Pianist Ehud Asherie takes it all in stride (OK, so I just couldn’t resist!) on this disc that finds the pianist tackling the songs to the 1921-22 musical Shuffle Along. It was the first black musical to play in white theatres, and the material was composed by lyricist Noble Sissle and pianist Eubie Blake. Two of the tunes have become popular over time, “Goodnight Angeline” and the thematic “I’m Just Wild About Harry” which became a political clarion call in the ‘40s.
Asherie delivers the material in a stately manner, with a strong left hand on “I’m Cravin’ For That Kind Of Love” and mixing dashes of the local parlor on “Bandana Days’ with dashes of Chopin during “If You’ve Never Been Vamped by a Brownskin.” There’s a gentlemanly charm about “ Harry” that is irresistible, and a classy shine on the spats for “ Gypsy Blues.” Respectful without being sterile
Blue Heron Records