Boogie Woogie House Party - Meade "Lux" Lewis

Meade Lux Lewis' final recording prior to his death in a 1964 traffic accident is a bit of a disappointment. The description on the album's cover, �honky tonk piano with a mash potato beat," says it all. The addition of a rhythm section means that Lewis' normally percussive left hand is held to a shadow of its capabilities, reducing the sessions to the kind of watered down form of boogie woogie which became all too common during the 1950s and early 1960s. In fairness to Lewis, the heyday of his type of boogie woogie had passed, so without the additional players, it is unlikely that this recording would have been made. The music consists of originals by Lewis, along with a few traditional songs and �St. Louis Blues," almost all of which he had previously recorded. The veteran pianist makes his best effort in spite of Robert Blackwell's hackneyed charts, but fans of Meade Lux Lewis are advised not to spend a lot of time searching for this long unavailable Phillips LP. Instead look for his far more memorable Blue Note sessions or the terrific solo album The Blues Piano Artistry of Meade Lux Lewis. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide