The career of a great many players is tied specifically to a label. Booker T and Stax or Coltrane and Impulse. Miles and Columbia. But before all of that, very frequently, musicians were contracted by labels and while not leading their own dates served as the back up band on a buncha sides.

Will Ezell wasn’t the first pianist to function in this manner for Paramount Records, but he was one of ‘em and had a hand (supposedly) in work from Bessie Smith amongst some other lesser known names from the ‘20s and ‘30s. Beyond the session work Ezell did, he also reportedly accompanied the body of Blind Lemon Jefferson, at the behest of Paramount, back to Texas after the guitarist was murdered.

Regardless of that odd fact, due to the time that Ezell recorded in – and the style that he played – it’s not too surprising that he’s not a household name at this point. Art Tatum, he’s not, but Ezell’s blues and jazz is just as entertaining.

In noting that Toledo born pianist, though, it’s worth mentioning that part of Tatum’s allure was his ability to switch meter for a few bars and get back to where he was before in some inconceivable manner. Ezell’s “Crawlin’ Spider Blues” doesn’t do quite that, but the shift in tempo towards the end of the track is almost as startling as work from Tatum.

That track and 16 others are included on Pitchin’ Boogie, released in ’95. The sound quality wavers from pretty good to a scratchy, found the basement mess. But wading through all of that is more than worth it when listeners get to “Mixed Up Rag.” The track is almost atypical of the work that Ezell turns in elsewhere. Surely there’re songs tied to barrooms loose women, but “Mixed Up Rag” reads as the soundtrack to a silent film that features men in mustaches and gallon hats having a row. Again, it might not be Art Tatum, but it get’s pretty blasted close.

Even if not for that track, the few vocal numbers that Ezell works out come off a far sight better than they could have. It’s not really a loss that there aren’t more tracks like “Ezell’s Precious Five,” which is a straight blues. The sing/speak delivery, though, is only mitigated by some of the lyrical topics the pianist touches on. The track does talk about getting “drunk and outrageous,” so it’s not a bummer at all. And I’m pretty sure you can make out some glasses clinking towards the end of the track. That’s just a bonus.

Perhaps the best titled offering here, “Bucket of Blood,” sports a menacing bass figure as Ezell’s right hand tinkles some jaunty runs that seem oddly matched to the less playful lower notes. It’s all gravy, though. And there’s not a clunker in the lot. Again, there’re better pianists. But this stuff is pretty easily taken in. Good for reading, drinking, sleeping and whatever Ezell talks about on his song about the precious five.