Essential Stride and Boogie Woogie Jazz Pianists and Recordings that you probably didn’t know existed

In the world of Jazz History and Swing Music, there are countless recordings many of which are highly important and in the category of “rare gems”. Pianists especially can benefit from knowing about as much music as possible especially in these classic piano styles. Often when a pianist is trying to learn to play the styles of Stride Piano or Boogie Woogie, they will mostly likely be told by either a professor or private instructor to check out James P Johnson, Art Tatum, or Fats Waller for Stride, and Pete Johnson or Albert Ammons for boogie woogie. While these are certainly VERY important stride and boogie piano players to study, there are still MANY other players and recordings from the swing era and beyond that brilliantly capture and display the authentic essence of Stride/Swing Piano and Boogie Woogie playing. Here is a detailed list of lesser known yet highly valuable Recordings and Artists that fit this description:

Hank Duncan: If you asked a Jazz professor in a conservatory to give you the names of great stride piano players from the 20th century, chances are that you’d be more likely to get struck by lightning than to hear them say “Hank Duncan”. Unfortunately Hank Duncan has been largely forgotten among the Jazz community. Regardless of this reality, Hank has played and recorded with the some of the best. Most notably, Hank played with Sidney Bechet in a brilliant recording session from 1932. He was the pianist in Sidney Bechet’s band the “New Orleans Feet Warmers”. This record date produced about 5 notable recording gems which feature Hank Duncan with some brief yet great stride piano solos at very fast tempos!

These recordings include “Sweetie Dear”, “Maple Leaf Rag”, “Shag”, “I’ve Found A New Baby”, and “Lay Your Racket”. On all five of these recordings Hank Duncan plays up tempo, lively, and creative stride piano solos with bass and drum accompaniment. These solos while only each about 8 measures long, all perfectly fit the mold of authentic and historically original stride piano solos. Maple leaf Rag especially has a great solo from Hank. Other personnel on these recordings include Tommy Ladnier on Trumpet, Teddy Nixon on Trombone, Wilson Meyers on Bass, Morris Morand on drums, and Billy Maxey on vocals.

Hank also recorded a great solo stride piano record that still has yet to be digitized. The LP is entitled “Hot Piano, a Tribute to James P Johnson and Fats Waller”. This record features Rags, Shouts, a “Weary Boogie Woogie” and Jazz Standards such as Sweet Georgia Brown all played in authentic stride piano stylings recorded around the late 40s.

Mary Lou Williams: While she is certainly well known, jazzers seem to forget that she was a highly proficient stride and boogie woogie piano player; let’s not forget that she taught Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell! Some notable stride and boogie recordings of Mary Lou Williams include:

“Clean Pickin”: This fun track recorded with Mary Lou Williams’ trio in 1936 is rich in stride piano vocabulary from Mary Lou Williams. A must listen for any serious pianist trying to play this style. At 2 minutes and 50 seconds, there is much to absorb and apply to your playing! Personnel include Booker Collins on Bass, and Ben Thigpen on drums.

“The Lady Who Swings the Band”- This tune/arrangement recorded in 1936–38 by “Andy Kirk and his Twelve Clouds of Joy” features some snippets of excellent stride playing from Williams.

“Mary’s Boogie”- While this recording has the word “boogie” in it, it is stylistically in the stride/swing combo category. Recording in the mid 40s, this track in a good representation of swing era small groups/combos that would often play with a stride feel as basis or foundation for the groove. In this recording of about 3 horns and rhythm section, Mary Lou tastefully goes back and forth between “bop-ish” comping and stride accompaniment as well as syncopated chord voicing stabs voiced orchestrally. In this tune she plays a great stride piano solo with plenty of musical vocabulary to absorb.

“How High the Moon”- In this solo piano recording from her album “Piano Solos” of 1946, we hear Mary Lou Williams play a laid back yet simultaneously upbeat stride piano solo take that also is a good example of orchestral piano playing.

“Walkin and Swingin”- this 1936 recording with Andy Kirk and His Twelve Clouds of Joy features another notable stride piano solo from Mary Lou Williams. It’s also important to note that Mary Lou wrote most of the arrangements for Andy Kirk’s band!

“Boogie Misterioso”- In this 1946 recording we can hear some highly creative boogie woogie playing from Mary Lou Williams with a small jazz combo with vibes and guitar. Throughout the tune she plays a Boogie styled bass line which arpeggiates diminished scale harmony. While she doesn’t play a long solo in this recording, her keyboard work in this is definitely worth a listen nonetheless.

Eddie Heywood: Heywood was one of those pianists that played with a good handful of swing-era small groups/combos during the 40s. He was an authentic stride piano player and was also great at comping in the swing/bop style. In the early 40s, he made some great recordings with Coleman Hawkins’ Swing Four. While he doesn’t necessarily play full blown stride piano in these recordings (left hand isn’t as busy), he still captures the essence of stride piano playing very well in these takes and most certainly provides us with some great musical vocabulary for the stride piano style! Notable recordings include:

“Crazy Rhythm”: In this recording from 1943 of the Coleman Hawkins Swing Four, Heywood plays an authentic stride-based piano solo with bass and drums accompaniment. He plays lots of tasteful block chords and decorative phrases in the stride style. He then provides unique comping underneath Hawkins’ playing.

“Get Happy”: In this recording from the same jam session, we hear some decorative stride piano language from Heywood. Coleman and Heywood play the head and Heywood harmonizes the melody playing in thirds above Hawkins. Heywood then plays a stride-based solo followed by a solo from Coleman. While Hawkins solos, Heywood comps for him playing stride voicings in the background. His comping is very simple and it stays out of the way which gives Hawkins space for his solo to breath.

Downtown Cafe Boogie: In this mid 1940s recording with the Edmond Hall Sextet, Heywood plays some wonderful boogie woogie stylings. He has a solo upfront and then as the horns play their solos he provides some boogie woogie-based comping underneath the solos which really swings!

Tea For Two: This track from 1946 with the bass-less Barney Bigard Trio features Eddie Heywood on piano laying down the left hand bass with Shelly Manne on Drums. Heywood plays a decorative piano intro and then Bigard plays the head while Heywood provides stride comping with Shelly softly playing brushes. After the head, Heywood plays a highly interesting and unique stride solo at the 49 second mark. The call and response he implores between both hands is great and he throws in a few unique left hand licks while doing this. Great example of hand independence! After his solo, Bigard solos and then for the final chorus Shelly pounds out the beat a little more while still using brushes. Ends with a cool lick played in harmony by Heywood and Bigard. This tune is a great example of the bass-less small groups that were frequently present during the swing era. This rare recording really captures the essence of small group swing perfectly.

