review: Talking to the Piano Player 2
Ben Ohmart
If you live in a big city, you take it for granted that people of
talent and achievement live there as well. In a small town, however,
these folks tend to blend in. One such person I run into in my
hometown is Stuart Oderman who, while not a famous name, nonetheless
is renowned among those who love the music that used to accompany the
silent films, the tradition and performance of which Oderman keeps
alive today. In February, he was the subject of a New York Times
profile. He has written books devoted to that era and his two latest
are wonderful collections of interviews he has undertaken with the
great film stars, writers and directors of Hollywood's Golden Era of
the 30's through the 50s. In Talking to the Piano Player 2 ($19.95,
Bear Manor Media, Albany, GA) he continues with stars and writers, as
well as some great bandleaders. The names will all be recognizable to
those of a certain age, now called senior citizens, but this is
wonderful reading for anyone of any age interested in the people who
were part of a great legacy of entertainment. You can learn more at
www.bearmanormedia.com.