A jazz piano history lesson from Oscar

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 12 Nov 2012 6:58 pm

I saw this live as a kid. Why don't they make TV like this anymore? This was the best of pop culture presented and explained wonderfully with respect for the audience's intelligence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec-FrnaU ... re=related

William Lake · Post by **William Lake** » 12 Nov 2012 7:51 pm

Andy, thank you for that. Oscar has a special place in my heart. You see, his youngest daughter and my granddaughter are good friends. She was over at his house almost every day. Oscar took a liking to my granddaughter.
He did sound like Nat Cole when he sang. I was surprised. I expected Satchmo.

Andrew Roblin · Post by **Andrew Roblin** » 13 Nov 2012 4:11 am

Thanks, Andy.
That was just great. What a beautiful tribute to the piano masters Oscar studied.
The magnificent Oscar of Montreal...

Andrew Roblin
International Sho-Bud Brother & Sisterhood
Janitor, Member #79
andrewroblin.com

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 13 Nov 2012 4:37 am

Andy, these days I only listen to pianists. No steel guitar, no guitar....Oscar is one of them, Ahmad Jamal, Eddie Higgins, George Shearing, Bill Evans, Eddie Costa, Bud Powell, Monk and many others bring me joy every day (I should mention Alan Broadbent, too, one of my favorites). It is the individuality of their approaches to tunes and harmony that is so alluring to me and a never-ending source of information and inspiration.

Loved this clip and I enjoyed hearing Oscar sing. Everyone tried to sing like Nat at one time, including Ray Charles.

There's a cool Dick Hyman DVD called Century of Jazz Piano where he goes through all the styles. There are clips on Youtube, too.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 13 Nov 2012 6:37 am

Oscar was a brilliant man who had wide ranging interests and was often unfairly criticized for being just a technician. He had lots of soul and feeling, I think. He suffered a lot from the racisim of the early 50s when he toured.

As for piano players, I enjoy all of the above, Mike. A few of my favorites not on your list ... Red Garland, Tete Montoliou, Erroll Garner, Herman Foster, Harold Mabern, Milt Buckner, Steve Kuhn. Foster in particular is very under the radar. If you don't know him, he was a blind player who often played in an exciting block chord style. Check him out at 01:25 here .... at 02:31 he goes into Shearing territory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL05FVn5TNw

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 13 Nov 2012 6:38 am

Oscar was a brilliant man who had wide ranging interests and was often unfairly criticized for being just a technician. He had lots of soul and feeling, I think. He suffered a lot from the racisim of the early 50s when he toured.

As for piano players, I enjoy all of the above, Mike. A few of my favorites not on your list ... Red Garland, Tete Montoliou, Erroll Garner, Herman Foster, Harold Mabern, Milt Buckner, Steve Kuhn. Foster in particular is very under the radar. If you don't know him, he was a blind player who often played in an exciting block chord style. Check him out at 01:25 here .... at 02:31 he goes into Shearing territory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL05FVn5TNw

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 13 Nov 2012 7:29 am

I definitely dig Red Garland. When I took guitar lessons with Mike stern, he taught me how to comp like Red, especially rhythmically.

Another player I really love is Paul Bley--his early recordings are fantastic, especially the record with Mingus. He is a very good bop player and he developed a highly unique style. But one of my all-time favorites is Sal Mosca, a Tristano disciple who was in a world of his own. Check out Sal's version of "There Will Never Be Another You":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQqM9drGlL4

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 13 Nov 2012 8:00 am

Sal is terrific. Thanks, Mike hadn't heard him before.

a lot of the mainstream beboppers leave me cold ... Hank Jones, Tommy Flannegan, etc etc.

Other pianists who have more individual personality for my taste include ....

Jimmy Rowles - a very subtle player
Monty Alexander - very crisp attack; works with steel drummers often
Walter Wanderly - solely for his Bossa Nova comping
Martial Solal - French-Algerian pianist
Jaki Byard - my all time favorite performace: http://tinyurl.com/a7up8o5
Eddie Costa - great with Tal Farlow
Eliane Ellias - Mrs. Brecker - great player
Dianna Krall - when she decides to be serious she's an elegant soloist

We could go on and on ....

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 13 Nov 2012 8:08 am

And Clare Fischer, a real genius.
I listen to a lot of Geri Allen, McCoy Tyner and Chick Corea, Connie Crothers, etc., too, but these days I like it a little easier.

A few more regulars on my playlist:
Dodo Marmarosa
Billy Strayhorn
Lou Levy
Hampton Hawes
Lennie Tristano (of course)
Sergio Mendes
Tania Maria
Tadd Dameron
Vince Guaraldi

Here is another guy who a fantastic player, Joe Albany. The following is a documentary about him--check it out, I think you'll like it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnufLQMb6To

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 13 Nov 2012 8:55 am

Every time Oscar played it was a jazz piano history lesson, also, might I add Horace Silver to the list?

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 13 Nov 2012 8:56 am

Oscar is of course fantastic. But the sheer force of his technique for some reason always kept his music at a slight distance for me. No surprise, some of my favorite pianists are Monk, Ellington, Basie, and Wynton Kelly (especially when he was with Miles). Listening to Wynton play on Friday and Saturday Night at the Blackhawk is mind blowing.

Ellington is a very under rated pianist. His solo piano works are some of the first I turn to when I want to mellow out.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 13 Nov 2012 9:02 am

Barry Blackwood wrote:May I add Horace Silver to the list?

Absolutely! His soloing doesn't do much for me, but his compositions are superb.

Bobby Timmons is another great player.

Sid Hudson · Post by **Sid Hudson** » 13 Nov 2012 10:24 am

As a teenager I was privileged to know and study with the Great Jazz legend “Joe Pass”.

During this time I was exposed to Oscar.

In an attempt to find words to describe what a brilliant musician Oscar was just seems weak and anemic.

All I can do is shake my head when I hear him play.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bkRhge3li4

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 13 Nov 2012 12:49 pm

A good documentary on Tatum, along with Nat Cole, a huge influence on OP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUOp1W2aqiw

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 14 Nov 2012 6:38 am

i got to play guitar with peterson one night on a concert with the atlanta symphony. i was quite leary of even doing it, till i looked at the music. several places in the parts said...."guitar solo...play blues"...hmmmm...i can do that! lol i sat close enough to him to reach out and touch the keyboard if i had wanted to. his playing was absolutely stunning.

you can really hear the tatum influence in his playing.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 14 Nov 2012 7:23 am

here is a great documentary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4lhfoFv ... re=related