Franco d'Andrea's eighth volume of solo piano for Philology is a most unusual CD. Although it is titled Solo 8: Classic Jazz and has medleys that contain many well-known songs, the stunning 20-minute-plus opener is a freeform collage of many styles of jazz (from stride to post-bop and destinations in between) before it finally signals the arrival of "C Jam Blues," though it doesn't remain there for long. The three shorter medleys are quite a bit more accessible while remaining adventurous methods for the pianist to show off his incredible chops and sense of jazz history. The one breather from medleys is "I Found a New Baby," though it also follows a more meandering path than typical for this old warhorse. While this CD might not be the best initial purchase for someone unfamiliar with Franco d'Andrea, once a buyer has had an opportunity to hear some of his other solo releases it's a safe bet that this intriguing disc will join the others in his or her collection. - Ken Dryden
Tracks
1. C Jam Blues/Muskrat Ramble (D. Ellington) into
Muskrat Ramble (K. Ory)
2. Black And Blue (F. Waller) into
Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans (Alter/De Lange) into
Struttin' With Some Barbecue (L. Armstrong)
3. I've Found A New Baby (S. Williams)
4. Charleston (J.P. Johnson) into
Way Down Yonder In New Orleans (Creamer/Layton) into
Basin Street Blues (C. Williams)
5. Savoy Blues (K. Ory) into
Twelfth Street Rag (Bowman/Razaf)
FRANCO D'ANDREA piano
Recorded April 2-4, 2001 at Mu Rec Studio,Milano
Philology - W 408.2