Dick Hyman is easily one of the most gifted and accomplished living jazz pianists. Dick, who just turned 90, played with both Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie together in 1952 on TV, and he recorded with Lester Young and many other jazz greats. He recorded hundreds of albums on his own and as a sideman, and he knows more songs than any other jazz musician (Marian McPartland's words). What's more, he is a virtuoso in virtually every major jazz piano style dating back to ragtime. [Photo of Dick Hyman, above, courtesy of Dick Hyman]
If you want to hear piano playing that will make your arm hairs stand on end, check out Dick's new release from Arbors Records—Dick Hyman: Solo at the Sacramento Jazz Festivals (1983-1988). Dick writes in his liner notes that the tracks were captured by a cassette tape recorder placed in the piano. The sound is virtually studio quality to my ear.
From the 1983 tracks, Dick's performance of James P. Johnson's (above) Jingles is beyond belief. Even more impressive is his Stella by Starlight, which has now spoiled me for any other version. Pianist Johnny Guarnieri wrote and dedicated Virtuoso Rag to Dick, who calls the song in his liner notes "a good workout." His technique is impossibly marvelous. If you were sentenced to sit in a cell for the next 20 years and your sole task was to learn this song on the piano, you'd be out of luck. Jazz Me Blues, which Bix Beiderbecke made famous in 1927, is another gem.
Or dig how Dick executes Pep (1929) by "Jelly Roll" Morton (above) and "Fats" Waller's Jitterbug Waltz. There will be times you'll think there are two or three pianists playing, but rest assured, it's just Dick. The album ends in 1988 with Dick playing All the Things You Are, alternating between 3/4 and 4/4 time.
Dick is expected to perform at New York's 92Y on July 18. I can't wait. For more information, go here.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Dick Hyman: Solo at the Sacramento Jazz Festivals (1983-1988) from Arbors Records here.
The album also is available at Spotify.
JazzWax clips: Here's Dick with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie playing Hot House in 1952 on the Dumont TV Network with Sandy Block on bass and Charlie Smith on drums. Dick's solo starts at 2:00 in...
And here's Stella by Starlight from his new album. Brace yourself...
To read my Wall Street Journal essay on Dick, go here.
