Roger Kellaway was at the beginning of his professional career when he recorded this album for the long-defunct Regina label in 1963. He had recently taken over as the featured pianist at Filly's, a 52nd Street nightclub in New York City. For these sessions,
Kellaway utilizes two separate groups. The trio selections with bassist
Ben Tucker and drummer
Dave Bailey include
Kellaway's forward-thinking uptempo blues "Double Fault," the bittersweet ballad "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow," and a romp through the oldie "Crazy She Calls Me" that proves very playful. His quartet with guitarist
Jim Hall, bassist
Steve Swallow, and drummer
Tony Inzalaco plays his gospel-flavored "Same Old, Same Old" and the easygoing "And Elsewhere," the latter sounding like it could have been written for a '60s television theme.
Kellaway may surprise a few fans with his brilliant stride piano interpretation of
Sidney Bechet's "Broken Windmill." Long out of print, this rewarding release was finally reissued by Fresh Sound in 1990.