egroj world: Dick Wellstood • Alone

Monday, October 25, 2021

Dick Wellstood • Alone

Review
by Ken Dryden
Dick Wellstood was one of the foremost stride piano players, and his premature death in 1987 deprived the jazz world of a major talent. This CD reissues the complete contents of the 1970-1971 sessions that made up the original LP, adding four new tracks from a previously unreleased 1975 studio date. There's plenty of great music for a stride fan to devour: Fats Waller's "Viper's Drag" and "Squeeze Me," James P. Johnson's "Carolina Shout" (a mandatory number for stride players), plus interpretations of ragtime (Scott Joplin's "Fig Leaf"), W.C. Handy's "Atlanta Blues," and the playful novelty piano number "Poor Buttermilk" by Zez Confrey. Wellstood also delights in rearranging a theme by Rachmaninoff into his "Russian Rag," while his "South Amboy Highball" is a boogie-woogie piece that suggests a train underway. The sound is a little distorted on the 1975 session, due to the dynamic range of these recordings exceeding the capabilities of a CD. In addition to a loping "On the Sunny Side of the Street," a virtuoso performance of "Body and Soul," and a brilliantly conceived medley of classic Duke Ellington compositions, there's one odd track. Although "Superstar" is credited to Wellstood, it is actually a very bluesy, often sidesplitting interpretation of the schmaltz-filled hit recorded by the Carpenters. Is there such a thing as a mediocre Dick Wellstood release? Don't bet on it!
https://www.allmusic.com/album/alone-mw0000405729

Biography
by Scott Yanow
One of the two great stride pianists (along with Ralph Sutton) to emerge during the 1940s when members of their generation were generally playing bebop, Wellstood kept an open mind toward later styles (he loved Monk) while sounding at his best playing classic jazz. A little more subtle than Sutton, Wellstood was also a powerful pianist who was a superb interpreter of the music of James P. Johnson and his contemporaries. He came to New York with Bob Wilber's Wildcats in 1946 and caught on in the trad jazz scene quickly. By 1947 he was playing with Sidney Bechet, and in the 1950s he mostly worked with veteran players including trumpeters Roy Eldridge, Rex Stewart, and Charlie Shavers and the Eddie Condon gang. He was in the intermission band at Condon's starting in 1956 and later was house pianist at the Metropole and Nick's. After a period with Gene Krupa's quartet, he toured with the World's Greatest Jazz Band. Wellstood remained active throughout his all-too-short life, playing solo concerts, performing at jazz parties, and recording quite a few memorable albums.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dick-wellstood-mn0000822393/biography

///////

Revisión
por Ken Dryden
Dick Wellstood fue uno de los principales pianistas de stride, y su prematura muerte en 1987 privó al mundo del jazz de un gran talento. Este CD reedita el contenido completo de las sesiones de 1970-1971 que componían el LP original, añadiendo cuatro temas nuevos de una fecha de estudio inédita de 1975. Hay un montón de buena música para que el fan de la zancada la devore: "Viper's Drag" y "Squeeze Me" de Fats Waller, "Carolina Shout" de James P. Johnson (un número obligatorio para los músicos de stride), además de interpretaciones de ragtime ("Fig Leaf" de Scott Joplin), "Atlanta Blues" de W.C. Handy, y el juguetón y novedoso número de piano "Poor Buttermilk" de Zez Confrey. Wellstood también se deleita en la reorganización de un tema de Rachmaninoff en su "Russian Rag", mientras que su "South Amboy Highball" es una pieza de boogie-woogie que sugiere un tren en marcha. El sonido está un poco distorsionado en la sesión de 1975, debido a que el rango dinámico de estas grabaciones supera las capacidades de un CD. Además de un flojo "On the Sunny Side of the Street", una virtuosa interpretación de "Body and Soul" y un brillantemente concebido popurrí de composiciones clásicas de Duke Ellington, hay una pista extraña. Aunque "Superstar" se atribuye a Wellstood, en realidad es una interpretación muy bluesera y a menudo desternillante del éxito lleno de schmaltz grabado por los Carpenters. ¿Existe algo así como un lanzamiento mediocre de Dick Wellstood? No apuestes por ello.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/alone-mw0000405729

Biografía
por Scott Yanow
Uno de los dos grandes pianistas de stride (junto con Ralph Sutton) que surgieron durante la década de 1940, cuando los miembros de su generación tocaban generalmente bebop, Wellstood mantuvo la mente abierta hacia estilos posteriores (le encantaba Monk) mientras sonaba en su mejor momento tocando jazz clásico. Un poco más sutil que Sutton, Wellstood era también un poderoso pianista que interpretaba magníficamente la música de James P. Johnson y sus contemporáneos. Llegó a Nueva York con los Wildcats de Bob Wilber en 1946 y se impuso rápidamente en la escena del jazz tradicional. En 1947 ya tocaba con Sidney Bechet, y en la década de 1950 trabajó sobre todo con músicos veteranos como los trompetistas Roy Eldridge, Rex Stewart y Charlie Shavers y la banda de Eddie Condon. Formó parte de la banda de intermedios del Condon's a partir de 1956 y más tarde fue pianista de la casa en el Metropole y en el Nick's. Tras un periodo con el cuarteto de Gene Krupa, realizó una gira con la World's Greatest Jazz Band. Wellstood se mantuvo activo durante toda su corta vida, dando conciertos en solitario, actuando en fiestas de jazz y grabando unos cuantos álbumes memorables.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dick-wellstood-mn0000822393/biography

Tracklist
1 - Viper's Drag
Written-By – Thomas "Fats" Waller
3:25
2 - Squeeze Me
Written-By – Clarence Williams, Thomas "Fats" Waller
4:01
3 - Poor Buttermilk
Written-By – Zez Confrey
3:19
4 - Atlanta Blues (Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor)
Written-By – Dave Elman, W. C. Handy
4:47
5 - You Can't Lose A Broken Heart
Written-By – James P. Johnson
3:24
6 - Carolina Shout
Written-By – James P. Johnson
2:36
7 - Russian Rag
Written-By – Dick Wellstood
3:12
8 - Fig Leaf (A Classic Rag)
Written-By – Scott Joplin
3:11
9 - South Amboy Highball
Written-By – Dick Wellstood
5:32
10 - Cheatin' On Me
Written-By – Jack Yellen, Lew Pollack
3:06
11 - Dollar Dance
Written-By – Dick Wellstood
4:20
12 - The Sunny Side Of The Street
Written-By – Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields
3:41
13 - Superstar
Written-By – Dick Wellstood
14 - Body And Soul
Written-By – Edward Heyman, Frank Eyton, John Green, Robert Sour
4:14
- Duke Ellington Medley:    (9:29)
15.1 - Prelude To A Kiss
Written-By – Edward K. Ellington, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills
15.2 - Day-Dream
Written-By – Edward K. Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, John Latouche
15.3 - Sophisticated Lady
Written-By – Edward K. Ellington, Mitchell Parish, Irving Mills
15.4 - Caravan
Written-By – Juan Tizol, Edward K. Ellington, Irving Mills

Credits:
    Liner Notes, Coordinator [Production] – Wendell Echols
    Mastered By [Premastering] – Parker Dinkins
    Photography By [Cover] – Al McManus (3)
    Piano, Liner Notes – Dick Wellstood
    Producer – Dick Wellstood (tracks: 12 to 15)
    Producer, Recorded By – Hank O'Neal (tracks: 1 to 11)
    Producer, Transferred By [Digital] – Dick Burwen (tracks: 12 to 15)
    Reissue Producer – George H. Buck, Jr.

Notes:
Tracks 1 to 11 originally recorded between November 1970 and March 1971 in New York City.
These eleven tracks first appeared on Jazzology LP JCE-73.
Tracks 12 to 15 recorded at Burwen studio in Lexington, Massachusetts on October 12, 1975 and are previously unissued.

Label: Solo Art – SACD-73
Released: 1997
Genre: Jazz
Style: Swing, Stride, Ragtime
https://www.discogs.com/release/13285699-Dick-Wellstood-Alone