Search - Willie "The Lion" Smith, Willie the Lion Smith :: 1944-1949

Strong Stride Piano

B. D. Tutt | London, UK. | 07/27/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Willie "The Lion" Smith was one of the top players of "Harlem Stride Piano", generally considered to be on a par with James P. Johnson and Fats Waller. His style was utterly distinctive, combining themes of rhapsodic lyricism with fast stride playing of great power. A prominent fan was Duke Ellington, who composed "Portrait of the Lion" as a tribute.Smith was unfortunate in his recording career, being largely neglected in his prime and only recorded extensively in the 1960s when he has in decline. This CD captures Smith when he was still in strong form. Track 1 is a rare 1944 solo from the Asch label, a Smith original which sounds like a paraphrase of some of his better known works. Tracks 2 - 5 feature "The Lion's Band" (starring Max Kaminsky & Rod Cless) and were made for Black & White in 1944. Tracks 6 to 13 are piano duets with drummer Wallace Bishop recorded in Paris in 1949, and find Smith in strong form. "Relaxing", Smith's theme song in later years, is given a more extended performance than was subsequently the case, with a full statement of an introductory theme that Smith usually omitted. "Contrary Motion" and "Zig Zag", in their first commercial recordings, are classic Smith themes, combining power, intricacy and swing. Tracks 14 - 19, again from 1949, are powerful but mixed piano solos. "Dardanella", an uninspired tune, became a staple of Smith's concert performances later in life, and "Carolina Shout" is given a disappointingly pedestrian reading. The highlights are a driving performance of a neglected Smith original, "Cuttin' Out", and best of all, a classic stride rendition of the French march tune "La Madelon". The remaining tracks feature Smith with Bishop, trumpeter Buck Clayton and on some tracks, clarinetist Claude Luter. Theses are pleasant but unessential tracks.As usual with Classics, sound quality is variable, and some of the Paris material in particular is rather muddy. Having said this, many of the piano solos / duets are amongst the best of Smith's post- war work, and are a welcome addition to the catalogue."