Jazz for aficionados
Glad you liked it, mahgister. Here is another interesting pianist that I enjoy. Subtle and introspective approach with a remarkably gentle tone. https://youtu.be/lmKOVUF6kNY https://youtu.be/UqydkoacVwg https://youtu.be/kNhrygNQthw (Maybe Alex will like this one) |
Glad you liked it, mahgister.Wow thanks it seems completely different playing than the other pianists i already own... You said it : introspective and a gentle tone... I love him.... I will lok for his albums thanks.... I am grateful because you have discerning taste not only taste....I will read all your recommendations, like say someone else we are lucky that you are here with us.... My deepest regards... |
Was OP a bebop artist? I return for this one question based upon respect for the knowledge of many of the aficionados here. This link of Oscar Peterson has recently had a bit of exposure. In it Beato makes a couple of references for Peterson being a bebop pianist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj93v9j2A4A I admit I never thought of him as an example of that style. Yes, he was fast and played with virtuosity of performance (keys of bebop styling) but Oscar doesn't come to mind for me when I think of Bird, Dizzy, and other notable bebop musicians. So I'm curious, how many of you would identify Oscar Peterson as a bebop artist? |
<<The other regulars don't post as often as they once did. Soooooo, there is no one to communicate with. There are still viewers. >> I don't think I ever made it to "regular" status due to my relative newbie-ness (sp?), but I do intend to return this month. Just checked in this AM because I wanted some new (old?) music to play at a friend's house. So I came to JFA - of course. Rok, maybe your comment will jump start JFA, which used to be downright vibrant and can still be the best online jazz forum I've ever encountered. Life has thrown a lot of stuff my way the past few months. Thanks for the last few days of great stuff everyone. I'll be back soon. |
So I'm curious, how many of you would identify Oscar Peterson as a bebop artist? He was a great pianists. A great Jazz pianists. Bebop? That's what they called what Bird and Dizzy did that changed the direction of Jazz. Demonstrated and opened everyone's eyes as to how Jazz could be played. An example of what was possible. It became the pervasive influence. As Jelly Roll Morton said, "Jazz is a way of playing music." Not so sure about all the labels. Think of Miles and 'Kind of Blue'. Don't exactly bring to mind Bird and Dizzy. Also, as The Frogman once pointed out, Louis Armstrong called Bebop "Chinese" music. :) I am sure he had Bird, Dizzy and maybe Monk in mind. Peterson was not known as a Jazz composer or innovator, he just played other folks music mo better than anyone else could. I put Peterson and Gene Harris together right up with the all time greats on piano. Their music is ALWAYS very enjoyable to hear, and you can't say that about many. Cheers |
Pryso asks an interesting question. I agree with all that Rok wrote, but I think that there is, in fact, an answer to the question……in my book, anyway. OP was an amazing piano player and, to my ears, he definitely had a style. He was a master of just about every Jazz piano style and I think that his personal style can be said to have been heavily informed by all those styles; not the least of which was his early training in Classical piano. Still, I think the most prominent influence in his playing was that of Art Tatum. I agree with Pryso, he never really sounded like a bebop player to me. If I were to get analytical, I would say that, harmonically, he was more of a traditionalist and, in the same spirit, he played more on the front side of the beat than most bebop and certainly hard bop players. OP demonstrating different Jazz piano styles: https://youtu.be/ec-FrnaU0rs |
Nice Nat Cole! Underrated as a piano player. More Oscar Peterson. A more analytical look: https://youtu.be/3cQ1zFMHVXM https://youtu.be/2bcVy9HL9-E |
I'm on it @acman3 Thanks for the suggestion. Found Live at the Mira Room on Tidal. These guys swing + sonics are great and so is the musicianship. Jazz trios pretty often a challenge for attention deficit moi. In this case though, I'm two tracks in and haven't hung up the phone yet. Make that 3 tracks. Thanks again...for something new and interesting. |
When I first entered the page, I was asked if I was older than 21. Well I obviously had to lie... https://www.dogfish.com/brewery/beer/wood-aged-bitches-brew |
OP wasn't bebop IMHO. That said... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Leg_AqkGvWc |