Count Basie: Some of you reading this may wonder why I have mentioned Count Basie in an article about Stride and Boogie piano- well the reason is that even though many jazzers are not fully aware, Basie was a highly competent stride and boogie woogie player and this is perfectly evidenced in his 1932 recordings with Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra. Some notable recordings include:

Prince of Wales: In this 1932 take recorded in Camden, NJ with Bennie Moten, Basie plays a highly virtuosic stride piano solo that rocks the house. The whole tune features Basie especially in the first half of the recording. The second half is mostly swingin’ horns phrases but then at the end he plays a virtuosic cadence ending with a big Major 6th chord from the horns. Lots of musical vocabulary in here!

Toby: This is another great recording from the same Bennie Moten session. Features an incredibly fast stride solo from Basie in the mid-section and quintessential stride comping from Basie while the rest of the band plays the head and solos occur from the horns. Can you say “Oom Pah”? Cause that’s the rhythm section vibe.

Lafayette: Another recording from the same session which features Basie playing stride accompaniment with Bennie’s band and also features him playing few short stride piano solos heavily utilizing polyrhythmic syncopation.

Milenberg Joys: This recording features wonderful stride work from Basie and a few quintessential octave fills and left hand riffs which would become characteristic Basie’s playing throughout his musical development. The tune starts with a simple piano intro and throughout the tune Basie lays down a solid oom pah stride foundation while playing a few stride piano riffs during the recording. While there isn’t a literal stride piano solo in this take, there if definitely some beneficial stride language in between the busy horn parts

Moten Swing: Yet another wonderful recording from the same 1932 session with Moten features some highly notable stride piano solo work from Count Basie. Out of all of these sessions on this date, this one is arguably the best regarding the stride vocabulary that is played by Basie. He starts the tune with an authentic stride piano solo and then plays many stride idioms throughout the entire recording while the rest of the Kansas City orchestra plays solos and ensemble parts.

Hazel Scott:

Much can be said about this brilliant female pianist and singer. Born in the year 1920, she would grow up to become a highly skilled and influential stride/jazz, and classical pianist in the mid-20th century. She appeared in several films and her stride piano and boogie woogie playing is nothing short of brilliant. Not only could she play stride piano at ridiculous speeds (300bpm) she could also take some of the most well know pieces in classical piano literature and swing-ify them giving them a unique jazzed-up sound that only someone with solid classical technique could pull off. It honestly baffles me as to why virtually no-one in the jazz community talks about her in our current time. If I were ever to teach jazz piano in a conservatory and a student were to ask me to name some of the best stride players, I would mention Hazel Scott without hesitation. Some of her notable stride piano recording include:

Halleluia: In this solo recording from 1942, Hazel Scott plays this jazz standard very convincingly. Her interpretation is varied and attention grabbing. She starts out playing the melody with lush chord voicings and solo phrases at a very free tempo, then she starts playing the head at a medium tempo while playing beats 1 and 3 on the downbeats and playing a full stride left hand a few times. Then just when you think the tune is ending, she erupts into an incredibly fast head out with a full blown stride left hand leaping all over the keyboard. She then plays a riff based solo and then finishing with the melody at a more relaxed medium tempo.

Taking a Change at Love: This recording is actually a live video performance which is featured in the 1943 film “I DooD It”. In this performance, she starts out with a slow intro with big lush chords and a melodic interpretation of the melody at a rubato laid back tempo. Then she plays the bridge at a medium tempo followed by the last A section with very big chords woven around the melody. She then plays the melody at a very fast tempo, then she plays the bridge at a slower tempo, while finishing the tune at a swingin medium tempo ending with a typically swing cadence. This recording clearly demonstrates her classical influence as well in terms of her phrasing and tone color. This performance clearly demonstrates great stride piano piano playing mixed with some “classical” vibes.

Hazel’s Boogie Woogie: This essential Hazel Scott recording which is also from 1942 features wonderful boogie piano work and boogie woogie vocabulary which is softly accompanied by a drummer with brushes. She lays down a strong left hand while playing quintessential boogie and swing/stride licks in her right hand. A great example of bass-less piano drum duos! (Bass-less swing combos were actually quite common during the swing era and it wasn’t uncommon for stride/boogie players to play w/out a bassist in various combos).

Dark Eyes: This interesting minor tune starts out slow and rubato with a very classical styled interpretation of the melody. Very decorative playing with lush harmonic voicings and arpeggiations. Then she plays the melody with a left hand boogie woogie pattern. Then she plays a section with triplet left hand pattern and then modulates into an incredibly fast stride piano interpretation of the tune! She mostly sticks to the melody and then slows down playing a boogie woogie bass line followed by a rubato cadence and then plays a typical jazz idiom for a solid ending. The real meat of her stride playing in this recording is found in the last minute of the recording.

Brown Bee Boogie: This 1947 recording by Hazel Scott is a great example of creative and innovative boogie woogie playing. She really swings on this take while still sounding slightly “laid back” which creates a solid groove. She starts out the tune with a simple intro and then plays the head with varied boogie bass line. She riffs and plays some fills in the right hand. She than plays a solo break of chords and solo lines followed by more boogie playing and then another solo break with a very modern sounding phrase and then plays more boogie with a solid left hand which varies the patterns being played. She then plays a catchy blue shout styled riff over the left hand boogie phrases. She continues to groove playing riffs and varied left hand bass lines finishing the tune with a simple cliché boogie ending.

Camille Howard:

Camille Howard was a solid boogie woogie player who also could sing effortlessly while simultaneously playing very technically demanding boogie woogie. Unfortunately she is rarely mentioned yet back in her prime-time she recorded a handful of tunes that would become well know hits. One of them being her 1948 recording entitled the “X-Temporaneous Boogie”. Some of her notable recordings include:

Scat Boogie: This tune recorded in 1950 features some authentic boogie woogie playing and blues/scat vocals from Camille Howard. Lot’s of great boogie/swing vocabulary is present in this recording.

X-Temporaneous Boogie: This recording from 1948 features some more uptempo boogie woogie work from Howard. She starts out strong with both hands playing in full. Strong bass boogie riffs played in the left hand and quintessential licks are played in her right hand while she grooves. She then ends the tune by slowing down a little and playing a final chord on the downbeat.

Boogie in G: This other high quality 1950 recording from Camille Howard features some swingin’ boogie woogie playing. Solid left hand boogie bass riffs and tasteful right hand riffs and licks. She then plays a modulatory rhythmic cadence and goes up a step finishing the tune with a strong full boogie sound and ending on a simple dominant seventh chord.

