At the time he recorded this music (which has been reissued on CD), pianist
Jess Stacy had been retired from music for 14 years and had just returned to the spotlight briefly for a Carnegie Hall concert. On what would be his next-to-last record as a leader,
Stacy concentrates mostly on relaxed tempos, playing in a piano style virtually unchanged from his early years.
Stacy performs a set of standards plus five originals. A special bonus (in addition to the four previously unreleased tracks, which are highlighted by a sparkling "Riverboat Shuffle") is the inclusion of a lengthy and fascinating essay by Whitney Balliett that covers virtually the pianist's entire life. ~ Scott Yanow