Customer Reviews

Crazy Rhythm

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If you have only one Les Paul Trio CD in your collection, this is the one to have. These tracks foreshadow all the licks, tricks, harmonic signatures and ideas Les used to develop his "new sound" several years later. Those familiar with his work in the late forties through the early sixties will immediately recognized the genesis of his multi-track "sound." The playing is outstanding and there are a couple of gems with the likes of Joe Venuti and Kay Starr.

Allen Strange

Formerly these tracks were available only on an inferior, poorly documented label (still a bargain)--Laserlight. Besides the tracks on "Crazy Rhythm" there are plenty more, but this will do for a start, proving why Les as a musician is the member of a triumvirate of contemporaneous great jazz players--Charlie, Django and Les. The point is that you have to go to the trios before Mary, multi-tracking, "Lover" and 1948 to appreciate the musicianship underneath the inventor-visionary-savant. He was the first guitarist (opposite Nat King Cole's piano) to play Jazz at the Philharmonic (1944), lighting up the house (look for it--"The Body and Soul Concert" on Jasmine), and in his early career he was conflicted between making money (as Rubarb Red) and playing jazz with the likes of Art Tatum.

These trio sides are miniature masterpieces--tight, often complex, yet full of Paul's dazzling technique (along with the brilliant piano artistry of Paul Smith). They're equal to the genius of the Nat Cole and Benny Goodman Trio recordings--sparkling gems, golden nuggets, chamber jazz played to perfection by the wizard who couldn't read music (he never found the time to learn). And each performance had to be brought in at under 3 minutes--a challenge the Paul group handles as deftly as Shakespeare does the sonnet, neither missing a single particle (whether a word or, as in this instance, a note).

The pop material (on the vast majority of Paul collections) is mostly nostalgia; "Lover" is mere historical curiosity; "Via Con Dias" is tepid 1950s hit-making. The trios are where the action is. They can still jump out of your speakers.

I bought this album along with a couple of other early Les Paul albums mainly out of curiosity. I enjoyed Les Paul's recordings with Mary Ford, and I was curious to hear what he did in the 1940s. I was astonished to discover that he was a jazz virtuoso several years before his popular recordings in the 1950s. His instrumental playing and the playing by the other members of his trio are just wonderful. I play both guitar and piano, and both the guitar and piano here are wonderful, enjoyable, and very interesting musically. If you enjoy jazz guitar, I think you will enjoy this album and the other recordings less Paul did in the 1940s, including his playing behind Bing Crosby.

EVEN WITHOUT THE GIMMICKRY, THE OVER DUBBING, HIS ABILITY TO PLAY AT SLOW SPEED BUT THEN SPEED UP THE RECORDING SO THAT IT PLAYS IN THE KEY NEEDED,
LES PAUL WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST GUITAR PLAYERS THAT EVER LIVED!

Always great to listen to Les Paul's amazing guitar playing. What a talent. I like most of the song selections. Also own a CD with Les Paul and Chet Atkins playing together. Have never tired of that one. Their give and take with each other is entertaining but mainly the beautiful music they produce is always good listening.

The Les Paul guitar needs the piano and bass to bring out the true genius and skills as only exemplified by Les

The CD arrived fast, was in very excellent shape, and expertly wrapped. Would recommend buying from these folks.