PINETOP PERKINS & MICHAEL PARRISH
One Heart (Geographic Records)
Reviewed by David J. Klug

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As elder statesman of Chicago blues piano, Pinetop Perkins' vitality is uncommon and he continues to be an inspiration to countless numbers of musicians. Meet Michael Parrish. He's a multi-instrumentalist and native of southern California who's worked in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Nashville with Barkin' Bill Smith, Magic Slim, Lefty Dizz, Casey Jones and others. Parrish recently appeared on several Music Maker recordings and saw Geographic Records release the blues-rock of Christy's Big Secret, by the Michael Parrish Band in 1999. Several years ago during an Illinois blues festival, Parrish had the good fortune of a chance meeting with Perkins. He taped some boogie piano music for Perkins and the rest, as they say, is history. This set of twelve instrumental piano duets was recorded live over two days at Pro Piano in New York City in 1996. On One Heart, Perkins and Parrish each play a Steinway Concert Grand piano, and explore the duo boogie form from the 1940s (e.g., Meade "Lux" Lewis, Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson). They also expand upon that structure by adding slow blues piano to the set. The two wrote or co-wrote nine of the twelve compositions for One Heart, and add Jimmy Reed's "Got Me Runnin'," Elmore James' "Hurts Me Too," and the traditional "CC Blues." This is a very entertaining work of art, and its most amazing aspect is how often Perkins and Parrish are synchronized in their playing. www.GeographicRecords.com

© 2000 - David J. Klug