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“Thompson'ssolos offeredcreative surpriseafter surprise”

Jelly Roll Morton, Eubie Blake, Jimmy Yancey,Fats Waller, Pinetop Smith and Willie "the lion" Smithhave been here and gone, as pianist and writer ArtHodes used to reminisce. But if Butch Thompson hashis way, these creators of ragtime, boogie-woogie andstride piano won't be forgotten.

Thompson, who was the house pianist onpublic radio's "A Prairie Home companion" from 1974to '86, is one of the few latter-day practitioners ofthese early jazz styles. Others may occasionaly dabblein this bygone era for effect and re-creation, butThompson is here for the essence and the duration.

Friday night at the ArtsCenter, the pianistopened with a charming solo set and later was joinedby Triangle musicians Greg Gelb, Don Gladstone andJohn Hanks. The concert was one of those raretimes when expectation, realization andsurprise converge harmoniously.

During his solo portion, Thompson rangedfrom a slow, spare, Yancey-inspired reading of LeroyCarr's "How Long Blues" to Waller's reeling "Handfulof Keys," with its difficult offbeat left-hand bass patterns.He showed a more lyrical side of the early pianotradition with Willie "the lion's" "Echo of Spring" andwith cornetist and occasional pianist Bix Beiderbecke'simpressionistic "In the Dark." He prefaced each piecewith comments about and sometimes a demonstrationof the composer's piano style (for example, Blake's"wobble bass" and drumlike alternating hands).

Thompson's solos offered creativesurprise after surprise. He accompanied withtaste and finesse reminiscent of count Basie andTeddy Wilson — perfect timing, dynamics,rhythmic patterns and accents. On "Moonglow"and "Stomping at the Savoy," the pianist switched toclarinet and traded melody lines and counterlines withGelb, also on clarinet.

SWINGING HIGHfrom The News and Observer, Raleigh, North Carolina

by Owen Cordl