Cliff Jackson: A highly skilled stride piano player, Cliff has made many notable recording which perfectly demonstrate the traditional “Harlem stride” sound which developed in the 1920s. He started his career by playing with Lionel Hampton in the 20s and then formed his own group in 1930 which recorded several number under the band name “”The Krazy Kats”. He would then go on to play with greats such as Sidney Bechet and Tommy Ladnier in the late 30s and early 40s. In 1944 and 1945, he recorded about 8 solo stride piano gems which are highly worth listening to. Here are some notable recording just to name a few:

Ja Da: This 1938 recording with Tommy Ladnier’s Orchestra (which also features Sidney Bechet), features some swingin’ stride piano playing from Cliff Jackson within the 1st minute of the tune.

Shake it and Break it: This 1940 recording with Sidney Bechet features a brief stride piano solo from Cliff Jackson around the 2 minute mark.

I Know That You Know: This 1941 recording by Sidney Bechet’s New Orleans Feet Warmers features some breathtakingly fast stride piano work from Cliff Jackson. At the 1:13 mark, he plays a fast and virtuosic solo for 8 measures, then the ensemble plays some breaks with a snare drum solo, followed by another short solo from Cliff, leading into a solo from Sidney Bechet which continues until the end of the tune.

Cliff’s Boogie Blues: This 1944 tune recorded by “Cliff Jackson’s Village Cats” features some wonderful and swingin’ piano work from Cliff Jackson. The tune starts with a “weird” boogie woogie intro followed by the full ensemble playing the head. Cliff then plays a boogie woogie solo for two choruses. Then Sidney Bechet plays a solo, then a trombone solo from Wilber De Paris. Then a Clarinet solo from Bechet followed by a Trumpet solo from Sidney De Paris. Then an electric guitar solo from Everett Barksdale. Then the full ensemble plays the head out. New Orleans style polyphony can be heard during the ensemble sections in the beginning and towards the end of the tune.

Tea for Two: This 1945 solo piano recording from Cliff Jackson features excellent stylistically sound harlem-styled stride piano. Cliff offers a unique interpretation which contains interesting and catchy vocabulary rooted in the stride piano tradition.

Limehouse Blues: This 1944 recording features some unique swing and stride piano work from Cliff Jackson. Starts out with loose swing/stride feel and rhythmic octave bass ostinatos in the left hand. Then he starts playing full blown stride interpretation of the melody. Then he solos with busy stride left hand. He plays accented bass lines while playing the head out in “full stride”.

You Took Advantage of Me: This 1945 recording starts out with left hand bass lines and chordal interpretation of the melody in the right hand with many swing idioms. Then Cliff starts playing full stride interpretation of melody followed by solo. The remainder of the tune continues to alternate between stride variations of the melody combined with solo phrases. He utilizes a small dose of rhythmic displacement in this interpretation which makes for a very interesting take overall.

Billy Kyle: Born in 1914, Kyle would go on to become a well sought after sideman/accompanist during the swing era. He played in several groups including John Kirby’s sextet, Mills Blue Rhythm Band and he played with artists such as Lucky Millinder and Tiny Bradshaw. In the 50s he played frequently with Louis Armstrong’s All-stars and appeared in the 1956 movie “High Society” which featured Armstrong’s band. He recorded a few sides as a leader as well. Some of his notable recordings include:

Baby Won’t You Please Come Home: In this 1938 (May 15) recording with the Spencer Trio (rec. in NYC), Billy Kyle plays some wonderful stride stylings that are highly worth noting. The tune starts out with a quick clarinet solo intro following by an upfront stride piano solo from Billy Kyle. Then O’Niel Spencer (drummer) sings the melody followed by a swingin’ clarinet solo from Buster Bailey. Next spencer plays a drum solo followed by a quick stride solo from Kyle and then a Clarinet solo to finish the tune. It is also important to note that this recording is bass-less and Billy Kyle provides a strong left hand in order to “play the bass”. Baseless Jazz combos were common during the swing era and typically the piano player would play stride bass as a substitute.

Finishin’ up a Date: This swing quartet tune from 1946 led by Billy Kyle features light and bouncy stride work from Billy Kyle throughout a majority of the tune with guitar, bass, and drum comping/accompaniment. Great vocabulary in this take.

Loopin’ Lobo: In this 1947 take with Rex Stewart’s Big Four, Billy Kyle plays an interesting solo at the 1:08 mark. He plays repetitive licks and riff-like phrases. He also provides some nice comping over a walking bass solo from John Levy.

Bugle Call Rag: Rex Stewart’s Big Seven 1940 3:27. This swingin’ tune from Rex Stewart’s Big Seven recorded in 1940 features some cool stride work from Billy Kyle at the 3:27 mark. Brief solo yet there is so cool stride piano vocabulary worth listening to.

Diga Diga Do: Another 1940 recording from Rex’s Big Seven which features a brief stride piano solo from Kyle at the 2:12 mark. In this up-tempo solo Billy utilizes interesting rhythms and typical stride vocabulary. Good example of stride being played in a mini-big band/swing group.

The Blue Room: Buster Bailey/John Kirby and his Sextet 1940 2:22. This recording with the John Kirby/Buster Bailey Sextet features a cool solo from Billy Kyle at the 2:22 marking. With Kirby on bass and Bailey on Clarinet, this group really defines light and “delicate bounce” swing. Kyle’s solo in this track captures the stride piano essence in a more laid back tone.

Johnny Guarnieri:

Exercise in Swing: This 1944 track recorded by Johnny Gaurnieri and his Swing Men with Lester Young on sax features authentic stride piano played by Guarnieri in a typical swing-combo context. At the 2 minute mark he plays some cool swing/stride riffs and proceeds to play a bouncy solo with a loose stride feel in the left hand. Tune ends with whole band swing riffing.

Slam Stewart Quintet 1945 Honeysuckel Rose: This 1945 take with Slam Stewart’s Quintet features an upfront stride piano solo from Guarnieri in a very similar styling to that of Fat’s Waller. Slam Stewart then proceeds sing the head with an incredibly waller-esce vocal styling. Then a guitar solo from Bill DeArango, followed by vibe solo from Red Norvo (Mr. Swing). Then Slam comes in on the bridge and sings the head out.

Birmingham Breakdown: This 1957 piano solo from Guarnieri’s album “The Duke Again” is a great representation of authentic solo stride piano playing. Interesting rhythm combinations, chord voicings and overall excitement. Strong left hand and rhythmically varied phrases which make for a stimulating arrangement. The Harlem stride piano essence mixed with a tasteful dash of modernism!

Rose Room and Coquette: These 1945 tracks recorded with the Barney Bigard Quintet features some great examples of stride/swing comping from Guarnieri. Although he doesn’t solo in this tracks, his comping is still highly worth noting regarding swing/stride style piano playing reminiscent of the 40s small group jam session vibe.

