The music of
Fats Waller
never sounds old and dated, especially when in the hands of the two masters who share top billing on this album. Australian cornetist
Bob Barnard
, who made his first solo album in 1952, and American
Ralph Sutton
, one of the last geniuses of the
stride
piano, renew their acquaintance with this release. The term "music" is used broadly to mean not only pieces written by
Waller
but also others' compositions that
had in his vast repertoire, some of which were virtually
's personal property, such as
"You Meet the Nicest People in Your Dreams."
Included is
"It's a Sin to Tell a Lie,"
which
did with a tongue-in-cheek, don't-you-really-believe-it demeanor. The double-entendre
"Sweet and Slow"
was a
favorite, and one that
Sutton
has recorded elsewhere. In addition to the house rhythm section of
Ed Gaston
on bass and
Len Barnard
on drums, guests arrive on some tracks to help move things along.
Don Burrows
, with many albums of his own under his belt, does his clarinet thing on such cuts as
"Up Jumped You With Love"
and
"I'm Crazy About My Baby."
On the former, he ad libs over
Barnard
's enunciation of the melody line before taking a chorus of his own. Another Australian clarinet player of note,
John McCarthy
joins in on a slow drag version of
"Squeeze Me."
An album highlight is
"Blue Turning Grey Over You,"
the only track where it's just
. About 100 years of
jazz
performing experience are on exhibit here, and you hear every year in every note. Highly recommended for
fans in particular and lovers of any
style played by consummate artists. ~ Dave Nathan