It's amazing that Lipskin says he's an ear player, and never learned to read well while developing. He's such a monster stride player. His website says he produced records for RCA for 13 years and later became a lawyer. I'd assumed he just played piano non-stop for the last 70 years.
I’ve loved reading these James P. Johnson pieces so much and had to buy an old record I saw yesterday at a record shop in San Diego. Any thoughts on how “Stomps Rags and Blues - Rent Party Piano” (Blue Note 7011) rates in his discography?
It's amazing that Lipskin says he's an ear player, and never learned to read well while developing. He's such a monster stride player. His website says he produced records for RCA for 13 years and later became a lawyer. I'd assumed he just played piano non-stop for the last 70 years.
I’ve loved reading these James P. Johnson pieces so much and had to buy an old record I saw yesterday at a record shop in San Diego. Any thoughts on how “Stomps Rags and Blues - Rent Party Piano” (Blue Note 7011) rates in his discography?
Well, all of James P. is tops with me, but I think he was best before his first stroke in the early 1940s.
Thanks for this! I have to read that Fats Waller book.
As it happened I featured side one of Lipskin’s record with The Lion a few months back:
https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/160152
Great stuff as always -- curious where you would place Herbie Nichols in this lineage?
Nichols certainly has some stride in his sound but he's a modern jazz pianist (and great modernist composer)
Wonderful piece in every way. Thank you, Ethan!
right on
i love love love this piano playing. thanks Ethan.
Me too! Thanks Howard
Terrific piece. Your historical writings are small treasures. Keep them coming.
thanks very much
Just remembering that I grew up with Fats Waller records, my parents having discovered him.
Fats is the best!