Sometimes musicians impose on themselves rigorous constraints that put them in the directtion that synchronize entirely with their soul expression ONLY and first...Music expression is subordinated to their soul expression...Music serve them... Sometimes musicians impose on themselves rigorous constraints that put them in the direction that mobilize all the soul powers ONLY and first to the music expression... Their soul expression is mediated by the musical thema, line or exact written score chosen expression at the time...They are the great servant of music... Most musicians are a MIX of music expression and soul expression one through the other, time to time ...They serve music time to time and music serve them time to time... But sometimes some extreme case musician choose squarely one or the other MOST of the time if not all time... Oscar Peterson is a huge talented musician able to express his soul in any stylistic musical form...Be-bop included...but not only...He is more first the perfect servant of any music form,songs,or style... He can play anything...In any style... Bill Evans is an extreme case where only some musical style and form are picked to serve first his soul expression and ONLY that...He is very different animal than Peterson... Chet Baker is in the same boat than Evans , who never serve really the existing music FIRST but express his own soul first through any song more than playing the song...Some even call that a "limitation" compared to other more "creative" trumpeters ... In classical piano Ervin Nyíregyházi is a stunning example of someone able to transform any written score in the sea of Ervin Nyíregyházi soul...He does not play nor serve Liszt, he become Liszt or Liszt become Ervin Nyíregyházi when he play...He does not serve Liszt but transfigure him through himself...No other pianist i know are able to do this to this level.... Like Bach was not the ordinary servant of any existing music or styles....But able to transform any music in Bach soul with the power of his brain ...This is the reason why he is the greateast composer of all times because any music is recreated , any style, is recreated in Bach soul for Bach soul expression first... Great musicians in history become great composers for example by serving themselves first more than serving other music or existing style first... In jazz where improvisation is so important, the musician serving itself first predominate...The servant musician exist also....But jazz lived through many transformations in a short time period because of that trend of the soul expression first in non written music... I apologize if expressing my own feeling and idea seems too simplistic for musicians here or for some others.... Feel free to criticize... I only listen music and i dont have any formal knowledge of music....This post is only an expression right or wrong about the matter... |
This guy called himself a" blues singer" , not up to me to deny such an artist as him. I would say there is ZERO doubt among females that he speaks the truth and only the truth as this lady testifies the first time she ever heard him! https://youtu.be/OzylvkJkSbI P.S . I knew Peterson was classical trained first time I heard him play and was Canadian first time I heard him speak . Class on top of class ! |
I imagine this album by Lewis is already on here , but just in case a nice bunch of jazz with some originality Drummer is very melodic and lovely to the ear, at least mine .Ditto for the bassist . https://youtu.be/vpDXuai8UIw |
Me too! Jim Snidero is a great player. A protege of the great (and missed) Phil Woods. The venue for this recording, the Deerhead Inn, is in Pennsylvania’s Delaware Water Gap where Woods lived for many years until his passing and where he often performed with his Quintet and also led his big band. A long running Jazz club in the Poconos mountains! No Blackbird, but a Birdie still: https://youtu.be/JftaX7p_PHQ |
Senor Frog, Sure, the phrase "hit the spot" is overused and therefore somewhat trite. That said, "Bye Bye Baby" really did hit the spot tonight. Thanks as always. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMe6YO2Sp10 |
| Post removed |
Glad you guys liked it. Not going to get into an argument between friends 😊, but this comes to mind. What is a good Jazz singer and not just a good interpreter of songs. Seems to me that same as with instrumentalists they should be able to improvise at a high level. Not just “shoobie doobie doo” their way through a phrase or chorus, but do it at close to the level of a good instrumentalist; and, for starters, actually make the changes and not just gloss over the harmonies like most do. Few have been able to do it. I like Sinatra a lot, and in some ways he was the best, but I never heard him improvise (scat) anywhere near like this: https://youtu.be/UWupeqhBoJE https://youtu.be/UWupeqhBoJE |
Scott Hamilton still great with on this entire album with a a good German trio . From what I hear he is a King in Germany, I saw him in Sweden and he was a God there! https://youtu.be/AAbAYR9gGOE Bernhard Pichi , the leader is a top pianist , whole rhythm section sounds very good to me . Just a beautiful album . |
