It’s a mystery how Dick Hyman can have reached the age of 88 and still be “Dick who?”, even in some jazz circles. A pianist of genius, master of many jazz styles and a prolific composer (including the music for 11 Woody Allen films), he’s still busily playing solo recitals. This one was recorded live just a year ago, covering everything from Send in the Clowns to Blue Monk, with significant nods to Duke Ellington and Jerome Kern, and it’s as sparkling as ever. For ingenuity and wit, linked to outrageous virtuosity, Hyman is simply untouchable. His own two pieces are by far the shortest here, but at just over two minutes the Purple Rose of Cairo theme is a little gem.
