Hot Mattress Stomp – Texas Piano Blues Pt. I:
The Texas piano tradition flowered in the 1920’s and was at its peak during the 1930’s when a number of the tradition’s best players were recorded. Paul Oliver observed that 'Texas was as rich in piano blues as Mississippi was in guitar blues' and 'a cursory glance through the discographies will emphasize the fact that a remarkable number of blues pianists came from Texas.' The pianists can be roughly grouped into schools; there was the remarkable Thomas family who madethe bulk of their recordings between 1923 and 1928, one based around Dallas which included Whistlin Alex Moore, a regional style that developed around Shreveport and the so-called 'Santa Fe group' who were based in the southwestern part of the state where the cities of Galveston, Houston and Richmond lie. Today’s show is part one of a two-part feature, spotlighting recordings made between 1925 and 1941.
http://www.sundayblues.org for playlists, show notes, reviews and more.
