Search - Don Ewell :: Solo Piano 1969-1973

Top Class Jazz Piano

B. D. Tutt | London, UK. | 09/13/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Don Ewell was not well served by the recording industry. Despite being hailed as the greatest pianist to emerge from the traditional jazz revival, Ewell's recording output is rather mixed. After the three fine LPs made for Good Time Jazz in 1956-57 (all now on CD), much of Ewell's recording career found him playing with mediocre dixieland bands. Many of his finest solo recordings (for example, those on the Windin' Ball, Stomp Off and Pumpkin labels) have still not been re-issued on CD.An exception to this poor treatment was provided by Hank O'Neal's Chiaroscuro label, which spent the 1970s recording the then deeply unfashionable surviving mainstream jazz masters. This CD sees the re-issuing in full of two magnificent solo LPs from Chiaroscuro, the 1969 "A Jazz Portrait of the Artist" and the 1973 "Take it in Stride". Added to it is the 1969 Fat Cat Jazz LP "Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon" (also produced by O'Neal), which makes it a definitive release of Ewell's latter-day piano style. Originally coming to fame as an uncannily accurate re-creator of Jelly Roll Morton's piano style, the mature Ewell had developed a warm swinging approach which amalgamated elements of Morton, Earl Hines and James P. Johnson in an instantly recognisable style. Among the numerous highlights in this release are vigorous stride performances of "Get Happy", "I Found a New Baby" and the Ewell original "Take it in Stride", three fine original blues performances, a superb "Snowy Morning Blues" reminiscent of Johnson himself, and a beautifully swinging mid - tempo performances of Morton's obscure "Honey Babe". In addition, there is the bonus of three previously unissued 1967 private recordings, plus a 1969 "I'm Coming Virginia" previously available only on an obscure compilation LP.Sound quality is good throughout, although the piano sound differs quite considerably from session to session, and there is some background conversation on "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now". This wonderful release of top quality music by a neglected master is recommended without hesitation to all lovers of first class swinging jazz piano."