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Great Live Moments - John Hicks and Albert Dailey
April 21, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.
Add new comment | Filed under: ben webster, billy strayhorn medley, bridge, Jazz Alive, jazz forum, john hicks, johnny hodges, Listening Post, Live Music, master hands, master musician, melody, piano keys, pretty girl, solo piano, soloists, star crossed lovers, three minutes, two pianos, wbgoA Billy Strayhorn melody is so very nice to hear on solo piano. A Billy Strayhorn medley is even better when there are two pianos. In 1983, at the Jazz Forum in New York, the lyrical master John Hicks and the underrated Albert Dailey put Strayhorn's music on display for more than twenty-three minutes. 'Star-Crossed Lovers' (aka "Pretty Girl") and 'Chelsea Bridge' were songs that I always believed Strayhorn had tailor-made for their respective soloists, Johnny Hodges and Ben Webster. However, these are such tremendous songs, all they require are the hands of any master musician. On this particular evening in September, they received four master hands, and 176 piano keys.
-Josh
Listen to the Billy Strayhorn medley, from the WBGO Archives.
© 2008 WBGO








