The Greatness of Jimmy Yancey

In this video I combined three numbers from Jimmy Yancey’s memorable, final recording session in Chicago, Illinois on July 18, 1951. Jimmy Yancey was one of the pioneer boogie-woogie pianists, but unlike many of the other pacesetters, he had a gentle and thoughtful style that also crossed over into the blues. In these, final recordings, cut just eight weeks before his death from diabetes, Yancey shows the best of his naturally born greatness. In these three numbers I selected - Mournful Blues, How Long Blues and 35th and Dearborn - the pianist delivers most soulful, very introspective and emotional performances.