“Jazz piano master Dick Hyman, with some of the greatest jazzmen who lived and played through The Age of Swing: Phil Bodner, Urbie Green, Milt Hinton, Butch Miles, Bucky Pizzarelli, Joe Temperly, Frank Wess and Joe Wilder.” 3.5 Stars – Downbeat

A longtime student of jazz piano history, Dick Hyman has previously recorded the works of Eubie Blake, Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington and other early jazz pianists. His interests extend to other areas as well, and in a varied career he continues to be a composer, conductor, arranger and organist. He has provided scores for numerous film and television programs and has performed or arranged for countless recording sessions both under his own name and in support of other artists. Mr. Hyman has composed film scores for Moonstruck and various Woody Allen vehicles, as well as original scores for leading dance companies.

Some of the greatest jazzmen who lived and played through the Swing Era have been brought together once again, perhaps for the last time. Dick Hyman arranged groups of four, five and seven, and Prof. Keith Johnson recorded them in a concert hall with great acoustics. Everyone loved the chance to play together just like the good old days, to listen and balance naturally. There were no “booths” nor earphones anywhere.

NOTE: Half-speed Mastering involves a capturing process in which the original recording master is played back at exactly half of the recorded speed. A sequenced cutting lathe is then timed at exactly half of the playback speed. This process allows twice as much time to carve a groove that accurately represents the sound on the master tape. Half-speed mastering allows for cleaner reproduction and also permits extended high frequency response, extending into the ultrasonic region.