Last Call at The Nightshade Lounge A Novel

Calvin Russell was an American blues rock/roots rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. Russell was born in Austin, Texas, on 1 November 1948. At age 12, Russell began learning guitar and at 13 joined a band called The Cavemen. In 1989, he met Patrick Mathe of the French record label, New Rose Records, while at a party in Austin and gave him a demo tape intended for noted Austin guitarist and producer, Charlie Sexton. He would go on to sign with the label releasing his first solo album in 1990 entitled A Crack In Time. In promotion of the album, Russell began touring extensively throughout Europe achieving a level of success he had yet to obtain back in the United States.

With Oscar Petersons passing almost 2 years ago we lost one of the two remaining Jazz Piano Giants whose careers went back to the late 1940's (the other is Dave Brubeck). Peterson was a
giant in every sense. 250lbs in weight and over 6ft tall but luckily for us a giant of Jazz Piano as well.
This recording is also part of a four disc set and contains at the moment the last available recordings before he had a stroke and lost most of the use of his left hand for the rest of his
career. So here he still in near peak form. Herb Ellis is on guitar, Ray Brown is on bass and Bobby Durham is on drums.
Evidence of Petersons great talent can found throughout the album. I'd give special mention to "Yours is my Heart alone", which was always a showstopper. "Wheatland" is a beautiful tune and one of his best compositions. Peterson wrote a lot more quality music than he is ever given credit for. "Blues Etude" is Oscars encore to end all encores. As always taken at a furious tempo, and incorporating elements of fast be-bop, blues, boogie-woogie, stride Piano and a lot more besides. This track makes you realise what a devastating blow it must have been when he lost the use of his left-hand. I imagine this is the kind of encore Oscar Peterson played in his younger days in case there were any pianists out there who thought they were going to follow him!