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Marian McPartland: Piano Jazz with Mary Lou Williams
The disc opens with Williams, along with bassist Ronnie Boykins (who also performs marvellously here), swinging along on her tune “Space Playing Blues.” “Baby Man” is supposed to be a slow blues, but Williams is so spry on the keys that she almost seems to defeat the purpose. She plays the ballad “What’s Your Story, Morning Glory?” with stunning dexterity, making the notes cascade from her fingers. The first duet Williams and McPartland share, “Scratchin’ in the Gravel,” is played with perfect harmony and timing, as though the two have played together for years. Boykins has a great plucked/bowed/plucked moment on “Medi No. 2.” Williams is especially charming when, on a playful dare from McPartland, she sings a gravelly and diffident “Rosa Mae.”
The between-song banter between the players is also both informative and entertaining. Williams’ description of Fats Waller’s style (“like a metronome... has a lot of love in it”); the effect that playing boogie-woogie has on the arms; how to adjust the keys in which one plays to account for the effect of humidity on the piano; Williams’ pride in her place in jazz history (“I’m the only living musician that has played all the eras. Other musicians lived through the eras and they never changed their styles.”) At one point McPartland asks Williams to replay some of her left hand changes, adding playfully “I’m trying to steal it, can’t you tell?” Williams responds by wordlessly going into a lovely “I Can’t Get Started.”
Track Listing
1 - Space Playing Blues 2 - Conversation 3 - Baby Man 4 - Conversation 5 - What's Your Story, Morning Glory? 6 - Conversation 7 - Scratchin' In The Gravel 8 - Conversation 9 - Medi No. 2 10 - Conversation 11 - Rosa Mae 12 - Conversation 13 - Rosa Mae 14 - Conversation 15 - Caravan 16 - Conversation 17 - I Can't Get Started 18 - Conversation 19 - Jeep Is Jumpin', The 20 - Conversation 21 - Exit Playing
Personnel
Marian McPartland
pianoMarian McPartland - piano.
Album information
Title: Piano Jazz with Mary Lou Williams | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Unknown label