Piano Jazz: McPartland/Gillespie [2003]

by Scott YanowThis edition of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz is from 1985 and features the veteran pianist interacting with Dizzy Gillespie. Rather than talking much about his career, the conversation is mostly centered on the technical aspects of some of Gillespie's songs, their chord structures, voicings, and moods. Of the eight songs performed during this hour, two are McPartland piano solos ("For Dizzy" and her freely improvised "Portrait of Diz"), four are piano duets with Gillespie in the lead, and just two ("In a Mellow Tone" and "Lullaby of the Leaves") have Dizzy playing trumpet. There are some worthwhile stretches during this hour, but it is not worth hearing more than a couple times.