Two Pianos, One Room, Pure Swing
Flanagan and Jones trade ideas like old friends, never competing, always listening.
I'm All Smiles arrived quietly. A live recording from Germany on the MPS label, it was not the kind of album that landed on jazz radio or sold in volume, but it found its audience among pianists and serious listeners who understood what happens when two masters of the instrument sit across from each other with nowhere to hide. The album has held its reputation steadily since—not celebrated as essential, but deeply respected by anyone who knows Flanagan and Jones's work.
What makes it worth hearing is simple: two pianos, no bass, no drums, just Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones having a conversation in real time. Flanagan was by then a veteran accompanist and leader with decades of experience; Jones was already a legend, equally comfortable in any role. Over standards and a few originals, they navigate without a rhythm section, which means the tempo, the space, the comping—everything has to come from agreement. There's no tension here, no scoring points. Flanagan and Jones trade ideas like old friends, never competing, always listening. You hear what makes each man distinctive: Flanagan's fluid touch and harmonic sophistication, Jones's swing and clarity of line.
It's a record for people who care about what happens between musicians, not about flash or novelty. If you've already spent time with either pianist's solo work, this is a natural next step—a glimpse of two intelligent players thinking together in real time.
Who's playing
Tommy Flanaganpiano
Hank Jonespiano
Where next?
More by Hank Jones
All 26 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