Comes the Don: This fascinating mainstream small group swing track recorded around 1945 with Cozy Cole and His All Stars features Red Norvo on Trumpet, Don Byas on Tenor, and Johnny Guarnieri on piano. Johnny plays some great stride work in this take with a especially cool intro he plays in the beginning of this tune. Throughout the whole tune he mainly provides stride/swing piano comping underneath the horns. Great example of comping in the stride/swing combo style. Some good vocabulary to observe as well with some of the licks he plays.

Summit Ridge Drive: This significant tune recorded in 1941 by the Artie Shaw Gramercy Five features some swing HARPSICORD playing from Johnny Guarnieri. Not really an example of stride piano playing but this is highly worth noting mainly due to jazz harpsichord playing being so rare- especially at the time of this recording.

Lloyd Phillips: Although he is a largely forgotten name in Jazz/Stride piano history, Lloyd was certainly a highly skilled piano player of his day who played with greats such as Sidney Bechet, Pearl Bailey, and Fess Williams. In my Jazzmen’s perspective, it is easy to say that his recordings with Bechet are most notable BUT he also made a really obscure solo piano record which is highly worth noting. The record can be found on discogs.com and it is entitled “Lloyd’s Moods”. Some notable recordings include:

Buddy Bolden Stomp: This “Sidney Bechet quartet” tune from 1947 featuring Lloyd Phillips, Pops Foster on bass, and Freddie Moore on drums really captures the swing/stride essence well with the overall feel of the tune. Lloyd plays a great solo at the 1:50 mark. This tune will remind those with Jazz History-fied ears of the King Porter Stomp tune by Fletcher Henderson. Bechet really captures the King Porter Stomp essence in the middle of the tune.

Just One Of Those Things: This upbeat number also from 1947 with the Sidney Bechet Quartet with Pops Foster on bass and Arthur Herbert on drums features some great underlying stride piano comping from Lloyd Phillips. The tune with Bechet playing the head. Then Bechet plays a catchy swing riff with piano harmonization in which Lloyd then plays two brief solos at the 1:08 and 1:23 mark in between playing riffs with Bechet. Then Bechet and Lloyd play another harmonized riff while Bechet continues to solo with a third stride piano solo being played at the 1:54 mark. Bechet then solos some more and take the tune out ending the tune with a simple swing cliche’.

Shake ’Em Up: Another great swingin’ tune with the same personnel from the same recording date features Bechet first playing the head and soloing and then a great stride piano solo from Lloyd at the 1:03 minute marking. After the stride solo Pops Foster plays a walking bass solo with riffs played in stop time by the whole band. After this a drum solo is played with piano and bass playing stop time downbeats. Then Bechet lets loose with a hot solo and during the solo Lloyd harmonizes one of Bechet’s licks. Tune end’s with an original sounding and unpredictable lick.

Side Note: Another hot track entitled “Fast Blues” (1947) from the same year with the “Bechet-Mezzrow Feetwarmers” features some great boogie woogie/swing piano playing from James P Johnson. Definitely one of Johnson’s less know yet highly valuable recordings.

Eddie Bernard: Eddie is another wonderful yet long forgotten French stride/swing piano player who played with greats such as Django Reinhardt, Sidney Bechet and Stuff Smith. Some of his most notable recordings include:

Coquette: the great 1949 track with Sidney Bechet and his Orchestra features some cool stride work from Eddie. Starts out with the head being played by Bechet and a trumpet player from the session. Then a short guitar solo followed by the rest of the head being played and then a solo from Bechet. Then a laid back stride piano solo from Bernard at the 1:40 mark. Followed by Bechet letting loose and soloing in a polyphonic New Orleans style with the other horns on the other session. A few riffs are then played concluding with a cliche swing style ending.

I Can’t Believe You’re in Love with Me: This track from the same session demonstrates authentic stride/swing piano comping Eddie Bernard. (Gerad Bayol and Benny Vasseur are on Trumpet in these two recordings; Jean-Pierre Sasson (g), Guy DeFatto (b), André Jourdan (d). Although Bernard doesn’t solo on the rest of the takes in this album, he piano playing is still worth noting on this record. Other tunes from this session include, On The Sunny Side of The Street, High Society, Indiana, and Sugar.

It Had To Be You: This 1949 track with Sidney Bechet and his Feetwarmers recorded in Paris features some cool stride piano work from Bernard at the 1:23 mark. Some great stylistic vocabulary in the brief solo that he plays on this track. Following his solo band plays stop time with drum solo and then as usual, Bechet comes back in with full force and takes the tune “out to dinner”. Tune ends with catchy swing cliche. This session also features Kenny Clarke on drums!

Ooh Boogie: This tune from the same session features some cool boogie woogie styled piano combing from Eddie while Bechet plays the blues. In the middle of the tune bass solo is played Pierre Michelot with sparse piano comping followed by Bechet continuing his solo and finishing off the tune.

Struttin’ With Some Barbeque: This great track from a 1960 album entitled “Swinging Clarinets” led by clarinetists Barney Bigard and Claud Luter features a great stride piano solo from Eddie at the 2:00 marking.

Clyde Hart: Another great piano player worth noting regarding his stride/boogie woogie playing. Notable recordings include:

Change O’ Key Boogie: This 1944 track with the De Paris Brothers Orchestra led by trombonist Wilber De Paris (Jazz Combo) features Clyde Hart playing a cool boogie woogie solo upfront and then another boogie solo at the 2:10 marking. Another short solo at 2:27 and 2:40 with polyphonic New Orleans style improv from the horns in between. Clarinetist Edmond Hall is also featured on this track.

Take It On Back: This 1944 track with Cozy Cole’s All Starts (led by drummer Cozy Cole) features some quintessential stride/swing piano comping from Clyde Hard. He provides solid rhythm accompaniment and he plays several licks and fills which are stylistically aligned with the stride/swing tradition. This take and the other takes from the same recording session by Coze Cole’s All Stars features other Jazz legends such as Coleman Hawkins on tenor, Charlie Shavers on Trumpet, Slam Steward on bass (Slam hogs the rhythm section solos on this session) Tiny Grimes on guitar, Hank D’Amico on clarinet, and Walter “Foots” Thomas on alto sax. The other great and notable recordings from this session include these 3 totaling in 4 tracks altogether: Willow Weep For Me, Look Here, and I Don’t Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You.

Side Note: Pianist Billy Taylor and His Father bassist Billy Taylor Senior both play together on a 1945 recording session with Cozy Cole and His Quintet. The 4 tracks recorded are as follows: Hallelujah, Stomin’ at The Savoy, Dat’s Love, and Through For The Night. The young Billy Taylor exhibits some great stride playing on Hallelujah.

