On 52nd Street

On 52nd Street

Marian McPartland, an amazingly spry and modern musician whose jazz career has spanned decades, is the grande dame of jazz piano. Host of the superb National Public Radio show <I>Piano Jazz</I>, McPartland can play. This Savoy reissue takes us back to her early days in the U.S., when the English-born lass led a trio in the early- to mid-1950s at the Hickory House restaurant on New York's famed 52nd Street. The pianist is accompanied on mostly "live" takes from late 1953 at the Hickory by drummer Joe Morello, who would later gain renown working for Dave Brubeck, and bassists Vinnie Burke and Bob Carter. McPartland shows the roots of her suave, sophisticated style, which drew on such influences as George Shearing and Bud Powell. She keeps the melody in the forefront during her fluid-lined improvisations, and she reveals both a keen, often robust swing feel and acute expertise at lovely passages built on two-hand chords. On "Just Squeeze Me," in particular, all these attributes are in action. Here, McPartland moves the music along with attractive phrases replete with well-chosen notes, climaxing the version with a stream of gliding block chords. More lush chordal melody is heard on "Embraceable You" and "September Song," while the spirited "Four Brothers" finds McPartland delivering her juicy ideas with a crisp attack. "Willow Weep for Me" has an appropriate bluesiness, as does the ambling "Aunt Hagar's Blues." "Once in a While" and "Liza" are among the others that make this set a winner. <I>--Zan Stewart</I>