While most Mosaic limited-edition boxed sets concentrate on recordings by an individual bandleader or a single record label, Boogie Woogie and Blues Piano features sessions by a number of different artists from several labels active in the 1930s and early '40s, when boogie-woogie was very popular. Fifteen different pianists are featured (if one counts Lionel Hampton playing two fingered-duo piano in a band setting), though it is the giants of the genre, Meade "Lux" Lewis, Pete Johnson, Albert Ammons, and Jimmy Yancey who are given the most exposure. The first three are individually paired (Johnson and Ammons) and play together as a trio, occasionally accompanying blues vocalist Joe Turner or adding a superfluous rhythm section. Lewis is clearly the most inventive of them all, especially when performing his hit "Honky Tonk Train Blues" (revived in a big-band setting by rocker Keith Emerson during the '70s) or his lesser-known "Whistlin' Blues." Ammons has the strongest rhythmic sense, as displayed in the two takes of "Shout for Joy." Johnson is heard in several small group sessions as well, featuring Turner along with alto saxophonist Buster Smith and trumpeter Hot Lips Page. Yancey, who was recorded more sporadically than Lewis, Johnson, and Ammons, is extensively featured, playing solo, accompanying singer Faber Smith and occasionally singing himself. Yancey's slower, blues-drenched style is unmistakable for anyone else, highlighted by his own "Yancey Stomp" and the two takes of "Yancey's Bugle Call." There is a sampling of other pianists, including Joe Sullivan, Mary Lou Williams (who played nearly every style that appeared during her lifetime with authority), Teddy Wilson (who never considered himself a talented boogie-woogie player), Nat King Cole, and Sir Charles Thompson (each of whom duets with Hampton and the more commercial Freddie Slack. The blues piano sessions of Cripple Clarence Lofton wrap this enjoyable collection with a flourish. The sound restoration and Dan Morgenstern's excellent liner notes add to the value of this limited-edition compilation.
Disc 1
MEADE LUX LEWIS
1. Honky Tonk Train Blues (A) 2:58
(Meade Lux Lewis)
2. Whistlin' Blues (A) 3:30
(Meade Lux Lewis)
3. Bear Cat Crawl (B) 2:22
(Meade Lux Lewis)
ALBERT AMMONS
4. Shout For Joy (alt tk.) (C) 2:24
(Albert Ammons)
5. Shout For Joy (C) 2:22
(Albert Ammons)
JOE TURNER AND PETE JOHNSON
6. Goin' Away Blues (D) 2:36
(Pete Johnson)
7. Roll 'Em Pete (D) 2:48
(Pete Johnson)
MEADE LUX LEWIS-PETE JOHNSON-ALBERT AMMONS
8. Boogie Woogie Prayer (Pt.1) (E) 2:35
(Lewis-Johnson-Ammons)
9. Boogie Woogie Prayer (Pt.2) (E) 2:19
(Lewis-Johnson-Ammons)
PETE JOHNSON
10. Boogie Woogie (F) 2:42
(Pete Johnson)
HARRY JAMES AND THE BOOGIE WOOGIE TRIO
11. Boo-Woo (alt tk.) (G) 3:08
(Harry James)
12. Boo-Woo (G) 2:57
(Harry James)
13. Woo-Woo (alt tk.) (G) 2:55
(Harry James)
14. Woo-Woo (G) 3:11
(Harry James)
15. Home James (G) 2:33
(H. James-J. Matthias)
16. Jesse (G) 2:41
(Harry James)
PETE JOHNSON AND ALBERT AMMONS
17. Boogie Woogie Man (H) 2:42
(P. Johnson-A. Ammons)
18. Barrel House Boogie (H) 3:01
(P. Johnson-A. Ammons)
19. Cuttin' The Boogie (H) 2:18
(P. Johnson-A. Ammons)
20. Foot Pedal Boogie (I) 2:27
