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Dick Wellstood

One of the two great stride pianists (along with Ralph Sutton) to emerge during the 1940s when members of their generation were generally playing bebop, Wellstood kept an open mind toward later styles (he loved Monk) while sounding at his best playing classic jazz. A little more subtle than Sutton, Wellstood was also a powerful pianist who was a superb interpreter of the music of James P. Johnson and his contemporaries. He came to New York with Bob Wilber's Wildcats in 1946 and caught on in the trad jazz scene quickly. By 1947 he was playing with Sidney Bechet, and in the 1950s he mostly worked with veteran players including trumpeters Roy Eldridge, Rex Stewart, and Charlie Shavers and the Eddie Condon gang. He was in the intermission band at Condon's starting in 1956 and later was house pianist at the Metropole and Nick's. After a period with Gene Krupa's quartet, he toured with the World's Greatest Jazz Band. Wellstood remained active throughout his all-too-short life, playing solo concerts, performing at jazz parties, and recording quite a few memorable albums.

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128
Album Review

Dick Wellstood & Cliff Jackson: Uptown and Lowdown

Read "Uptown and Lowdown" reviewed by David Rickert


Both Dick Wellstood and Cliff Jackson favor a style of jazz that today is seldom marketable-the pre-war stylings of Fats Waller and James P. Johnson. Occasionally this time of music becomes fashionable again, but frequently while being labeled traditionalists these artists assume the noble task of preserving jazz’s early years at the expense of wide acclaim. For these sessions, recorded at a time when Bird and Miles were the people’s choice, both artists wisely recruit veterans to assist them. Wellstood ...

74
Album Review

Dick Wellstood/ Cliff Jackson: Uptown & Lowdown

Read "Uptown & Lowdown" reviewed by Derek Taylor


Pairing purveyors of two distinct strains of traditional jazz this Fantasy two-fer is something of textbook study of the piano styles inherent in each. Cliff Jackson, the elder of the two, is representative of the first generation of Harlem Stride pianists. His group takes the disc’s final four cuts and contains several legends of the music’s fledgling years including brassman Ed Allen and banjoist Elmer Snowden. Dick Wellstood was part of the first trad jazz revival during the early 1940s ...

190
Album Review

Dick Wellstood: Live at Hanratty's

Read "Live at Hanratty's" reviewed by Dave Nathan


Originally a double LP, this CD reissue captures Dick Wellstood in a live performance at Hanratty's, once, but no longer, one of the prime venues to hear jazz piano. Wellstood is in terrific form here. One of the foremost stride pianists, he's in the same league with Luckey Roberts, Willie “The Lion" Smith and James P. Johnson. His dazzling ornamental runs and arpeggios and advance harmonics and overall virtuosity stand up well with Art Tatum's. Wellstood served his apprenticeship with ...

192
Album Review

Dick Wellstood: Dick Wellstood: Live At Hanratty's

Read "Dick Wellstood: Live At Hanratty's" reviewed by Mike Neely


The Chiaroscuro Jazz label has begun the worthy project of re-issuing a series of recordings by the pianist Dick Wellstood. Live At Hanratty’s is an excellent introduction to this much underrated pianist. It is a solo outing, from 1981, digitally re-mastered. Throughout, Wellstood demonstrates why Sidney Bechet recorded with him twice, and also why he was chosen, at different times, by Bob Wilber, Roy Eldridge, and Gene Krupa as a touring pianist. Wellstood’s mastery of traditional styles such as swing, ...

133
Album Review

Dick Wellstood: Dick Wellstood Live at Hanratty's

Read "Dick Wellstood Live at Hanratty's" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Art, Oscar, Dave, and Dick.. Hmmmm. Dick Wellstood is popping up everywhere nearly 13 years after his unfortunate death. The Arbor release Dick Wellstood Live at the Sticky Wicket was selected as one of the best jazz recordings of the 1990s. Al White, in his book Jazz Party devotes several pages to the pianist. And now this most excellent solo recital recorded in 1981 at the New York club Hanratty's. I count Wellstood in the same company as Art Tatum, ...

201
Album Review

Dick Wellstood: Live at Hanratty's

Read "Live at Hanratty's" reviewed by Dave Nathan


Originally a double LP, this CD reissue captures Dick Wellstood in a live performance at Hanratty's, once, but no longer, one of the prime venues to hear jazz piano. Wellstood is in terrific form here. One of the foremost stride pianists, he's in the same league with Luckey Roberts, Willie “The Lion" Smith and James P. Johnson. His dazzling ornamental runs and arpeggios and advance harmonics and overall virtuosity stand up well with Art Tatum's. Wellstood served his apprenticeship with ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Live Hot Jazz

Jazzology Records
2004

buy

Uptown and Lowdown

Fantasy Jazz
2001

buy

Dick Wellstood: Live...

Chiaroscuro Records
2001

buy

Live at Hanratty's

Chiaroscuro Records
2001

buy

Uptown & Lowdown

Prestige Records
2001

buy

Live at Hanratty's

Chiaroscuro Records
2000

buy

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