This very enjoyable
Pete Johnson disc finds the great boogie-woogie pianist in the company of some of the very best swing-era soloists. Something of an informal concept album, the first of the two 1946 sessions here works as a
Johnson housewarming party cum jam session, with soloists being added for each successive number. Before the guests show up, though,
Johnson demonstrates his fine solo keyboard touch on the slow boogie number "Pete's Lonesome Blues." After cuts marking the arrival of drummer
J.C. Heard and later a bassist and guitarist, the session begins to really blossom as front-line soloists individually come aboard over the course of four tracks: clarinetist
Albert Nicholas, trumpeter
Hot Lips Page, tenor great
Ben Webster, and trombonist
J.C. Higginbotham all turn in choice solos over some medium-tempo blues. The jam session finally comes to a close with the full-band swinger "Pete's Housewarming." Rounding the record out are four more informal numbers featuring
Johnson,
Page again on trumpet, trombonist
Clyde Bernhardt, and tenor saxophonist
Budd Johnson. Joining the band for two cuts is a very young
Etta Jones on vocals. A tightly swinging set with an after-hours feel,
Pete's Blues spotlights the innovative pianist in one of the era's more underrated trad recordings.