Ralph Sutton
Ralph Sutton was the greatest stride pianist to emerge since World War II, with his only close competitors being the late Dick Wellstood and the very versatile Dick Hyman. Nearly alone in his generation, Sutton kept alive the piano styles of Fats Waller and James P. Johnson, not as mere museum pieces but as devices for exciting improvisations. Although sticking within the boundaries of his predecessors, Sutton infused the music with his own personality; few could match his powerful left hand. Ralph Sutton played with Jack Teagarden's big band briefly in 1942 before serving in the Army. After World War II he appeared regularly on Rudi Blesh's This Is Jazz radio show and spent eight years as the intermission pianist at Eddie Condon's club, recording frequently. He spent time playing in San Francisco, worked for Bob Scobey, moved to Aspen in the mid-'60s, and became an original member of the World's Greatest Jazz Band with Yank Lawson, Bob Haggart, and Bud Freeman. In the 1970s, he recorded many exciting albums for the Chaz label and then cut albums for quite a few labels. Despite suffering a stroke in the early '90s, Sutton kept a busy schedule through the mid-'90s, playing at jazz parties and festivals. He died suddenly on December 29, 2001, in his car outside a restaurant in Evergreen, CO. Although he would have received much greater fame if he had been born 20 years earlier and come to maturity during the 1930s rather than the 1950s, at the time of his death it was obvious that Ralph Sutton had earned his place among the top classic jazz pianists of all time.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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The Maybeck Recital Series, Vol. 30 (Live At Maybeck Recital Hall, Berkeley, CA / August 8, 1993)
Jazz - Released by Concord Jazz on 1 Jan 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ralph Sutton Trio Vol. 1
Jazz - Released by Storyville on 20 Apr 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Chicago Jazz Giants Live!
Wild Bill Davison, Bob Wilber, Eddie Hubble, Ralph Sutton, Isla Eckinger, Cliff Leeman
Jazz - Released by MPS on 11 Aug 2017
24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
Featuring Bob Wilber Vol. 4
Jazz - Released by Storyville on 20 Aug 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ralph Sutton Trio & Quartet
Jazz - Released by Storyville on 20 Aug 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Backroom Piano (Mono Version)
Jazz - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1959
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Joint Is Jumpin': The Music of Fats Waller
Jazz - Released by Sackville on 21 Oct 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Stridin' High (Piano Duos & Solos)
Jazz - Released by Jazz Connaisseur on 8 Oct 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Columbia Sessions (1950-51)
Jazz - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 8 Feb 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Circle Recordings
Jazz - Released by Solo Art on 14 Nov 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Ralph Sutton Quartet Featuring Ruby Braff Vol. 3
Jazz - Released by Storyville on 20 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Ralph Sutton at Cafe Des Copains
Jazz - Released by Sackville on 1 Jun 1983
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
More Ralph Sutton At Cafe Des Copains
Jazz - Released by Sackville on 1 Jan 1987
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
At St. George Church
Jazz - Released by Arbors Records on 9 Aug 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ralph Sutton with Ted Easton Jazzband
Jazz - Released by Jazzology on 5 Mar 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo