Rating:
Genre:
Jazz
Release Date: 09/27/2005
One of
Marian McPartland's first guests in her long-running
NPR radio series was
Teddy Wilson, an old friend with whom she had occasionally played and also recorded a duo album for her own
Halcyon label. She gets
Wilson to talk about his trademark left handed runs that were so important to his style, along with his excitement at hearing
classical jazz pianist
Vladimir Horowitz in concert at the White House earlier in the year, prompting him to play
Robert Schumann's
"Träumerei" (from
Kinderscenen). Of course,
Wilson's style hadn't changed significantly since his tenure with
Benny Goodman, though there is nothing wrong with that, though
McPartland builds an impressive improvisation,
"Marian's Motif," that is based upon a brief musical phrase that
Wilson suggested during the taping. Their duets are just as much fun, including delightful romps through
"I'll Remember April" and
"Flying Home." [Note: this CD is a straight reissue of the earlier 1985
Jazz Alliance release, with a change in the cover art.]
~Ken Dryden, All Music Guide