Review

This CD reissue collects together solo, duet and trio sides by the great boogie-woogie pianist Meade Lux Lewis, many of which do not duplicate other readily available collections. Most of the first nine selections surprisingly feature Lewis playing blues with a light stride rather than a boogie bassline. Two titles from 1944 are more typical of what the public expected, while the final three numbers (from 1953-54) are a bit subpar, sloppy if spirited honky tonk music played on a poor piano. This CD is a gap filler for completists but otherwise not too essential.