[Dixielandjazz] Dick Hyman

[John Farrell]

Dan Spink made mention of Dick Hyman's essay on honkytonk piano, adding :

"I grew up in the 50's listening to Joe Fingers Carr and Knuckles  O'Toole,
assuming these were authentic styles of some kind or other."

I have a feeling that this thread has been discussed before on the list, in
fact Knuckles O'Toole was one of Hyman's alter egos as was Willie "The Rock"
Knox, Ira Ironstrings and others. Years ago I remember meeting and listening
to Dick at one of the Joplin ragfests in Sedalia, Mo. (ahem - I was also on
the bill at that time!) when he spoke about this period of his career - he
said that the recording company, I forget which one, had a stable of
pianists who could play piano in this rickytick slighty-out-of-tune style,
he revealed that no matter which person had been responsible for the
recording it was released under one of the stock pseudonyms.

I'm sorry to say that Dick is such an accomplished jazz pianist that he is
beginning to lose my interest. My impression of him is that no matter what
he does there are not going to be any screw-ups, not that he plays safe all
the time but his performances do not have that "edge of a precipice" element
of danger, nothing seems to be beyond his capabilities. When listening to
his recordings I never hold my breath in anticipation of a train crash (I
feel much the same way about Ella's singing).

In my opinion Joe Fingers Carr (real name Lou Bush), a supremely talented
pianist, is right up there with Dick Hyman - a fact which I am sure that
Dick would acknowledge. He is known mostly for his honkytonk piano
recordings but he was also one hell of an exciting straight jazz player. I
wish that I could have heard him in the flesh.

John Farrell
http://homepages.tesco.net/~stridepiano/midifiles.htm