Teddy Wilson – Teddy Wilson

Teddy Wilson – Teddy Wilson

Teddy Wilson is an extensive collection celebrating one of the most elegant and influential pianists of the Swing Era. Spread across three LPs, this substantial compilation brings together recordings featuring Wilson as a solo artist, bandleader and sideman, alongside some of the most important names in 1930s and 1940s jazz, including Louis Armstrong, Benny Carter, Benny Goodman, Red Norvo, Mildred Bailey and Lester Young.

Teddy Wilson was one of the defining pianists of the swing era, renowned for his sophisticated touch, restrained elegance and effortless rhythmic sense. Influenced by Earl Hines, Art Tatum and Fats Waller, Wilson developed a highly distinctive piano style that combined melodic clarity with subtle harmonic sophistication. The National Endowment for the Arts describes him as one of the finest pianists of the Swing Era, while his work with Benny Goodman and Billie Holiday remains among the most celebrated recordings in jazz history.

Wilson became particularly famous through his work with the Benny Goodman Trio, alongside Goodman and Gene Krupa. Beginning in the mid-1930s, the group was historically significant as one of the first prominently featured racially integrated jazz ensembles in America. Wilson's appearances with Goodman helped break important ground at a time when racial segregation remained widespread in American music and society.

This collection offers an impressive overview of Wilson's versatility. I've Got The World On A String with Louis Armstrong and Blue Lou with Benny Carter provide fascinating examples of his work as a sideman, while the Benny Goodman Trio recordings As Long As I Live, Someday Sweetheart and Oh, Lady Be Good! capture the intimate, swinging interplay that made the trio so influential.

Wilson's own performances are equally rewarding, with highlights including Liza, Rosetta, Sweet Lorraine, Blues In C Sharp Minor, Fine And Dandy, The Man I Love, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and Body And Soul. The collection also includes appearances with Mildred Bailey, Lester Young, Al Hall, J.C. Heard and the Teddy Wilson Sextet, demonstrating the pianist's remarkable ability to adapt his style to different ensembles and musical settings.

From elegant piano solos and small-group swing to full orchestral arrangements, Teddy Wilson provides a broad portrait of an artist whose influence extended well beyond his famous collaborations with Goodman. Wilson continued recording and performing for decades, maintaining the graceful, understated style that had established his reputation during the 1930s.

An excellent 3LP jazz collection for vinyl collectors, this is particularly well suited to fans of Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Lester Young, Art Tatum and classic Swing Era jazz. With an extensive selection of recordings spanning Wilson's career, it is a fascinating addition to any collection of vintage jazz, piano jazz and big band records.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Louis Armstrong And His Orchestra – I've Got The World On A String
2. Benny Carter And His Orchestra – Blue Lou
3. Benny Goodman And His Orchestra – As Long As I Live
4. Teddy Wilson – Liza
5. Red Norvo And His Swing Septet – I Surrender, Dear
6. Willie Bryant And His Orchestra – The Sheik
7. Benny Goodman Trio – Someday Sweetheart
8. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – Sweet Lorraine

Side B

1. Mildred Bailey And Her Swing Band – Someday Sweetheart
2. Teddy Wilson – Liza
3. Teddy Wilson – Rosetta
4. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – Twenty-Four Hours A Day
5. Mildred Bailey And Her Alley Cats – Squeeze Me
6. Mildred Bailey And Her Alley Cats – Down Hearted Blues
7. Teddy Wilson – I Feel Like A Feather In The Breeze

Side C

1. Benny Goodman Trio – Oh, Lady Be Good!
2. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – Warmin' Up
3. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – Blues In C Sharp Minor
4. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – Sailin'
5. The Benny Goodman Quartet – Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider
6. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – Fine And Dandy
7. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – I'll Never Be The Same

Side D

1. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – Coquette
2. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – Things Are Looking Up
3. Teddy Wilson – Don't Blame Me
4. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – Don't Be That Way
5. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – The Man I Love
6. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – Jumpin' On The Blacks And Whites
7. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – Hallelujah

Side E

1. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – Liza
2. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – 71
3. Teddy Wilson – Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
4. Teddy Wilson, Al Hall, J.C. Heard – I Know That You Know
5. Teddy Wilson – Body And Soul
6. Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra – A Touch Of Boogie
7. Teddy Wilson – These Foolish Things

Side F

1. Teddy Wilson Sextet – If Dreams Come True
2. Teddy Wilson – Sunny Morning
3. Lester Young Quartet – Love Me Or Leave Me
4. Teddy Wilson And His All Stars – Blues In D Flat