Search - James P Johnson :: Parlor Piano Solos From Rare Piano Rolls

Very Nice

Experienced Jazz Fan | Medical Lake, WA United States | 04/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a very nice album. It shows an unusual attention to detail for a piano roll to sound recording album. Piano rolls are essentialy rolls of paper with holes cut in them; these rolls of paper are then passed over a vacume bar. As the holes pass over the vacume bar they acuate the piano keys, each hole location a different key. Usualy foot pedals are pumped to create the above mentioned vacume. The result of this is usualy a "pump and go" approach with little attention paid to tempos and dynamics, that is where this album exceeds. There is adaquate attention to dynamics and the tempos, unlike many piano roll recordings, are resonable. The sound quality of the recording is exceptional and not at all grating. There are also some humorus anicdotes in the liner notes."