Archives for July 19, 2008

Cy Walter, Rodgers Revisited: Cy Walter Plays Richard Rodgers Compositions (Collectables). Two years after I heralded the first CD reissue of the long-forgotten recordings of Cy Walter, the man who turned cocktail piano into an art, a sequel has finally come along. Walters’ 1956 recital of thirteen songs by Richard Rodgers, originally released by Atlantic, is as suave and elegant a display of piano playing as has ever been committed to disc–but don’t be fooled by the high gloss. Alec Wilder said in his original liner notes that “anyone who has heard his own songs played by Cy immediately has a greater respect for his own work….though utterly respectful of the composers and songwriters whose music he plays, he is also highly complex both rhythmically and harmonically in his interpretations of their music, all the while maintaining a constant balance of delicacy and sensitiveness.” Listen to “The Gentleman is a Dope” and you’ll hear what Wilder meant. More, please! (TT).