Dick Hyman's approach to solo piano is both rich in tradition and deeply personal, an odyssey into the wellsprings of American music. Ranging through a repertoire of well-known standards and sometimes obscure delights, Hyman brings a wealth of piano techniques, infectious swing, and a knack for sometimes extravagant variations, including a version of "Just You, Just Me" that ranges from classic stride playing to interpolated soul jazz. Among the little-heard pieces are "Odeon," a 1905 composition by Brazilian Ernesto Nazareth that adds a Latin touch to a ragtime foundation, and James P. Johnson's exuberant "Carolina Shout." Hyman's version of the traditional ballad "Shenandoah" is especially inspired, a lovely rolling improvisation that presses its consonant harmonies toward the resonating world of minimalism. Recorded on a nine-foot Boesendorfer concert grand, this recital is both an audiophile's and piano lover's delight. --Stuart Broomer
