Earl Hines - Earl Fatha Hines And His Orchestra (1991) 320 kbps

Tracklist

01. Stompin' At The Savoy (2:59)
02. Straight Life (2:59)
03. The Honeydripper (3:31)
04. Fatha's Idea (2:32)
05. Blue Keys (2:47)
06. Throwing The Switch (3:02)
07. I Know That You Know (2:40)
08. Scoops Kelly Melley (2:45)
09. Keep On Jumping (2:30)
10. Boogie Woogie On The St. Louis Blues (2:45)
11. Rockin' The Blues (3:02)
12. Limehouse Blues (2:20)

This compilation of recordings by the Earl Hines Orchestra suggests that it dates from World War II era V-Discs or transcriptions, especially because of the sound quality and the unmistakable presence of MC Ernie "Bubbles" Whitman. "Stompin' at the Savoy" features vibraphonist Bill Thompson extensively. "Straight Life" begins as a boogie-woogie, showcasing the leader's piano, before featuring a tenor saxophonist (probably Wardell Gray). "I Know That You Know," a favorite of fellow pianists Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, and Nat King Cole, is a big-band number that puts the spotlight on clarinetist Scoops Carey. Hines' adaptation "Boogie Woogie on the St. Louis Blues" became one of his most requested numbers in live settings and he always seemed game to play it, though this version thankfully reduces the right-hand tremolo he favored from several minutes to just 15 seconds. The extremely poor documentation of the source material and musicians and the incomplete composer credits are unfortunate, but the performances and the sound quality, along with the budget price of this Laserlight CD, should more than make up for these shortcomings.