(P. Johnson-A. Ammons)
21. Walkin' The Boogie (I) 2:48
(P. Johnson-A. Ammons)
22. Sixth Avenue Express (I) 2:40
(P. Johnson-A. Ammons)
23. Pine Creek (I) 2:34
(P. Johnson-A. Ammons)
24. Movin' The Boogie (I) 2:43
(P. Johnson-A. Ammons)
Disc 2
PETE JOHNSON AND HIS BOOGIE WOOGIE BOYS
1. Cherry Red (J) 2:54
(P. Johnson-J. Turner)
2. Baby, Look At You (J) 3:00
(P. Johnson-J. Turner)
3. Jump For Joy (J) 3:30
(P. Johnson-J. Turner)
4. Lovin' Mama Blues (J) 3:13
(Pete Johnson)
ALBERT, MEADE, PETE AND THEIR 3 PIANOS
5. Cafe Society Rag (K) 2:58
(Ammons-Lewis-Johnson)
JOE SULLIVAN AND HIS CAFЙ SOCIETY ORCHESTRA
6. Low Down Dirty Shame (L) 2:44
(J. Turner-J. Sullivan)
7. I Can't Give You Anything But Love (alt tk.) (L) 3:20
(D. Fields-J. McHugh)
8. I Can't Give You Anything But Love (L) 3:14
(D. Fields-J. McHugh)
BENNY CARTER AND HIS ALL-STAR ORCHESTRA
9. Joe Turner Blues (alt tk.) (M) 2:47
(W.C. Handy)
10. Joe Turner Blues (M) 2:46
(W.C. Handy)
11. Beale Street Blues (alt tk.) (M) 2:36
(W.C. Handy)
12. Beale Street Blues (M) 2:35
(W.C. Handy)
WILL BRADLEY TRIO
13. Down The Road A-Piece (alt tk.) (N) 3:11
(Raye-McKinley-Bradley)
14. Down The Road A-Piece (alt tk.) (N) 3:06
(Raye-McKinley-Bradley)
15. Down The Road A-Piece (N) 3:05
(Raye-McKinley-Bradley)
RAY MCKINLEY & FREDDIE SLACK
16. Southpaw Serenade (alt tk.) (O) 3:18
(F. Slack-R. McKinley)
17. Southpaw Serenade (O) 3:05
(F. Slack-R. McKinley)
WILL BRADLEY'S SIX TEXAS HOT DOGS
18. Basin Street Boogie (alt tk.) (P) 3:26
(F. Slack-R. McKinley)
19. Basin Street Boogie (P) 3:21
(F. Slack-R. McKinley)
TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA
20. A Touch Of Boogie (Q) 3:09
(Teddy Wilson)
LIONEL HAMPTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA
21. The Munson Street Breakdown (R) 3:14
(Lionel Hampton)
22. Central Avenue Breakdown (S) 3:01
(Lionel Hampton)
23. Bouncing At The Beacon (T) 3:20
(L. Hampton-J. Lee)
HENRY 'RED' ALLEN AND HIS ORCHESTRA
24. K.K. Boogie (alt tk.) (U) 2:41
(H. Allen-K. Kersey)
25. K.K. Boogie (U) 3:06
(H. Allen-K. Kersey)
Disc 3
MARY LOU WILLIAMS
1. Little Joe From Chicago (V) 2:33
(M. Williams-H. Wells)
JIMMY YANCEY
2. Yancey Stomp (W) 2:45
(Jimmy Yancey)
3. State Street Special (W) 2:37
(Jimmy Yancey)
4. Tell 'Em About Me (W) 2:42
(Jimmy Yancey)
5. Five O'Clock Blues (W) 2:39
(Jimmy Yancey)
6. Slow And Easy Blues (W) 2:32
(Jimmy Yancey)
7. The Mellow Blues (W) 2:39
(Jimmy Yancey)
8. I Received A Letter (X) 2:35
(Jimmy Yancey)
9. East St. Louis Blues (X) 2:46
(Jimmy Yancey)
10. Bear Trap Blues (X) 2:44
(Jimmy Yancey)
11. Old Quaker Blues (X) 2:35
(Jimmy Yancey)
12. Cryin' In My Sleep (Y) 2:56
(Jimmy Yancey)
13. Death Letter Blues (alt tk.) (Y) 3:08
(Jimmy Yancey)
14. Death Letter Blues (Y) 2:54
(Jimmy Yancey)
15. Yancey's Bugle Call (alt tk.) (Y) 2:41
(Jimmy Yancey)
16. Yancey's Bugle Call (Y) 2:40
(Jimmy Yancey)
17. 35th And Dearborn (alt tk.) (Y) 2:46
(Jimmy Yancey)
18. 35th And Dearborn (Y) 2:39
(Jimmy Yancey)
CRIPPLE CLARENCE LOFTON
19. Strut That Thing (Z) 2:47
(Clarence Lofton)
20. Monkey Man Blues (Z) 2:55
(Clarence Lofton)
21. Policy Blues (AA) 3:08
(Clarence Lofton)
22. Brown Skin Gal (BB) 2:43
(Clarence Lofton)
23. You Done Tore Your Playhouse Down (BB) 3:02
(Clarence Lofton)
