Barbara Sutton Curtis - Solos & Duets (CD)

All Music Guide

Recorded in Toronto's Café de Copains in 198889 and at the Kurtheater in Baden Switzerland in November 1991, Solos Duets is arguably the best album ever realized by pianist Barbara SuttonCurtis. But let's not arguethis is a superb collection of 14 jazz piano essays performed solo and in duet with big brother Ralph Sutton backed by bassist Reggie Johnson and drummer Jake Hanna. Both Suttons specialized in the Fats Waller book. Five delectable Waller tunes, including the rare and seldom heard "Oriental Tones" and "Why Am I Alone", are bundled with such attractive melodies as James P. Johnson's "AFlat Dream", Jay McShann's "Hootie Blues", Bix Beiderbecke's "Davenport Blues", W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" and Joe Greene's "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying". In terms of song selection and interpretive brilliance, this is a major triumph for the Suttons and for jazz in general. Tracks 1, 2 and 914 will prove especially satisfying as examples of traditional jazz played on a Bösendorfer pi...ano. - arwulf arwulf, All Music Guide Read more Less