2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Really Great Disc of Classic Jazz Piano Music., May 22, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Earl Hines 1928-1932 (Audio CD)
This fabulous disc features mostly piano solos by the great Earl "Fatha" Hines. Hines backed-up Billie Holiday on some tracks in the 1940s, but these cuts show his early talent. Hines superseded earlier stride pianist James P. Johnson, and also the likes of Thomas "Fats" Waller, Willie "The Lion" Smith, and F. L. "Jelly Roll" Morton. How so? Well, he took stride to the next level, while avoiding getting locked into boogie-woogie like Pete Johnson, Albert Ammons, and Meade Lux Lewis (the latter who, by the way, was also a great slow bluesman). Hines took jazz piano to the next level of evolution which started with Scott Joplin--and after Hines--continued with Oscar Peterson and Errol Garner. Really Hines was a sui generis artist like Art Tatum. Hines is the first truly modern jazz pianist: one who can stand alone, without any back-up. I highly recommend this disc, and all Fatha's work. P.S.: All the above mentioned artists can be found on the excellent Chronological Classics, and are highly recommended.
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