Known as the first lady of the jazz keyboard, Mary Lou Williams achieved extraordinary recognition and success as pianist, composer and arranger in an era where women often found it hard to break through. The perpetually contemporary Williams was always ahead of the field and in a different class. This collection covers a large period of her career, stopping before she chose to devote herself to religion around the 1950s.Had she not largely withdrawn from focusing on the commercial aspect of her art at a crucial stage in her career, she may have achieved a greater level of recognition not only during the rest of her life but in subsequent decades Pressed on 140g black vinyl, this 14-track LP features much-loved numbers such as Night Life, Overhand (New Froggy Bottom), Walkin' And Swingin', Roll 'Em and In The Land Of Oo-Bla-Dee. The pioneering Mary Lou Williams is an artist whose versatility and ability matched that of her peers and whose contribution to music remains vital. It's an evocative showcase for her distinctive style.