Another thanks frog. That merits two comments. Regardless of which you feel is the best jazz vocalist, I've never seen a video of Sinatra having as much fun performing as Torme on "Love For Sale". Also, and I hope I haven't related this joke here previously. It was a cartoon panel with an announcement by a galley slave captain. "OK men, I have good news and bad news. The good news is we're rowing to Bermuda. The bad news is Buddy Rich will be our drummer." |
That’s a funny joke, thanks! Not many could get away telling Buddy to play softer like Torme did in that clip. Amazing drummer, but that Buddy’s personality was not popular among his players is an understatement. Here’s another good one (dark!): **** A horn player who had been playing with Buddy Rich for many years came back from vacation to hear a rumor that Buddy had died. He didn’t quite believe it, so he phoned Buddy’s wife and said "Can I speak to Buddy please?" Buddy’s wife said, "I’m sorry, Buddy passed away last week." "Oh, I’m sorry to hear that," he said, and hung up. A couple of hours later, he called her again. "Is Buddy there please?" "No, I’m sorry. Buddy’s no longer with us," said Buddy’s wife. And hung up the phone. Ten minutes later, he called Buddy’s wife again. "Can I speak to Buddy please?" he said. She recognised his voice, and said: "Look, I’ve told you before, BUDDY’S DEAD!" And slammed down the phone. Two minutes later, and the phone rang again..."Is Buddy at home please?" the horn player asked. Buddy’s wife was furious. "I’m not going to tell you again, Buddy is dead.. D. E. A. D. DEAD. Why do you keep ringing me to ask for Buddy???!!!!" He thought for a moment, and said: "I just love hearing you say it." **** The stuff of legend. Recorded on Buddy’s tour bus by a friend of mine who shall remain nameless 😊 . Not for the faint of heart: https://youtu.be/covUesgI6fA |
Torme said this about singing "never lose sight of the original music value which the composer put in it ". He was a musician from top to bottom that actually studied music and his genuine intellect knew it well . Only a real musician could do that run with Buddy, and a very good one at that . I argued for decades about that made him better than Sinatra who never even though he needed to read music . |
| Post removed |
@mahgister Your wonderful post of Aug. 9 did not go as unnoticed or unappreciated as it may seem. Mary Jo was kind enough to respond "that is nice," but I felt you poured your heart and soul into that one - so why not let you know even after a week has passed? I haven't had the luxury of staying current with JFA or the music itself for that matter, but thank you for expressing your thoughts and feelings as you did. "Well done" is an understatement. |
Lovely version of "Concierto de Aranjuez" led by Jim Hall (1975), unfortunately marred by an ill-fitting piano solo at about 12 minutes. Well worth the dive IMO. Chet Baker delivers perfection throughout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLr56VZhGJk The "run-of-the-mill" line-up: Alto Saxophone – Paul Desmond Trumpet – Chet Baker Bass – Ron Carter Drums – Steve Gadd Guitar – Jim Hall Piano – for you to check |
Thanks keegiam... Music listening is a survival mode for me, then even without any formal knowledge of the art, i was always very blown away by some musicians or by some pieces in ANY genre or style... I always wanted to understand why? The answer was found in me, my own spritual metabolism.... Music is not only a nourishment but also a therapeutic with various musicians/doctors, all skilled, and with many medecines in their hands, akin to each specific soul diseases or actual needs.... Music is the most underestimated " medecine" even in medecine science.... Only for the last decades this fact begins to emerge slowly now ; but it was very well known by our own prehistoric ancestors who created language and music from the same mold: their mouth and body rythmic system... Alas! Someone deaf to music may seems sometimes to be blind to his own soul..... It is the reason why if God gave me a choice between being deaf or blind, i will choose to be blind on the spot instead of being deaf....And i was teaching high level reading in my working life ....😁😊But we can read books even without sight anyway... I will remember all my life this anecdote: A french crew documentary gang was going after Ray Charles on each of his steps 24 hours by day... They pick him someday in his monthly routine in an hospital, and a young female children walked swiftly toward him jumping in his embrace...The crew was stunned to learn that Ray was giving help and money for this children which was deaf... He pay for medical bills.... The crew ask him why? Why not blind children like him? He laugh very loud and said being blind is absolutely nothing.... Deaf is the problem..... I never forgot this moving scene nor the meaning of Ray's laughs.... |
