The solo piano records that Edison issued were consistently well recorded, and this one has been a personal favorite of mine for a long time. Ernest Stevens, who fronted the Stevens Trio for the same label, made a series of solo
piano recordings that must have sold pretty well since they kept bringing him back in to record more titles. This one was performed at the West Orange Studio of Edison Labs on February 14 of 1922. It's got good Ragtime sensibility,
similar to the stylings of Roy Bargy or Zez Confrey during that same time. Besides the classic song by Con Conrad and Sidney Clare, there is a more obscure song incorporated in this medley written by Fred Fisher (who also co-wrote
"Peg O My Heart" and "I'm On My Way to Mandalay") and Lee Terry (co-writer of "Wet Yo Thumb" and "When It's Nightime in Italy It's Wednesday Over Here"). The medley works quite well, and it's a great recording. Some of the wear you
hear on this record I put there myself, but it was worn before I got it too. Some light noise reduction treatment helped to alleviate this problem.
