DICK HYMAN - House of Pianos
Arbors Records ARCD 19445
Dick Hyman (solo piano )
Recorded live at Farley’s House of Pianos, Madison, WI, 1st June 2014
Dick Hyman did not pursue the conventional route in becoming a jazz pianist, in the 1950s he was a staff man at WMCA, MGM and NBC and had little contact with jazz. A number of years later he collaborated with critic Leonard Feather to present concerts titled “The History of Jazz“ and later became a scholar and researcher of the history of jazz particularly the piano.
This album although not in the Arbors Jazz Piano Series is very much in the tradition of the Concord label series of live concerts from the Maybeck piano series.
A technically brilliant pianist he is capable of recreating all styles of jazz piano from Ragtime to Free Jazz which he demonstrated with his New York Jazz Repertory Company in concert and on record.
The opening number on the album is an unusually odd choice “Send in the Clowns“ comes over much as a test piece with very little jazz content or feeling this also applies to “Sweet Georgia Brown“.
“Yesterdays“ and the long “All the Things You Are“ are much more reflective and the investigation of the themes of the tunes is far more interesting and the latter would seem to owe much to Art Tatum.
As you would expect the three compositions by Thelonious Monk are the most interesting tracks on the album and indicate the virtuosity and skills of Dick Hyman.
Dick Hyman’s own two compositions themes firstly from the TV game show “Beat the Clock” is a little light relief but theme from Woody Allen’s film “The Purple Rose of Cairo” is a more serious piece.
Dick Hyman gives a whole new lease of life to Strayhorn’s “Take the ‘A’ Train” his left hand is dominant and is a joy to hear.
Whether this release is your bag depends very much on your interest on solo piano, there is plenty to marvel at but not a lot of emotional content although there technical wizardry in spades.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
Arbors Records ARCD 19445
Dick Hyman (solo piano )
Recorded live at Farley’s House of Pianos, Madison, WI, 1st June 2014
Dick Hyman did not pursue the conventional route in becoming a jazz pianist, in the 1950s he was a staff man at WMCA, MGM and NBC and had little contact with jazz. A number of years later he collaborated with critic Leonard Feather to present concerts titled “The History of Jazz“ and later became a scholar and researcher of the history of jazz particularly the piano.
This album although not in the Arbors Jazz Piano Series is very much in the tradition of the Concord label series of live concerts from the Maybeck piano series.
A technically brilliant pianist he is capable of recreating all styles of jazz piano from Ragtime to Free Jazz which he demonstrated with his New York Jazz Repertory Company in concert and on record.
The opening number on the album is an unusually odd choice “Send in the Clowns“ comes over much as a test piece with very little jazz content or feeling this also applies to “Sweet Georgia Brown“.
“Yesterdays“ and the long “All the Things You Are“ are much more reflective and the investigation of the themes of the tunes is far more interesting and the latter would seem to owe much to Art Tatum.
As you would expect the three compositions by Thelonious Monk are the most interesting tracks on the album and indicate the virtuosity and skills of Dick Hyman.
Dick Hyman’s own two compositions themes firstly from the TV game show “Beat the Clock” is a little light relief but theme from Woody Allen’s film “The Purple Rose of Cairo” is a more serious piece.
Dick Hyman gives a whole new lease of life to Strayhorn’s “Take the ‘A’ Train” his left hand is dominant and is a joy to hear.
Whether this release is your bag depends very much on your interest on solo piano, there is plenty to marvel at but not a lot of emotional content although there technical wizardry in spades.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
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