EDDIE HEYWOOD – 1950-1951 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1360 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Perfectly suited for the task of providing attractive and accessible music for public consumption, jazz pianist Eddie Heywood, Jr. occupies a comfortable stylistic plateau somewhere between the flashy Herman Chittison and the painterly Erroll Garner. Famous as an accompanist for Billie Holiday and leader of a widely acclaimed small group that recorded for the Commodore label during the early and mid-'40s, Heywood was forced by failing health to take a three-year hiatus from professional activity beginning in 1947. This fourth installment of his complete works in chronological order presents Heywood's comeback recordings, starting with four unaccompanied solos from 1950 and four 1951 piano studies with unidentified large-band accompaniment. The instrumental arrangements follow the pattern established by Heywood's Commodore ensembles, whereby the piano remains very much in the foreground while the horns serve only to accentuate and lightly embellish. This tidy formula, typified by Heywood's 1944 recording of "Begin the Beguine," sometimes caused frustration among his sidemen. Vic Dickenson was known to express laconic resentment at being made to feel superfluous when Heywood's band performed in public. This, of course, has no bearing whatsoever upon the material heard here. Eight sides recorded for Columbia in August and September of 1951 perfectly illustrate the pianist's whimsy, and with all respect to the bassist and drummer, it probably doesn't matter who they were. Most of the time the whole point of an Eddie Heywood performance was the pianist first and foremost. Eight tracks recorded for MGM in December of 1951 illustrate the point to perfection -- the other musicians remain anonymous while Heywood basks calmly in the limelight. "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Perdido" are relaxed grooves well worth visiting. Here is lounge piano that's substantial and rewarding. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist  :