As mentioned in a recent Syncopated Times article about keyboardist Dick Hyman, jazz duet recordings can be the hardest things for two players to bring off owing to the need for the two musicians to support and instantly respond to each other, plus the fact that the slightest error can be the equivalent of a blaring klaxon, thus degrading the performance. A prime example of the first occurring wonderfully and the second not happening at all is the album Fireworks by cornetist Ruby Braff and Dick Hyman, which was not mentioned in my prior Hyman article (“97 Years of Jazz: Happy Birthday, Dick Hyman!” TST, March 2024).
Recorded in concert at New York’s New School For Social Research, neither Hyman nor Braff were aware that their efforts would result in an album. All of the performances were completely extemporaneous, with only the title and starting key of the tunes known beforehand. Five of the eight compositions performed were George Gershwin tunes. Both of the players were brilliant LISTENING improvisers, creating their jazz variations with supreme technique and imagination, without stepping on the other. Most of their creations could be stylistically termed “accessible mainstream jazz” minus be-bop allusions. In contrast, “High Society” is a romping masterpiece highlighting Hyman’s shouting stride and Braff’s revealing his admiration for Louis Armstrong’s emotional grandeur.
While most duet recordings involve at least one pianist, notable exceptions to this are the albums by clarinetist Billy Novick and guitarist Guy Van Duser. Best known as reedman with Boston’s Black Eagle Jazz Band, Novick’s thoughtfully melodic playing blends well with Van Duser’s acoustic guitar, usually plucked in a fingerpicking style that provides a frequently two-beat backing to Novick and his own jazz improvisations, No wonder one of their albums is titled Stride Guitar. The repertoire on their three releases runs the gamut from pop swing (“Them There Eyes”) to marches (Sousa’s “Semper Fidelis”) as well as classic jazz tunes from Fats Waller and James P. Johnson.
The great stride/stomp pianist Don Ewell did two albums with strider Willie “the Lion” Smith. The first one released, titled Grand Piano, pleasantly matched Ewell with Smith’s unique personal style, but the second, released several years later but actually recorded before the earlier release, is disappointing. Either “the Lion” was disinterested in sharing the spotlight or just having a bad day, He tramples Ewell’s efforts here, not trying to blend or support him. Fortunately Don Ewell recorded two far better duet albums, one with fellow Jelly Roll Morton advocate Bob Greene and another with the individualistic but equally great Dick Wellstood.
Wellstood, after a long career that began with reedman Bob Wilber’s band in the mid-1940s, became the most creative of the striders, interposing many surprising later stylistic ideas and chords within his two handed, robust playing. Aside from the really good duo recordings with Dick Hyman mentioned in the earlier Hyman article, he did one with Bob Wilber and two with another wonderful reedman, Kenny Davern. Dick Wellstood and his Famous Orchestra features Davern on soprano sax at his emotional, bluesy best and includes their dazzling “Fast As A Bastard,” which was their take on Duke Ellington’s “Jubilee Stomp.” With Davern on clarinet for the second one, titled Never In A Million Years, the repertoire is dominated by frequently heard standards elevated by the players’ imaginations
The Wilber set includes an uptempo “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and “Chinatown, My Chinatown,” which amply display Wellstood’s exciting fast stride chops as well as Wilber’s hot yet lyrical improvisations. The whole album is worthy of many a listen as are the two with Davern. Perhaps the most surprising performance is Scott Joplin’s rag “The Entertainer” played as a slow blues.
Ralph Sutton was the other great hard-swinging pianist to emerge post WWII. He recorded frequently as a soloist and as a member of bands such as The World’s Greatest Jazz Band, with which he was associated for several years. He could play pretty, but when he wanted to he could generate a monstrously powerful stride. Aside from the two Hyman duo albums mentioned in the past he’s also done good ones with Ruby Braff and tenor sax man Eddie Miller. In his 75th year, just before health problems hindered his playing ability, Sutton traveled to Germany to record with the much younger and excellent pianist Bernd Lhotsky, Stridin’ High through standards such as “Indiana” and “Jeepers Creepers.” Also included is a beautiful Sutton solo “Love Lies.”
Before getting away from Bernd Lhotzky, it should be mentioned that he did a very good duet album with trumpeter Duke Heitger called Doin’ The Voom Voom that features a nice balance of ballads and hot ones, highlights including Gershwin’s “Liza,” the title tune, plus an obscure, wistful Willard Robison composition called “Poor Loulie Jean” that shows Heitger’s expertise with a variety of mute expressions. Along with Lhotzky’s stride and swing command, Duke Heitger frequently demonstrates influences of both Louis Armstrong’s emotionalism and Ruby Braff’s fleet technicality.
How Could We Be Blue is the title of the cheerful LP featuring pianists Butch Thompson and James Dapogny. Despite some blues here and there, delightful stomping and striding dominates. Dapogny was best known for leading the State Street Aces and his Chicago Jazz Band while Thompson led the house band on NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion radio show for several years. The repertoire here was penned by Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, and young Duke Ellington. Despite working very well together, this is their only album.
Another “I wish they could have recorded more” album was Echoes Of Caroline by Frenchmen Francois Rilhac and Louis Mazetier. Both were first rate striders who were friends and played concerts together (some of which can now be seen on YouTube). Every tune here is a treat, the best being an extended “Love Nest.” Their concert and recording career was tragically cut short by Rilhac’s sudden death. Mazetier went on the record two excellent albums with the English pianist Neville Dickie, one with American cornetist Peter Ecklund, and several with the quartet Paris Washboard. On one of the recordings with Dickie, Louis Mazetier performs an original solo, alternately beautiful and romping, called “Francois,” obviously a tribute to Rilhac. Louis Mazetier is probably the best pure stride player around today.
Incidentally, Neville Dickie, in addition to several excellent solo albums, has done one with the American stride expert Paul Asaro, who can be heard with Andy Schumm’s Chicago Cellar Boys and well as his own swing combo.
Although clarinetist Evan Christopher is undoubtedly a jazz artist, and a good one at that, one doubts if he wants to be pinned down to one style of expression, having played on tributes to Gypsy swing, Sidney Bechet, and disparate others. His two duet CDs with accomplished pianist Tom McDermott consist mainly of Latin tunes, rags, and originals, with jazz given a sidelong glance. On the other hand, his album with pianist Ehud Asherie is pure jazz. Asherie is basically a very good modern jazz player who can play good stride on occasion. Here James P. Johnson’s “Love Bug” and their grand finale, Wellstood and Davern’s “Fast As A Bastard” fit that bill. All other selections, even Jelly Roll Morton’s “The Pearls,” are subject to modern interpretation.
Ruby Braff. Bob Greene. Don Ewell. Willie “the Lion” Smith. Dick Wellstood. Kenny Davern. Bob Wilber. Ralph Sutton. Eddie Miller. James Dapogny. Peter Ecklund. Francois Rilhac. Butch Thompson. All of these wonderful musicians, mentioned in this article, are now gone. Although there are still musicians who play their style of music, they are becoming fewer and fewer and their audience is diminishing. The recording dates of the late musicians’ performances have not been included intentionally, because their music is timeless. As most of the cited duets are now out of print, good luck finding them. The effort will be worth it.
