand, does not have an impressive tone. I don't know why a Steinway was foresaken for this instrument. There is little lyricism in the right hand and the left hand, so fundamental to stride piano styles, produces a shallow sound. Furthermore, a piano of this size needs room to project itself: where a piano is played is as essential as its quality. This is a studio recording, where the microphone is placed, is seems, inside the piano. Too close a sound, in my opinion, giving off a rather cold and tin-like recording sound. Emotion is often missing as a result. Mr. Thompson's playing is enjoyable, but I often find he plays at the same dynamic range the whole way through a piece. Are crecendos or variations in volume not part of this piano playing style? I think they belong, and their absense takes away some of the emotion that can be derived from this music, as well as the exitement (at the new sound of the Americas) that characterizes Morton's recordings. Besides these criticisms, if you are not fussy about sound, you will truly enjoy this CD. Great music, that speaks to the origins of jazz. When I played it at home, the reaction was positive from everyone.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Smooth and Mellow., May 27, 2008

By 

Cheryl A. Enyart "trayne1837inc" (Gallipolis, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chicago Breakdown 88's (Audio CD)

I don't know one piano from another, but I do know good piano jazz... This music is as smooth and mellow as it gets. Butch Thompson just mellows with age..
So, throw a log on the fire, grab that bottle of wine, and soak in that good jazz and blues.

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Jazz Piano, February 25, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Chicago Breakdown 88's (Audio CD)

If you want Jazz and Blues Piano, this is a great CD. The songs are wonderful and Butch Thompson plays them as they should be played.