Monday at Minton’s: This swingin’ take from 1941 recorded by Chu Berry And His Jazz Ensemble features some great swing/stride piano work from Clyde Hart. He plays catchy licks, melodic riffs, and sparse chord stabs kind of like the way Basie would play at times. The tune starts with Clyde soloing upfront and then while Berry solos Clyde maintains a solid stride feel underneath. Hot Lips Page then plays a solo. After this Harry Jaeger plays a brief drum solo, and then Chu comes back in and plays a shout chorus with call and response from Trumpeter Hot Lips Page. While this occurs, Clyde comps swing riffs in the background. Tune ends with simple swing cliche. Al Casey plays guitar and Al Morgan plays bass on this session.

Sittin’ In: This up-tempo tune recorded in 1938 by Chu Berry And His Little Jazz Ensemble features some great stride work from Clyde Hart. He plays a cool stride intro and then Roy Eldridge plays the head. After this, Chu Berry plays a solo with rhythm accompaniment. Then Clyde plays a fun stride piano solo with guitar, bass, and drum accompaniment. Chu then takes back control and solos a little more, then a brief drum solo followed by call and response from Eldridge and Chu Berry. Tune ends with simple swing cliche. Although Clyde doesn’t play a long solo in this, his solo still stands out and contains from great stylistic vocabulary. Other personnel on this session include Danny Barker on guitar, Artie Shapiro on bass, and Sid Catlett on drums.

Munson Street Breakdown: This 1939 recording with Lionel Hampton’s “All Star Sessions” features some GREAT and lengthy boogie woogie soloing and comping from Clyde Hart. Tune starts with swing/boogie solo from Clyde. Ben Webster then plays a brief sax solo followed by a clarinet solo from Toots Mondello. After this, trumpeter Ziggy Elman plays a solo. Then Lionel plays a vibraphone solo while the horns play shout chorus riffs. Then he plays a few measures by himself and then the tune finished with whole band playing to the end.

Twelfth Street Rag: This second recording from 1939 with Lionel Hampton’s All Star Sessions ESPECIALLY features some great stride piano playing from Clyde Hart. Highly worth a listen. Very Virtuosic. Features a trombone solo from Lawrence Brown and trumpet solo from Rex Stuart. Then a baritone sax solo from Harry Carney. Billy Taylor Senior plays bass on this track as well. Some hot riffs are played in the last minute while Clyde rips an awesome solo.

Dodo Marmarosa:

Another great stride/swing era piano player with a handsome discography. He played and performed with greats such as Gene Krupa, Artie Shaw, Charlie Parker, Red Norvo, Lester Young, and Slim Galliard. Some notable recordings include:

Liza: This 1944 V-Disk recording by the Gene Krupa Trio features some strong stride piano playing from Marmarosa. This is another example of a base-less swing era small group in which a piano player in this case being Dodo lays down a strong left hand in order to provide the bass. Tune starts with a drum intro and then Dodo plays a chromatic phrase which is harmonized by Buddy DeFranco on Clarinet. Buddy then plays the head followed by a swingin’ up-tempo stride solo from Dodo Marmarosa. Then Buddy plays a solo while Dodo lays down solid stride accompaniment and Gene drops a few rhythmic “bombs”. Then Gene trades fours with Buddy and Dodo in which Dodo then plays a quick solo. Then Gene trades 4 more bars with Dodo and Buddy. Dodo and Buddy then play a harmonized bob lick. Buddy plays another short solo and then they both play the harmonized lick again. Buddy then plays acapella solo followed by solo from Dodo of 4 bars each. Then short break and concluding syncopated melodic hits from Buddy and Dodo with Krupa. This arrangement is incredibly interesting and engaging and Dodo provides us with some great vocabulary on this take.

Tea for Two: This tune is a loved favorite of Stride piano players and it is to no surprise that almost every notable stride player has covered this tune at some point. This 1946 solo piano recording from Dodo says it all. His playing on this take perfectly fits the description of authentic and original sounding stride piano. This recording being only a minute and a half long makes it the definition of short and sweet!

You Know It: This 1945 track with “Corky Corcoran” and his Orchestra features some solid swing styled/stride piano work from Dodo. Tune starts with horns playing the head. Then Allan Ruess plays a guitar solo. After Emmet Berry plays a trumpet solo while other horns play backgrounds. Then a tenor solo is played by Corky Corcoran followed by an alto solo from Willie Smith. After this a Harmonized riff/phrase is played by Corky, Willie, and Emmet Berry. Then Dodo plays a laid back stride solo at the 2:12 mark. Then the horns play the head out in unison octaves ending the tune on a simple downbeat.

The Grabtown Grapple: This rare 1945 recording by Artie Shaw and his Gramercy Five features some great stride piano work with touches of bop from Dodo Marmarosa. Tune starts with head being played by horns and solid stride/rhythm accompaniment from rhythm section. Melody hints a bebop in many ways. At the 31 second marking Dodo plays a stride solo on the bridge with horn backgrounds. Then horns finish playing the head and then Barney Kessel plays a guitar solo. After this, Roy Eldridge plays a trumpet solo and then Dodo plays a tasteful stride piano solo which strongly hints at bebop. Then Artie plays a clarinet solo with a strong stride feel being played by the rhythm section. The horns then play a catchy riff for half of a chorus in which Morris Rayman then plays a walking bass solo with horn/piano hits. Then band plays the head out ending on a minor major seventh chord progression which holds one chord for a few beats and then plays one last staccato chord on the downbeat. Lou Fromm plays drums on this take.

Hop Skip and Jump: This second tune from the same recording session with the same personnel features some great swing-style comping from Dodo Marmarosa. Melody in this tune is catchy and riff based and is a great representation of the classic small group swing sound.

Chicken Rhythm: This fun and comical tune from 1946 recorded by Slim Gaillard and His Orchestra also features some cool stride/swing piano comping from Dodo. Dodo plays a short solo at the 2:04 mark and the overall feel makes this track highly worth listening to. Dodo’s comping and fills are a nice hybrid of stride and bop. Personnel are as follows: Howard McGhee on trumpet; Lucky Thompson on sax; Marshall Royals on clarinet; Tiny Brown on bass; Zutty Singleton on drums; and Slim Gaillard on guitar and vibes. Funny vocals are provided by Slim and on of the other musicians in the band.

Claude Hopkins: Claude was a highly successful stride pianist and band leader during the 1930s and beyond. He led his own group by the name of “Claude Hopkins and his Orchestra” which recorded many swingin’ sides during the great depression. He was also the music director for Josephine Baker. Some of his notable recordings include:

Just You, Just Me: This 1934 recording with Claude Hopkins and his Orchestra features some awesome Harlem stride playing from Claude. Orlando Robertson is features on vocals. Other greats that appear on this recording include: Edmond Hall on clarinet and Walter Jones on guitar. Claude plays an interesting stride solo at the 37 second mark. After his solo, Orlando Robertson sings the melody while Edmond Hall plays improvised counterpoint. Then Edmond switches to baritone and plays a bari sax solo! Then the band plays a riff based shout chorus for the first two A sections with the melody being played in the bridge concluding with riffs being played in the last A section to the end.

Three Little Words: This second swingin’ tune from Claude Hopkin’s Orchestra recorded in 1934 features some great stride work from Claude. Tune starts with Claude playing a stride solo upfront with rhythm accomp and soft horn backgrounds. Claude can be heard humming along with his playing. After his lengthy solo, the reeds come in and play the head while Claude plays stride fills with Rhythm accompaniment. Brass sections continues to play the tune while Claude plays stride comping. Trombone plays short portion of melody as a solo, followed by band riffs with piano solo and then trumpet solo with horn riffs in background. Second trumpet solo then band plays head out with trumpet still soloing. Tune ends with quintessential short cymbal crash characteristic of 20s and 30s dance bands. Other musicians on this take include: Trumpeters Ovie Alston (soloist), Sylvester Luis, and Albert Snaer. Vick Dickinson on trombone, Edmond Hall on alto, baritone sax, and clarinet, Walter Jones on banjo/guitar, and Pete Jacobs on drums.

Crazy Fingers: This rare 1972 solo piano recording by Claude Hopkins is a great example of the golden standard for Harlem stride piano playing. One can clearly hear the musical influence of James P. Johnson on this track. This is track is a must listen for any serious stride player. Interesting arrangement and great sound quality! Tune is from the rare 1972 LP “Crazy Fingers”.

Hopkins’ Scream: This humorous track from the same 1972 record entitled “Crazy Fingers” is another great example of stride piano at it’s finest. In between Hopkins’ stride playing, he lets out a few comical screams! A reminder not to take things too seriously! Especially our playing — otherwise we’re bound to sound a little stiff.

Big Daddy and Baby Sister: This is a rare side recorded in 1959 by the Buster Bailey Quartet. Claude plays on this tune and few others. Currently only available as LP.

Honeysuckel Rose: This tune recorded in 1958 by Cozy Cole’s Big Seven features some laid back swing/stride piano playing from Hopkins. Tune starts with a simple drum intro and horn hits and then a repetitive lick played by sax and guitar. Clyde then at the 16 second mark plays the head as a solo in a laid back stride/bop style with rhythm accompaniment. Then Rex Steward plays a trumpet solo with rhythm section playing softly in the background with a sort of Basie-ish feel. Coleman Hawkins then plays a tenor solo followed by a guitar solo from Billy Bauer. A trombone solo is then played by Tyree Glenn followed by a drum solo from Cozy Cole. Then the band plays a riff based shout chorus with drum hits in-between. Tune ends with held chord and drum fill. Bassist is Arvell Shaw.

It’s Too Big Poppa: This tune recorded by the Claude Hopkins Quartet features some swingin’ boogie woogie piano playing from Claude. An overall fun tune that hints at the development of early R+B. This tune starts with a simple sax riff and boogie woogie accompaniment from Claude. Then Rena Collins sings the blues head while saxophone counter melodies are played with rhythm/boogie woogie accompaniment. Rena and the saxophonist sing and play in call in response fashion. Then a sax solo is performed followed by boogie woogie riffs from Claude with sax backgrounds and blues shouting from Rena and a male musician in the band. Then at 4:30 Claude plays a full blown boogie woogie solo followed by more vocals from Rena and the male musician. Then more boogie solo with sax backgrounds. Tune finished with cliche boogie ending.

Dorothy Donegan: Much can be said about this brilliant woman. Great jazz and stride pianist but most notably an excellent boogie woogie player. She recorded numerous boogie woogie gems during the 1940s. In 1943 (a great year for jazz history) she was the first African America to perform at Chicago’s Orchestral Hall; she performed classical music in the first set and jazz in the second set. She was also the protege’ of Art Tatum who referred to her has the only woman that could make him practice! Some of her notable recordings include:

Dorothy’s Boogie Woogie: This fun live broadcast Jubilee recording from 1944–46 features some awesome solo boogie woogie playing from Donegan. High energy and very upbeat with a strong left hand that plays varied boggie riffs. Lot’s of great boogie woogie vocabulary in this recording- highly worth a listen! Recording can be found on youtube or on the album entitled “Original Sound Deluxe: Jazz Ladies.”

Tea for Two: This live recording recorded live in 1978 at the “King of France Tavern” features some great ballad styled stride piano from Dorothy much in the liking of Art Tatum. She starts with a solo intro and then plays with trio but then plays another solo interlude with leads to playing more with trio but now at a double time stride tempo! Great display of virtuosity. She then alternated between soloing and playing the melody and eventually plays the head out. She quotes rhapsody in blue right at the end! And plays a virtuosic cadence to finish the tune. Another tune on this album entitled “Thing’s Ain’t What They Used To Be” shows some clear Erroll Garner influence.

Sweet Georgia Brown: This swingin’ live recording from the 1957 album “Live at the Embers” features some great stride/swing piano work from Dorothy. Lots of great vocabulary to absorb in this take! Great example of swing/bop hybrid jazz.

Halleluia Boogie Woogie: This hot boogie woogie tune recorded live in 1996 from the album “Live From The International Jazz Hall of Fame” is a great showcase of Dorothy’s musical personality! She plays hard stompin’ boogie woogie while quoting classical music and playing a bach-like interlude in the middle of the tune. Overall she swings hard on this track and really keeps you on your toes. Must listen for any serious boogie woogie player!

Jumping Jack Special: This solo piano recording from 1947 recorded for the Continental record label features Dorothy in her prime playing some awesome boogie woogie piano. Highly worth a listen for any serious pianist trying to play this style. Recording is rare but can currently be listened to on archive.org which is a great resource overall for rare recordings.

Tiger Rag: This SWINGIN’ recording from the same record label recorded in 1947 features Donegan playing some awesome stride piano with drummer Oliver Coleman and bassist Rail Wilson. Dorothy Donegan swings HARD on this throwing in some boogie woogie-isms as well. This can also be listened to on archive.org!

Limehouse: This recording from the same 1947 record also features some brilliant swing/stride piano work from Dorothy Donegan with the same personnel as above.

Cleo Brown: Although she is somewhat forgotten, Cleo Brown was an excellent boogie woogie piano player and vocalist. When she was a child she began learning piano from her brother “Pine-Top Smith” and in 1935 she replaced Fats Waller on NY radio station WABC. She was also the first woman to receive the NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship. Her stride playing was often compared to that of Fats Waller. Some of her notable recordings include:

The Stuff Is Here And It’s Mellow: This fun tune written by Walter Bishop Sr., Clarence Williams, and Willie the Lion Smith features Cleo Brown playing some great and laid stride piano while also singing beautifully with drum and bass accompaniment from bassist Artie Bernstein, drummer Gene Krupa, and guitarist Perry Botkin. Recorded for Decca Records in 1935, this tune really swings and can be listened to on archive.org.

