Cleo Brown
was a singing
boogie-woogie
pianist active from the 1930s into the 1950s who was one of
Dave Brubeck
's early influences. She retired from music and she stuck to playing exclusively for her church in Denver as the
jazz
world lost track of her -- until
Marian McPartland
sought
Brown
for an appearance on her Piano Jazz series in the 1980s. This studio session followed the taping of the program, with
McPartland
as a guest on several tracks. Many of the numbers are original
gospel
compositions by
, some sung in a very friendly manner, such as her
"I'm a Little Old Woman,"
the charming
"Afterglow,"
and the very bluesy
"I've Been 'Buked and Scorned."
's chops show no signs of slipping as she plays wonderful two-fisted piano on
standards
such as
"Without a Song,"
and her stimulating duets with
include the spiritual
"Down by the Riverside,"
the surprising choice of
"Silent Night,"
"Marian's Mood"
(possibly worked out on the spot in the studio by the pianists), and the old
hymn
"Just a Closer Walk With Thee."
Sadly, this was
's final recording prior to her death in 1995. ~ Ken Dryden