It's a Deforest Phonofilm, one of the roots of the movie-sound system that eventually took over the world. Blake appeared in two others that year, paired with his writing partner, Noble Sissle.
Although this is presented as a serious work of music, you can tell that Blake is a piano player in evening clothes, not a concert pianist; the pinky ring on his right hand gives it away. Nonetheless, he's a very important figure int he history of music. Not only did he compose the well known "I'm Just Wild About Harry" (originally written as a waltz, but when no one wanted it, he syncopated it), but he and Sissle wrote the music for the first all-Black show on Broadway, and was still around, showing off his skills for the Mike Douglas and Johnny Carson shows in the 1970s. He died in 1983 at the age of 96.
The performance offered is an interesting one, full of glissandoes and blues riffs, played with his trademark high-arched hands and strong melodic notes. Mostly, though, it was meant to show off the synchronized sound, and his style of playing makes the system's excellence clear.
Although this is presented as a serious work of music, you can tell that Blake is a piano player in evening clothes, not a concert pianist; the pinky ring on his right hand gives it away. Nonetheless, he's a very important figure int he history of music. Not only did he compose the well known "I'm Just Wild About Harry" (originally written as a waltz, but when no one wanted it, he syncopated it), but he and Sissle wrote the music for the first all-Black show on Broadway, and was still around, showing off his skills for the Mike Douglas and Johnny Carson shows in the 1970s. He died in 1983 at the age of 96.
The performance offered is an interesting one, full of glissandoes and blues riffs, played with his trademark high-arched hands and strong melodic notes. Mostly, though, it was meant to show off the synchronized sound, and his style of playing makes the system's excellence clear.
