Cashing in on his keyboard rather than bandleading talents, paid tribute to many subjects during an contract that apparently set no maximum limit on the number of separate titles released: masters, the sunrise, roses, , cocktails, a sea cruise, then one around the world, dancing favorites, show favorites, '20s hits, '30s hits, '40s hits, just plain hits. Finally, right around the time moved to a smaller firm, small enough to be called , it might have been arranger who suggested "Why don't we do a tribute to the piano itself?" wisely included , , and among his subjects, absorbing from the latter stylist what sounds like a near-complete stylistic patina; processes such as cloning and mind digestion may have been involved. The aforementioned swung open to big chart success in the '70s as a co-leader of . was concocted midway through the previous decade and the most famous person involved with it was neither the star of the show nor but poet , credited with the liner notes. "Revolutions are born and put down," promises in his third sentence. While his point seems to be that old-fashioned is not subject to revolutionary change, possible revolutionary implications could be found as a totality within the dozen tracks simply by the act of listening to something that it is understood is not supposed to be listened to. goes along with this implication, stating that he "can't think of a better album for dancing, or just ," the latter term of course meaning that one isn't actually supposed to listen. Hardened critics in the '70s accused of turning music into , so perhaps something like the touch is in play, only involving shape-shifting music into . The actual elements and the unidentified accompanying orchestra and band provide are hardly worthy of being ignored like elevator music, right from 's opening electric guitar motif, as solid as a column of Fender amps. The metaphor of the touch loses its sense of accuracy when confronted with the initial contributions assumed to be those of the arranger. These string sections actually sound more like squads of immigration cops herding the occupants of an unwanted steamship into a holding warehouse. Sure, maybe appropriate for closing an unfortunate first side, still that only brings up the subject of why someone would program that closer so close to only a pile of between them. too, hit their stride come the flip of a side, using a to introduce the wonderful cover of 's gets a terrific treatment, having paid some Oklahoma dues with . The session rhythm section -- brilliant, whoever they are -- unreel a set of patterns that a would be up all night trying to memorize. Piano virtuosity is apparent on the version of is the man zipping up her evening gown while rippling through the lovely patterns of the song with his other hand. An too brief, walks by for the finale. ~ Eugene Chadbourne