Roger Williams - Collection 1954-62 (CD)

Very few instrumentalists can match the chart success of American pianist Roger Williams, who had well over thirty chart entries during his career, and came to fame with his 1955 debut hit "Autumn Leaves", which remains the only piano instrumental to reach No. 1 in the Billboard pop charts, selling over two million copies in the process. A classically-trained pianist, who also studied jazz piano at New York's renowned Juilliard School of Music, he was signed to the Kapp label after winning a talent contest, and was launched to fame with his second release for the label. This great-value 51-track 2-CD collection is drawn entirely from his A and B sides released by Kapp during the period, with the majority of his releases during the period represented by at least one side, with both the A and B sides of many of his releases included. It naturally includes all of the eighteen Billboard or Cash Box chart entries he achieved during this era, notably the Top 10 hit "Near You" as well as "Autumn Leaves", and features his versions of many of the fine melodies of the times such as "The Warsaw Concerto (The World Outside)", "Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1" and "The Skater's Waltz", characterised by lush orchestral accompaniments, plus his hit duet with singer Jane Morgan "Two Different Worlds".

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. You'll Never Walk Alone (Roger Williams)
2. The Boy Next Door (Roger Williams)
3. Autumn Leaves (Roger Williams)
4. Take Care (Roger Williams)
5. Night Wind (Roger Williams)
6. Wanting You (Roger Williams)
7. La Mer (Roger Williams)
8. Song of Devotion (Roger Williams)
9. Hi Lili Hi Lo (Roger Williams)
10. My Dream Sonata (Roger Williams)
11. Tumbling Tumbleweeds (Roger Williams)
12. Two Different Worlds (Jane Morgan and Roger Williams)
13. Nights in Verona (Roger Williams)
14. Anastasia (Roger Williams)
15. Almost Paradise (Roger Williams)
16. For the First Time (Roger Williams)
17. Every Little Movement (Roger Williams)
18. Moonlight Love (Roger Williams)
19. Till (Roger Williams)
20. Big Town (Roger Williams)
21. Arriverderci, Roma (Roger Williams)
22. The Sentimental Touch (Roger Williams)
23. Indiscreet (Roger Williams)
24. Young and Warm and Wonderful (Roger Williams)
25. Near You (Roger Williams)
26. The Merry Widow Waltz (Roger Williams)

Disc: 2

1. The World Outside (Roger Williams)
2. Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto (Roger Williams)
3. Mockin' Bird Hill (Roger Williams)
4. Memories Are Made of This (Roger Williams)
5. Sunrise Serenade (Roger Williams)
6. Cool Water (Roger Williams)
7. La Montana - If She Should Come to You (Roger Williams)
8. What Lies Over the Hills (Roger Williams)
9. Riviera Concerto (Roger Williams)
10. Temptation (Roger Williams)
11. Homesick for New England (Roger Williams)
12. I Get a Kick Out of You (Roger Williams)
13. A Lover's Symphony (Roger Williams)
14. Song of the Rain (Roger Williams)
15. Yellow Bird (Roger Williams)
16. Roger's Bumble Bee (Roger Williams)
17. Maria (Roger Williams)
18. Eventide (Roger Williams)
19. Amor (Roger Williams)
20. Intermezzo (Roger Williams)
21. Skaters Waltz (Roger Williams)
22. Hatari (Roger Williams)
23. The Lorelei (Roger Williams)
24. Niagara Theme (Roger Williams)
25. It's Now or Never (Roger Williams)