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TWO GRANDS, FOUR HANDS
Spectacular and Rare Novelty Piano Duos of the 1920s and 1930s
Rivermont BSW-1152

The 1920s and '30s were the heyday of piano duos, both in the U.S.A. and abroad. Elegant hotels frequently featured duettists; dance bands regularly arranged the rest of the stage instrumentation around two large grand pianos; the Paul Whiteman band's concerts showcased its pianists, with the band ducking out for a few minutes while the piano players demonstrated their virtuosity; concert halls scheduled duo recitals, both classical and popular; and of course, record companies issued a helthy number of 176-key sides. Novelty piano expert Alex Hassan, who selected and annotated this batch of rare recordings writes that although the teams here might not be as well-known as Victor Arden and Phil Ohman, these stunning performances will likely leave you "gasping" and "begging for more!" The music is a great, highly-arranged mixture of elegance, excitement, show-offiness, toe-tapping rhythms, and "jazz-iness." The CD comes with a 16-page illustrated booklet packed with detailed liner notes, rare photographs, and complete discographical information. 78 minutes.


US $16.00
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Click on the buttons to hear full-quality audio samples of selected tracks.


1. NolaHarry Perella & Ray Turner
2. Kitten on the KeysHarry Perella & Ray Turner
3.Lucky KentuckyCarroll Gibbons & Arthur Young
4.Alabamy BoundCarroll Gibbons & Arthur Young
5. Shanghai ShuffleCarroll Gibbons & Arthur Young
6.CharlestonCarroll Gibbons & Arthur Young
7. If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)Charles Bourne & Phil Ellis
8.Follow Through Medley Pt. 1 (I Want to Be Bad/You Wouldn't Fool Me)Edgar Fairchild & Robert Lindholm
9.Follow Through Medley Pt. 2 (Button Up Your Overcoat/My Lucky Star)Edgar Fairchild & Robert Lindholm
10.Singin' in the RainT. D'Ehrmanns & M. De Varady
11.The Wedding of the Painted DollT. D'Ehrmanns & M. De Varady
12."Yes, Yes," My Baby Said "Yes, Yes"The Two Octaves (Gil Dech & Harry Wayte)
13. Bend Down, SisterThe Two Octaves (Gil Dech & Harry Wayte)
14.The Street Singer Medley Pt. 1 (Halfway to Heaven/Ballad Waltz/Rumba)Maryan Rawicz & Walter Landauer
15. The Street Singer Medley Pt. 2 (Street Serenade/The Bees/Black Cats)Maryan Rawicz & Walter Landauer
16. Dreaming of a Castle in the AirJacques Fray & Mario Braggiotti
17. The Man I LoveJacques Fray & Mario Braggiotti
18.Funny Face Medley Pt. 1 (Funny Face/'S Wonderful)Jacques Fray & Mario Braggiotti
19.Funny Face Medley Pt. 1 (My One and Only/Let's Kiss and Make Up)Jacques Fray & Mario Braggiotti
20. I Married an Angel Medley Pt. 1 (Spring is Here/I'll Tell the Man in the Street)Cy Walter & Gil Bowers
21.I Married an Angel Medley Pt. 2 (I Married an Angel/How to Win Friends and Influence People)Cy Walter & Gil Bowers
22. Tiger RagReginald Foresythe & Arthur Young
23.St. Louis BluesReginald Foresythe & Arthur Young
24.Arabesque on Tunes from Lehar's Merry WidowBeryl Rubinstein & Arthur Loesser
25.ClassicannaAlan Moran & Walter Feldkamp
26.NolaAlan Moran & Walter Feldkamp
Credits:
Compilation and liner notes: Alex Hassan / Source recordings: Alex Hassan and Bryan Wright / Transfers and remastering: Bryan Wright / Photographs: Alex Hassan and Mark Walter / Cover art: Joe Busam