AMG Review of Noble Art of Teddy Wilson [Storyville]

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

This CD is comprised of all of the music from the former LP The Teddy Wilson Trio in Europe 1968, half of the selections from Masters of Jazz, Vol. 11 (the other half is an unrelated session from 1980), and six previously unreleased numbers. All of the music was recorded during an eight-day period in Copenhagen, featuring the great swing pianist Wilson with bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and either William Schiopffe or Bjarne Rostvold on drums. Wilson's style is relaxed and basically unchanged from 1935, so the results are predictably excellent, swinging and absent of any surprises. Wilson's concise interpretations always pay respect to the melody and his variations are tasteful almost to an extreme. One can usually guess what is going to happen before it does. Still, Wilson was the master of this style and his playing is as pleasing as ever.