Mike Lipskin - Spreading Rhythm Around

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:20
Size: 112,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:48)  1. Blues For Dan Quayle
(4:48)  2. Rockin Chair
(3:45)  3. Jeepers Creepers
(4:18)  4. Some Of These Days
(2:47)  5. I Wish I Were Twins
(4:22)  6. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(3:29)  7. African Ripples
(2:57)  8. Sing It Way Down Low
(3:27)  9. Deed I Do
(4:40) 10. How Long Has This Been Going On
(1:42) 11. Goin About
(3:29) 12. Numb Fumblin
(4:44) 13. Spreading Rhythm Around

For more than two decades local jazz fans and those from remote parts of the United States and Europe have come to San Francisco's night spots and concert venues to hear jazz pianist Mike Lipskin perform sparkling musical gems in the Harlem Stride jazz piano style. Only a handful of contemporary jazz pianists can play Harlem Stride, the sound of Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, Duke Ellington, and Art Tatum. Mike has devoted his life to stride, is one of these exceedingly rare pianists and has even created his own stride sound. He also writes new pieces in this vibrant full jazz piano sound some of which can be heard on his recordings for Buskirk Productions and Downtown Records. He’s played Carnegie Hall, Davies Symphony Hall, 92nd Street "Y" and Newport Jazz Festival, and appears in the jazz documentary film, "A Great Day In Harlem," nominated for an academy award. He supplied rare photos for a book on the same subject, edited it and Fats Waller’s biography, written by Waller’s son. Lipskin helped produce and appears in an American Public TV documentary on the legendary stride pianist, Willie The Lion Smith. He was music director for and performed in five "Stride Summit" concerts at San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall, and Masonic Auditorium, the last one occurred November 7, 2004. He performed with Woody Allen and Dick Hyman in New York City and had a 23 concert European tour in conjunction with his first release on the Swiss label, Downtown Records. Lipskin has five recordings to his credit and working on his next project for Buskirk Records.  In the words of the Los Angeles Times jazz critic, Leonard Feather, "Lipskin displays the virtues of technique, soul, freshness, and the spirit of youth in his flawless interpretations of Stride pieces." The late, great Eubie Blake also confirmed that "Mike Lipskin plays Stride bass with perfect accuracy." The legendary record producer, Jerry Wexler, adds: "He's fantastic 'cause first of all, he's got chops, he doesn't fumble, he's got that stride thing." Fats Waller's guitarist, Al Casey, when hearing Lipskin's latest CD exclaimed, "I think I'm with Fats right now."

Born in New York, Mike first fell in love with Waller records from his father's collection when he was 4 years old and was hooked on the style from then on. By the time he was in high school he was traveling to Harlem, learning from the remaining stride masters such as Willie The Lion Smith, Luckey Roberts, Cliff Jackson, and the amazing Donald Lambert. Mike was an artist and repertoire producer at RCA Records, New York. During his 13 years there he produced historical reissues for the Vintage Series including sevaeral Waller sets, developed engineering skills and improved a widely acclaimed analogue technical process for rehabilitation of ancient recordings. He also produced new albums by artists such as Lighthouse, Gil Evans, Blue Mitchell, Cedar Walton, Lonnie Liston Smith, Roger Troy and Ryo Kawasaki edited, mixed, and mastering product by Chet Atkins, Sam Cooke, Elvis Presley, Jefferson Airplane, Brian Auger, Duke Ellington, Erroll Garner, Dizzy Gillespie, among others. He practices entertainment and real estate law in San Francisco. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/lipskin

Spreading Rhythm Around

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Mike Lipskin with Willie 'The Lion' Smith - California Here I Come

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:32
Size: 90,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:52)  1. California Here I Come
(4:20)  2. Mule Walk
(2:41)  3. Stan And Mike's Blues
(3:40)  4. Echo Of Spring
(3:25)  5. Carolina Shout
(3:55)  6. I'm Comin' Virginia
(6:39)  7. Sheik Of Araby
(3:07)  8. Thou Swell
(2:39)  9. Snowy Mornin' Blues
(4:12) 10. Old Fashioned Love

Willie "The Lion" Smith was a legend among the Harlem stride pianists, on this long unavailable LP he shares a few pointers with protégé Mike Lipskin. The title track is at first dominated by their conversation over the music, but their romping duo rendition simulates what an old-fashioned cutting contest might have sounded like. Their duets of "Carolina Shout" and "The Sheik of Araby" are equally enjoyable. Both pianists are represented on solo tracks and Lipskin fronts a quartet with underrated clarinetist Stan Monteiro, the odd choice of electric bassist Chuck Rainey, and the surprising inclusion of drummer Elvin Jones, who plays a duo on brushes with Lipskin on "Snowy Mornin' Blues." Overdue for appearance on CD, but unlikely with the death of producer Bob Thiele in 1995.~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/california-here-i-come-mw0000852933    

Personnel:  Piano – Mike Lipskin, Willie "The Lion" Smith;  Bass – Chuck Rainey;  Clarinet – Stan Monteiro;  Drums – Elvin Jones

California Here I Come

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Dick Hyman - Thinking About Bix

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:32
Size: 153,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:58)  1. Thinking About Bix
(3:20)  2. Singing' the Blues (Till My Daddy Comes Home)
(2:55)  3. Ostrich Walk
(5:23)  4. I'm Coming, Virginia
(3:43)  5. Jazz Me Blues
(4:33)  6. Candlelights
(2:43)  7. 'Tain't So, Honey, 'Tain't So
(2:54)  8. Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down
(6:02)  9. In the Dark
(2:49) 10. Clementine (From New Orleans)
(5:10) 11. Lonely Melody
(4:01) 12. In a Mist
(3:16) 13. Sweet Sue (Just You)
(4:51) 14. Wringin' and Twistin'
(2:56) 15. Flashes
(5:22) 16. Davenport Blues
(2:28) 17. You Took Advantage of Me

A piano is not a cornet. That should be obvious, yet both the name of the label, Reference Recordings and statements like this one by pianist Dick Hyman in the notes "As with all of these replicas, I've tried to reproduce Bix' solo exactly." belie that obvious fact. Hyman's reproductions of cornet solos by Bix Beiderbecke lack not only the sounds characteristic of brass wind instruments, but the context of those solos. This is an unaccompanied piano recording; Bix recorded the solos rendered here with mostly small bands playing the New Orleans/Chicago style now termed trad jazz.

Thinking About Bix (Piano Solo) is not a reproduction but a refraction through the prism of Hyman's piano and imagination, providing a fresh setting for music originally performed or in the case of the Bix piano pieces composed by Bix Beiderbecke. Like similar ventures that take transcribed solos from recordings and orchestrate them (the groups Pres and Bird Feathers, many tribute big band projects), Hyman's renditions here illuminate aspects of both Bix and the bands he worked with that are revelatory, clarifying harmonies and casting melody in a luminous spotlight. But Hyman's most impressive achievement is finding pianistic equivalents for band arrangements that reflect the suave sophistication of Paul Whiteman ("'Tain't So, Honey, 'Tain't So") or peppy, jazz age rhythmic spirit of Bix & His Gang ("Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down").

Only a jazz pianist as completely schooled in both piano technique and jazz piano history could pull off a project like this with the felicity and élan of Hyman. From the wonderful Bix and band interpretations and the four impressionistic piano compositions that make up Bix' "Modern Suite" to the final, rollicking four-hand duet with fellow pianist Mike Lipskin on "You Took Advantage of Me," Hyman imaginatively revives that old slogan: "Bix Lives!."~ George Kanzler  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/thinking-about-bix-piano-solo-dick-hyman-reference-recordings-review-by-george-kanzler.php

Personnel: Dick Hyman, Mike Lipskin: piano.

Thinking About Bix

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Stride Piano Summit: A Celebration of Harlem Stride & Classic Piano Jazz

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:54
Size: 144,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Ain't Misbehavin'
(2:43)  2. Bach Up To Me
(4:34)  3. Old Fashioned Love
(2:12)  4. Eye Opener
(4:39)  5. Dinah
(5:34)  6. Confessin' The Blues
(3:42)  7. Persian Rug
(3:12)  8. Thou Swell
(5:41)  9. Clothes Line Ballet
(3:34) 10. 'Deed I Do
(5:16) 11. Sunday
(2:34) 12. Could It Be I'm Falling In Love
(2:46) 13. Am I Blue
(5:51) 14. Sweet Lorraine
(5:04) 15. All Of Me

Stride Piano Summit was an annual concert with a special group of pianists who gathered to celebrate the genre in San Francisco beginning in 1988; the 1990 edition was the first gathering recorded, featuring a rotating cast of musicians, including Dick Hyman, Ralph Sutton, Mike Lipskin, and, finally, Jay McShann, who is better known for his Kansas City blues. Hyman and Lipskin pair up on several numbers, including a strutting take of "Ain't Misbehavin'" (during which they are also joined by the muted trumpet of Harry "Sweets" Edison) and a rambunctious duo piano take of "'Deed I Do"; Hyman switches to the powerful organ at Davies Symphony Hall to accompany Lipskin (still on piano) for "Persian Rug" and "Thou Swell," two of the numbers Fats Waller recorded on pipe organ during a 1928 session. 

Both of them are featured on a pair of piano solos apiece, with the expected first-rate results. Sutton joins forces with McShann and a rhythm section for "Old Fashioned Love," although they clearly don't mesh together as well as Hyman and Lipskin. Sutton fares better as a soloist in a brief run through "Eye Opener" and a crowd-pleasing rendition of Waller's "Clothes Line Ballet." McShann, who is clearly the odd man out in what is billed as a stride piano event, fares better in his playing of "Sunday" (with Hyman and Edison) and shines with yet another version of his well-known "Confessin' the Blues." In retrospect, a rhythm section seems superfluous when a true stride master is at the piano, but it is likely that the concert producers were trying to add a little variety. This enjoyable date is recommended for stride fans, with Hyman taking top solo honors for the evening. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/stride-piano-summit-a-celebration-of-harlem-stride-classic-piano-jazz-mr0000118088

Personnel: Dick Hyman (piano, organ), Mike Lipskin, Jay McShann (piano, vocal), Ralph Sutton (piano), Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet)

Stride Piano Summit

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Mike Lipskin & Dinah Lee - A Sweet Beginning

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:31
Size: 149,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:56)  1. East of the Sun
(3:50)  2. A Sweet Beginning
(7:20)  3. Fascinating Rhythm
(6:09)  4. Everything I Have Is Yours
(5:01)  5. On a Slow Boat to China
(6:49)  6. I'll Never Be the Same
(2:36)  7. Lady Madonna
(7:44)  8. This Time the Dream's On Me
(4:56)  9. Stompin At the Savoy
(4:15) 10. My Heart Stood Still
(5:52) 11. You're My Everything

Profile: Mike Lipskin
For many years local jazz fans and those from remote parts of the United States and Europe have come to San Francisco's night spots and concert venues to hear jazz pianist Mike Lipskin perform sparkling musical gems in the Harlem Stride jazz piano style. Very few contemporary jazz pianists can play Harlem Stride, the sound of Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, Duke Ellington, and Art Tatum. Mike is one of these exceedingly rare pianists and has even created his own stride sound and composes new pieces in this vibrant full jazz piano sound--some of which can be heard on his recordings for Buskirk Productions and Downtown Records. He's played Carnegie Hall, Davies Symphony Hall, 92nd Street "Y" and Newport Jazz Festival and appeared in the jazz documentary film, "A Great Day In Harlem," devoted to the legendary Esquire Magazine 1958 NY jazz photo session. He suppling rare photos he shot when age 15 for the film and a book of the same subject, which he co-edited. Lipskin co-produced and appears in a PBS documentary on Willie The Lion Smith airing on TV around the nation, and was music director for and performed in five SF JAZZ "Stride Summit" concerts at San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall, and Masonic Auditorium, from 1988 through 2004. He’s performed with Woody Allen and Dick Hyman in New York City and had a 23 concert European tour in conjunction with his first release on the Swiss label, Downtown Records. 

Lipskin has seven recordings to his credit, the last two with Dinah Lee, a wonderful jazz vocalist. Born in New York, Mike first fell in love with Waller records when he was 4 years old and was hooked on the style from then on. By the time he was in high school he was traveling to Harlem, learning from the remaining Stride masters such as Willie The Lion Smith, Luckey Roberts, Cliff Johnson, and the amazing Donald Lambert. During his last years in high school and his four at Bard College, New York, Mike made archive recordings of the remaining Stride figures. Trying to interest record companies in issuing these tapes led to a position as producer at RCA Records, New York, when Mike was 21. During his 13 years there he produced historical reissues for the Vintage Series, developed engineering skills and worked on a widely acclaimed analogue technical process for rehabilitation of ancient recordings. He also produced new albums by artists such as Lighthouse, Gil Evans, Blue Mitchell, Cedar Walton, Lonnie Liston Smith, Roger Troy and Ryo Kawasaki. He practices entertainment, trade mark, real estate and civil litigation law in San Francisco.

Profile: Dinah Lee
Dinah Lee has been singing great jazz songs for over 20 years, first in Arizona with The River Boat ramblers, The Notables, and Swing Time, and Her Men Of Note. Born in Ohio, she showed signs of musical sensitivity when very young and by second grade was taking piano lessons. She brings her own special sound to the Great American Songbook, giving unique performances of the wonderful repertoire of George Gerswhin, Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porte, and Duke Ellington, to name but a few. The legendary record producer Jerry Wexler says that Dinah has her own stamp and is very inspiring. In 2003 she moved to the San Francisco area to team up with Mike Lipskin, and has recorded two CDs with him. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lipskinlee

A Sweet Beginning

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