#dick wellstood

[mosaicrecords]

The World's Greatest Jazz Band: Traditional Jazz Lived in the 1970s

We tend to think of the 1970s as a low point in jazz history but we still had a number of mainstream veterans out there to deliver the swing. Michael Steinman reminds us of one such group: the World’s Greatest Jazz Band.

-Scott Wenzel

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[mosaicrecords]

Why the Jazz World Misses Dick Wellstood

Dan Morgenstern’s first hand reminiscences of the brilliant pianist Dick Wellstood are recounted here, aided by an equally enjoyable and remarkable example of Dick’s stride exuberance from a CBC documentary.

-Scott Wenzel Read Article... Follow: Mosaic Records Facebook Tumblr Twitter

[cornerbooth]

TGIF Jazz #141

A slight addendum to something I said in TGIF 140: Along with hard bop and traditional New Orleans jazz, stride piano sends me to an extremely happy place. The greats have been covered in this series: Luckey Roberts (my fave), Fats Waller and such. Those guys were bred during the heyday of stride in the 20's and 30's. However, here's a gentleman who came up during the 40's, the bebop era, yet succeeded as one of the great stride pianists throughout a career that lasted into the '80's. His playing is tinged with a little bebop, but the foundation comes from learning one-on-one with the grandaddies of this formidable niche style.

Dick Wellstood was a surgeon on the piano, a player of great skill and command of the genre. Despite having been a below-the-radar performer, we have some great recordings. I think you'll smile as much as I did when you first hear his take on the Sesame Street/Muppet song, "Rubber Duckie," which is then followed by one of the great all-time standards, "After You've Gone." Enjoy, and Happy Friday.

Today's Jazz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGtFDQkB5Xw