Boogie Woogie: This groovy tune recorded in 1935 features some excellent and solid boogie woogie playing from Cleo Brown. While she plays she talks lyrics over the music. Lot’s of great boogie woogie vocabulary to be heard in this recording.

Brown Pelican Stomp: A fun and upbeat tune for bird lovers such as myself! This solo piano recording from 1935 (recorded in Nyc) says all you need to know — essential and quintessential stride piano playing that perfectly fits the mold of the classic Harlem stride sound. Interesting arrangement with some cool vocabulary.

I’ll Take The South: This fun Decca recording also from 1935 features Cleo Brown singing and playing a fun novelty tune which was also recorded by Jimmie Lunceford’s band. This small group version by Cleo really swings and she plays fun stride solos throughout most of the recording.

Don Ewell: Don was a great stride pianist from Baltimore who played with greats such as Sidney Bechet, Kid Ory, Muggsy Spanier, and Bunk Johnson. Some of his notable recordings include:

Wild Man Blues: This fun solo piano tune recorded by Don in 1946–47 is a great example of authentic “OG” stride piano playing. Interesting and varied interpretation and lots of nice vocabulary to absorb into your playing!

Chicago Breakdown: This fun solo piano recording from 1957 features Don playing some swingin’ stride piano from the record “Free N’ Easy”. Highly worth a listen.

I Can’t Believe You’re In Love With Me: Another fun stride recording from Don Ewell recorded in 1956 from the record “Music to Listen to Don Ewell By”.

Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me: This tune tune recorded by the Don Ewell Quartet in 1957 features some lovely stride playing from Ewell with his quartet. Personnel include Darnell Howard, clarinet; Pops Foster, bass; Minor Hall, drums. Darnell Howard plays the head and solos and then Don plays a stride piano solo — tune finished with Clarinet solo and head out with drum solo and cliche swing riff for the ending. From the Record “Free N’ Easy”.

Lulu’s Back In Town: Great solo stride piano recording from Don Ewell recorded in 1957 from the “Music To Listen to Don Ewell By” record.

Speckled Red: Although he’s been long forgotten, Red was an accomplished boogie woogie and blues piano player/singer that recorded some hits in the late 20s and early 1930s. His first two recorded hits were for the Brunswick label enitled “Wilkins Street Stomp” and “The Dirty Dozens” which were both recorded in 1929. In 1930, he recorded another hit entitled “The Right String- But The Wrong Yo-Yo”. His boogie woogie playing is a must listen for any serious pianist trying to study historical boogie woogie/stomp playing. His biggest influences include boogie pianists Fishtail, William Ezell, and Charlie Spand. Some of his most notable recordings include:

The Right String But The Wrong Yo-Yo: This tune recorded solo in 1930 features some great boogie woogie blues piano playing and blues vocals from Speckled Red. His playing is as original as it gets and clearly in the category of highly influential boogie pianists.

Wilkins Street Stomp: This solo piano recording from 1929 features some upbeat boogie playing from Red. Lot of great vocabulary to absorb and apply to your playing in this recording! Interesting left hand bass lines, right handed licks and phrases, and tempo fluctuations make this recording highly worth listening to.

The Dirty Dozen: This rare boogie woogie blues recording features some unique and highly influential boogie playing and blues singing from Speckled Red. Interesting piano riffs, bass lines, and licks played in both hands. This song in some ways is considered to contain early vocal elements of rap music mainly in part due to the lyrical wordplay.

You Got To Fix It: This fun recording from 1938 features some hot boogie piano playing from Red with his blues/boogie band. Other personnel on this session include: Robert Lee Mccoy on guitar, Sonny Boy Williamson on harmonica, and Willie Hatcher on mandolin. Tune starts with a fun piano intro and then a harmonica solo with full band accompaniment, then Speckled sings the head with full band playing. While he sings the melody there are 8 measure long piano and harmonica breaks which alternate with full band pounding out each beat. After this there is a polyphonic solo between piano and harmonica. Then Red continues singing the melody with band accompaniment. Song has multiple verses. Then another piano solo from Red with harmonic and mandolin soloing in the background. Then more singing from Red followed by a 3rd piano solo with harmonic and mandolin soloing simultaneously. Mandolin and Harmonica play counter-melodies in the background throughout most of the song.

Blues Hurt My Tongue To Talk: This laid back boogie woogie blues tune recorded in the late 1956 features some great blues boogie woogie piano playing and vocals from Red. Great musical vocabulary present in this recording. Highly worth transcribing a few licks. Recorded can be found in the 1972 album “Blues Piano Orgy”.

Ralph Sutton: A lesser known yet incredibly valuable stride/swing pianist rooted in the James P. Johnson and Fats Waller stride tradition. He played with several of the legendary swing jazz greats such as Sidney Bechet, Eddie Condon, and Bill Davison. Some of his notable recording include:

Hindustan: This 1950 recording with Sidney Bechet and His New Orleans Feetwarmers features some great stride/swing piano comping from Ralph. Although he doesn’t solo on this take, his comping is very noting. Lots of great stride vocabulary can be heard in the background. Swing riffs and that authentic “OG” New Orleans Jazz sound makes this recording a true gem. Other musicians on this session: Wild Bill Davison on cornet, Wilbur De Paris on trombone, Jack Lesberg on bass, and George Wettling on drums.

At A Georgia Camp Meeting: This fun recording from the same session with the same personnel features some great stride piano work from Sutton. Tune starts with echoed phrase, intro cadence, and then the head is played by the horns in polyphonic New Orleans style. After head is playing Bechet takes a solo while other horns play counter melodies with full rhythm accompaniment. Then Ralph plays a stride solo at the 1:22 minute marking with rhythm accompaniment. Then Bechet plays a solo with horn riffs in the background from Bill Davison and Wilber De Paris. Sutton continues to play stride accompaniment, bass walks, and drums keeps simple swing beat. Tune ends with Bechet playing on top of a polyphonic solo with the other horn players. Tune ends on a simple downbeat.

Dill Pickels: This upbeat stride piano solo recording recorded by Sutton in 1949 is highly worth a listen. Lots of great stride piano vocabulary to absorb in this take.

S’Wonderful: This 1961 recording from the album “Wondrous Piano: The Private Family Recordings” features some great stride/swing piano work from Sutton with soft drum accompaniment from Hugh Cregg. Another good example of bass-less swing combos in the swing jazz style. A strong stride left hand certainly fills in the gaps!

