Dick Wellstood

Among the two great stride pianists (along with Ralph Sutton) to emerge through the 1940s when people of their era were generally performing bebop, Wellstood kept an open up mind toward afterwards designs (he loved Monk) even though sounding in his best performing classic jazz. A bit more refined than Sutton, Wellstood was also a robust pianist who was simply an excellent interpreter from the music of Adam P. Johnson and his contemporaries. He found NY with Bob Wilber’s Wildcats in 1946 and captured on in the trad jazz picture quickly. By 1947 he was using Sidney Bechet, and in the 1950s he mainly caused veteran players including trumpeters Roy Eldridge, Rex Stewart, and Charlie Shavers as well as the Eddie Condon gang. He is at the intermission music group at Condon’s beginning in 1956 and afterwards was home pianist in the Metropole and Nick’s. Over time with Gene Krupa’s quartet, he toured using the World’s Greatest Jazz Music group. Wellstood remained energetic throughout his all-too-short existence, playing single concerts, carrying out at jazz celebrations, and recording a number of memorable albums.