Two Pianos, No Crowding, Pure Swing
Piano duets risk becoming overcrowded, but this set stays tasteful, consistently swinging, and inventive.
When Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones sat down together for Our Delights (1978), they made something critics noticed right away. DownBeat gave it five stars, and AllMusic praised it as a model of how two pianos can work without stepping on each other — a real problem in the format, where two full keyboard ranges can easily turn muddy. The album built quietly into a small classic, the kind of record musicians respect and jazz fans keep coming back to.
What makes it work is restraint and taste. Neither pianist tries to dominate; they listen to each other, trade ideas, and leave space. Flanagan and Jones had played together before and knew how to breathe as a unit. The music swings hard but never feels crowded — each voice comes through clear. They stay in the tradition, playing standards and blues with the kind of straightforward elegance that doesn't need tricks. The set is inventive without chasing novelty, which is harder than it sounds.
This is a solid middle-period record by two mature players doing exactly what they do best. It's not a debut statement or a late-career summation. It's two pros making music together with no wasted motion, the kind of album that rewards repeated listening because the craftsmanship holds up every time through.
Who's playing
Tommy Flanaganpiano
Hank Jonespiano
Where next?
More by Tommy Flanagan
All 29 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
