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MMD > Archives > October 2003 > 2003.10.30 > 05Prev  Next


"I'm Just Wild About Harry" on Piano Rolls
By Bryan Cather

Bob Stewart wrote, "Does anybody know if 'I'm Just Wild About Harry'
was ever offered in a recut?  I can't find it on any of the lists
I have."

I realize you're looking for recuts, but I know that as part of their
"Celebrity Series" of rolls, QRS offered a recording of this piece
played by the composer, Eubie Blake.  Last time I looked, it was still
in the catalog, and is quite a roll.

Speaking of Eubie Blake recordings, I have a two-LP set called "The
Eighty-Six Years of Eubie Blake", on which he and Noble Sissle perform
(among other things) a "Shuffle Along" Medley of which the finale is
"I'm Just Wild About Harry."  Other tunes include "Bandanna Days",
"Love Will Find A Way" "If You've Never Been Vamped By A Brownskin"
and "Gypsy Blues".

After Sissle has completed singing the lyric of "I'm Just Wild About
Harry" and it appears that the recording is about to end, Eubie shouts
"Go on now, go on!" and rips into a fantastic improvisation on the
theme, leaving Noble Sissle to comment "You wrote it - Play it!"
And he does!

My heavens, the way this man played at 86, it gives me goose bumps to
think what he sounded like at 25.  If you don't own this 2 LP set, and
you're at all a fan of early jazz and ragtime piano, get yourself on
eBay and see about getting a copy of this recording.  Its absolutely
phenomenal.

Bryan Cather
Fort Worth, Texas - Where the West Begins

 [ Eubie Blake is right at the top of my list of talented pop music
 [ composer-arrangers who were also such gifted pianists that they
 [ could play their own music.  Zez Confrey is another.  -- Robbie


(Message sent Thu 30 Oct 2003, 15:22:43 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  About, Harry, I'm, Just, Piano, Rolls, Wild

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