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Despite his impact on other New Orleans piano players and his ì overwhelming talent, there have been few James Booker recordings. ì The all-instrumental 'Spiders on the Keys' is cause for ì celebration. Here is pianist James Booker as his New Orleans ì fans knew him--passionate and dazzling; alternately extroverted ì or painfully lost in his own world. While much of the material ì on this album is new to Booker's recorded repertoire, even ì familiar songs like 'Junco Partner' and 'Irene Goodnight' are ì given radically different treatments than on any previous ì recording. Many of the songs, especially 'So Swell When You're ì Well' and 'Little Coquette,' are showcases for his astonishing ì left hand, with which he keeps a block chord rhythm and a ì syncopated bassline going at the same time, while his right hand ì explores other territory. Here, then, is what you might have ì heard if you got lucky and caught one of Booker's best Maple Leaf ì sets.