Hotter Than That: This fun take recorded in the 1947 “This is Jazz” radio broadcast by Wild Bill Davison and the All Star Stompers features some swingin’ stride/swing piano work from Ralph. He plays a great stride solo at the 1:47 minute mark. Other personnel on this recording include: Wild Bill Davison on cornet, Jimmy Archey on trombone, Albert Nicholas on clarinet, Danny Barker on guitar, Pops Foster on bass, Baby Dodds on drums. Guest vocalist Bertha “Chippie” Hill appears on other numbers from this record. This recording contains plenty of New Orleans styled polyphony that we all love!

A-Flat Dream: This fun duo recording features some great stride/boogie piano playing from Ralph with drum accompaniment provided by George Wettling. Yet another great example of bass-less piano drum duo in the swing boogie style. Great vocabulary can be heard from Ralph on this take including interesting left hand bass lines and right hand riffs/licks along with some cool classical sounding middle sections that modulate. Tune ends on a simple downbeat.

Dick Hyman: Although Dick Hyman is certainly fairly well known, I thought it would be important to still give him a mention since he is a left over gem from the golden age of Jazz music and the historical development of the music as we know it today. At the current age of 93, he can still swing harder that most piano players on the scene. He has played with several greats including Charlie Parker via a film clip in 1952 “Hot House” with Dizzy and Bird, Coleman Hawkins, Wes Montgomery, Benny Goodman, Red Norvo and Slim Gaillard. He also studied with the great Teddy Wilson. He has also done film scoring for Woody Allen. He is an incredible stride, swing, and boogie piano player with great technique and overall knowledge of the history of jazz piano. Any serious Jazz pianist ought to study and listen to some of Hyman’s work. His discography is incredibly enormous hence I shall list a handful of his notable recordings which include:

Laughing In Rhythm: this humorous and swingin’ tune recorded in 1951 by Slim Gaillard and His Peruvians features some fun and bouncy stride/swing piano playing from Dick Hyman. His comping provides a swingin’ bounce in the rhythm section. Tune starts with the head which consists of rhythmic laughing and the melodic tag “Laughing in Rhythm”. Slim then sings the bridge followed by rhythmic laughing for the last A (AABA form). Then a guitar solo is played by Slim Gaillard followed by Dick playing a fun swing/bop solo at the 1:25 marking. Then Ernie Shepard plays a fun bass solo while singing what he plays. Slim then comes back in with the vocals and the rhythmic laughing tune concludes with tag “Laughing in Rhythm”.

Harlem Strut: This lively solo piano recording from the 1973 album “An Evening at The Cookery” features some great stride work from Hyman. Highly worth a listen. Something fun to transcribe for any serious pianist.

Topsy: This fun number recorded by Hyman in 1958 features some great stride/swing piano work from Hyman. He plays some great swing/stride vocabulary fused with bop. Eddie Safranski on bass and Don Lamond on Drums.

Undecided: This fun track recorded with Slam Stewart in the 1981 album “Shut Yo’ Mouth” features some great swing/stride piano work. His comping is swings with a nice bounce and he plays a bop solo in the middle of the take

S’wonderful: This intricate and interesting recording from Dick Hyman’s album “Live at the Sacramento Jazz Festival “1983–1988” features some great stride and swing piano work. He incorporates many orchestral elements of jazz piano. His playing on this recording has a clear Art Tatum influence. Highly worth a listen, lots of vocabulary in this recording!

Date with The King: This 1956 Benny Goodman record with Rosemary Clooney on vocals is currently only available by Vinyl features Dick Hyman. Record can be found on discogs.com

The Seven Ages of Jazz: This is another great record by Dick Hyman. Can be found on Discogs.com. He plays with trumpeter/mellophonist Don Elliot and bassist Milt Hinton on a few tracks. He also plays some duo with drummer Don Lammond.

Rollin’ The Boogie: This 1956 recording for the MGM label features some great boogie woogie playing from Hyman. Can be listened to on archive.org

Jubilee Stomp: This fun recording from my birth year 1993 is from the album “Dick Hyman Plays Duke Ellington”. Great solo piano stride work on this one.

Big Butter and Egg Man: This fun track recorded in the album “Satchmo Remembered: The Music of Louis Armstrong at Carnegie Hall” recorded in 1974 features some great stride/swing piano work from Hyman. Personnel includes: Ruby Braff on cornet, Vic Dickenson on trombone, Kenny Davern on soprano sax, (Dick Hyman, piano, arranger, conductor), Carmen Mastren on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Bobby Rosengarden, drums. Hyman his great at playing swing piano styles with a very light Basie-like tone.

Weather Bird Rag: This fun take from the same record features some quintessential stride work from Hyman in the stylings on Earl Hines. Horns play a great harmonization of Armstrong’s solo. Hyman solos several times in this recording. Personnel include: Mel Davis, Pee Wee Erwin, Ray Nance, Joe Newman, trumpet; Vic Dickenson, Eph Resnick, trombone; Kenny Davern, clarinet, soprano sax; (Dick Hyman, piano, arranger, conductor); Carmen Mastren, banjo, guitar, bass drum; Milt Hinton, bass; Bobby Rosengarden, drums.

This concludes my article on rare swing stride and boogie woogie piano players/recording from the golden age of Jazz and Swing music. Resources utilized include jazzdisco.org, discogs.com, and archive.org. The full Sidney Bechet discography can also be found on Sidneybechet.org — great for discovering personnels on all of Bechet’s recordings.

Some info about myself: I am a swing jazz pianist from the Nyack, NY. I studied jazz performance at Purchase College and Music Education at Hunter College. I would like to give a big shoutout to the Jazz Professors at SUNY Purchase especially Kenny Washington for getting me hip to so many great historical jazz recordings that have significantly impacted me as a musician. Also shout out to Jon Faddis, David DeJesus, Pete Malinverni, Charles Blenzik, and Todd Coolman. And another special shoutout to David Budway at Maureen’s Jazz Cellar of Nyack, NY!

Some of my personal recordings can be found on Youtube and Soundcloud under the name of Ahlfabet Swing/Albert Ahlf. My Jazz nickname is Ahlfabet which is the name of my Rockland county based swing group.

My Website: Albertahlf.com

Lloyd Phillips (swing.stride), Eddy Bernard (swing/stride), Speckled Red (boogie), Horace Malcolm (strideish), BILLY KYLE- (baby won’t you please come home), Clyde HART (change o key boogie), Bernard Pieffer (don byas), Cliff Jackson (Ja Da w/ tommy ladnier, Limehouse blues, royal garden, you took advantage), Claude Hopkins, Camille Howard, Cleo Brown, Dorothy Donegan, Don Ewell, Ralph Sutton, Dodo Marmorosa, Martha Davis (Martha’s Boogie), Stanley Black (Coleman Hawkins).