Search - Eubie Blake :: Memories of You

When Eubie Blake died in 1983 at age 100, he was one of a handful of performers who lived long enough to see jazz evolve from its earliest roots through to its contemporary form. It's a genre Blake undoubtedly influenced over his long career, though in reality he never really stopped doing what he did best--ragtime. Memories of You features Blake's piano roll recordings from 1915 to 1973 (most were recorded in '21), and the sound quality--like the music--is excellent. The musician's take on "Charleston Rag"--written by Blake in 1899 and recorded here in 1917--might be the first jazz tune to feature a walking bass. Other compositions--1915's "Chevy Chase" and 1921's "Memphis Blues," especially--are filled with a frenzied energy that would foreshadow the shape of jazz to come. Two of his most memorable compositions--"I'm Just Wild About Harry" and "Memories of You"--are included, recorded for piano roll in 1973, when Blake was 90 and as lively as ever. Though the music catalog of Blake is in sad shape (some of his best recordings, including the definitive LP set The 86 Years of Eubie Blake, haven't yet found their way to CD), this collection is a great place to start. --Jason Verlinde