Pianist
Keith Ingham pays tribute to the legendary songwriter
Hoagy Carmichael on this well-conceived project.
Ingham is heard in three separate settings. Eight songs have him doubling on harpsichord in a sextet reminiscent of
Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five, with
Scott Robinson on clarinet and bass clarinet and trumpeter Randy Reinhart. "Hong Kong Blues" features
Ingham in a conventional piano/bass/drums trio, while the remaining ten songs are mostly joyous romps in a trio with clarinetist
Bobby Gordon and drummer Arnie Kinsella. The 19 songs are mostly all pretty familiar, but these renditions give them fresh life while re-creating their original joy.
Ingham was one of the top swing pianists of the 1990s, and
A Star Dust Melody is one of his many excellent recordings. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow