Eddie Lang did not lead many sessions during his short life, and the great majority are on this Yazoo collection. The most in-demand guitarist of 1925-1933, Lang's rare opportunities to head his own dates put the focus on his single-note lines and gave him a chance to be in the spotlight rather than making other players sound good. This album has two unaccompanied solos (including Rachmaninoff's Prelude), duets with pianists Frank Signorelli, Arthur Schutt, and
Rube Bloom, and three of his famous collaborations with fellow guitarist
Lonnie Johnson. However, the most memorable tracks are Lang's two exciting duets with guitarist
Carl Kress: "Pickin' My Way" and an alternate take of "Feeling My Way." This is highly recommended music from the best jazz guitarist prior to the rise of
Django Reinhardt. ~ Scott Yanow