Mary Lou Williams

by | Apr 29, 2024 | Solo/Duo, Trio

One of the greatest jazz pianists, composers, and arrangers of all time, Mary Lou Williams was a swing and bebop icon with few equals. A musical prodigy, at the age of two she was able to pick out simple tunes, and by the age of three she was given piano lessons by her mother.  Mary Lou Williams played piano out of necessity at a very young age … when only six, she supported her ten half-brothers and sisters by playing at neighborhood parties. She began performing publicly at the age of seven, when she became known admiringly in Pittsburgh as “The Little Piano Girl” of East Liberty. She became a professional musician at the age of 15, and recorded more that one-hundred records (78s,45s, and 33-1/3 LPs) throughout her lifetime. She was a friend, mentor, and teacher to many of the greats, including the likes of Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Bud Powell, and Dizzy Gillespie.

Above is a performance of an original Williams composition, Medition II, recorded for a popular 1974 television program.  It features Sy Oliver on trumpet, Milton Suggs on bass, and Walter Perkins playing drums. Below left, she partners with Stan Getz in 1978 with the familiar My Blue Heaven … and below right Mary Lou ‘noodles’ Some Blues.  The video quality is poor but her brief solo was so classically blues, I had to include it!

Below is a track from her landmark 1975 album, “Live at the Cookery.”  It’s Mary Lou Williams rendition of the Miles Davis tune, All Blues, with bassist Brian Torff.  The album is a series of duets, essentially taking listeners on a trip through the history of jazz … from hymns and blues to stride, swing, and bop (including “All Blues”).

All Blues

by Mary Lou Williams | Live at the Cookery

Big Boss Tenor – Houston Person

by | Apr 19, 2024 | Quartet/Quintet, Solo/Duo, Trio

In Texas they have a town they call “Houston.”  New York has a street named “Houston” but they pronounce it “Howstin.”  In jazz, there’s a particularly noteworthy Person, and no matter how you say Houston, he’s been playing his big boss tenor both hot and cool for more than half-a-century!  Houston Person’s musical role seems to be as a show stopper and spotlight stealer, no matter who he plays with … he can touch you and growl at you, equally well, during the same electrifying passage.  I have described his style as silk and cement, and you’ll find examples of both––and everything inbetween––in the three videos below.

Topmost is a 1998 performance of Blues Up and Down with David “Fathead” Newman and the Rein deGraaff Trio.  Below that is a tune who’s name is not listed, and which I can’t seem to identify, but Houston’s duo with John Clayton is comfortably energetic nonetheless.  Finally, At Last is a tune with Emmet Cohen (p), Kyle Poole (d), and Russell Hall (b) that has just enough silk and just enough cement to prove my point.

Recorded live in June of 2023 at the Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY.  Person and Clayton … a unique duo with a combined swinging sound will find a place in the heart of any jazz fan.

Recorded in 2021 at Emmet’s Place, in Harlem, NYC. The weekly performances are by invitation only … and they entertain only around 8 guests per show.

‘A’ Midnight Special – Michel Petrucciani

by | Feb 4, 2024 | Sextet, Solo/Duo

(Above) The classic Take the ‘A’ Train is given a highly kinetic treatment by Petrucciani at the 1998 Nice Jazz Festival. He is joined by Anthony Jackson (b), Steve Gadd (d), Stefano DiBattista (ts), Flavio Boltro (tr), & Denis Leloup (tb)

(Left) In 1993, Michel took the stage at the Stuttgart Jazz Festival and captured the audience with a powerful solo performance of Monk’s ‘Round Midnight.  He had everyone checking their watches … waiting for ‘last call!’

Dancin’, Drummin’, & Swingin’

by | Jan 19, 2024 | Solo/Duo, Stuff, Vocal

Combine four of the top drummers in jazz: Louis Bellson, Philly Jo Jones, Shelly Manne, and Irv Cottler –– with the flying feet of the multi-talented Caterina Valente –– and you have the formula for a truly unique performance on 1964’s popular Hollywood Palace television show (top).  Then (bottom), Caterina and Ella Fitzgerald are joined by (believe it or not) Perry Como, in a spirited scat version of Al Jolson’s 1920’s swinging hit Avalon.  Vintage television!

The Shearing Sound – Pt. 2

by | Sep 1, 2023 | Quartet/Quintet, Solo/Duo, Vocal

From 1949 to 1978, The George Shearing Quintet was a household name and a staple in anyone’s record collection.  Between George’s “Locked Hands” style of playing and the addition of vibes to the group, their sound was unique.  The original group was comprised of Margie Hyams (vibes), Chuck Wayne (guitar), later replaced by Toots Thielemans, John Levy (bass), Denzil Best (drums), and of course Shearing himself (piano).  The quintet underwent several changes through the years, until finally it was disbanded, in favor of trio, duo, and solo performances … until toward the end of his career Shearing made several recordings with major vocalists such as Mel Torme, Nat Cole (Pick Yourself Up – bottom), Nancy Wilson, Peggy Lee and others.

Move (above) was one of the earlier quintets after Joe Roland had replaced Margie Hyams on vibes; the tune is one of the less mellow arrangements for which the group became known.  The Duke (below) is a tune written by Dave Brubeck as a nod to the great Duke Ellington.  It’s a live performance with Neil Swainson accompanying Sir George Shearing on bass.

Pick Yourself Up

by George Shearing-Nat Cole | Nat Cole Sings, George Shearing Plays

The Shearing Sound – Pt. 1

by | Aug 26, 2023 | Orchestral, Solo/Duo

George Shearing was a British born pianist who led a popular jazz group that took the country by storm for many years.  Born blind, the youngest of nine children, he started learning to play at the age of three … and went on to compose more than 300 titles during his illustrious career, including the jazz standard Lullaby of Birdland (Uppermost video).  He had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 60s, 80s, and even the 1990s.

Shearing emigrated to the U.S. and founded the first George Shearing Quintet in 1949, which saw a number of permutations over the years and finally led to solo and trio performances later in his career.  He drew upon classical music and the records of Teddy Wilson and Fats Waller for his influences, eventually developing a harmonically complex style––mixing swing, bop and modern classical into his playing.  His technique became known as Shearing’s Voicing … a type of double melody block chord, with an additional fifth part that doubles the melody an octave lower.  This style of playing is also known as Locked Hands.

Henry Mancini’s Dreamsville, like the video above, was recorded in 1992 at the Munich Philharmonie … with Neil Swainson on bass.

George goes solo with John Williams at the Boston Pops with his performance of Look At That Face.  The picture quality is a bit compromised, but the music is near perfect!

 

Jazz at Trinity Church – NYC

by | Jun 18, 2023 | Solo/Duo

On May 7, 2023 NEA Jazz Master pianist Kenny Barron and eight-time Grammy-winning bassist Christian McBride went to church –– to play, not to pray.  That’s gospel!  As part of Trinity’s music series, in association with Jazz House Kids, the dynamic duo played practically nonstop for more than an hour, to the delight of a packed houseful of fans and supporters.

The top-tune is Billy Strayhorn’s Isfahan, while below that, McBride performs a few finger gymnastics on the more familiar Body and Soul.

Clark Terry & Red Mitchell Together

by | Feb 23, 2021 | Solo/Duo

In 1988 at the ZDF Jazz Club, two of Duke Ellington’s most popular compositions were performed by two of jazzdom’s most talented musicians … Clark Terry on flugelhorn and trumpet plus Red Mitchell playing double bass.  Separately, either one can help you forget your troubles for hours.  Together, they can make you forget the entire rest of the band for good!  Terry connects all the notes into a single string of melodic calisthenics on “It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing”  and you can almost hear Mitchell’s bass sing when the “Sophisticated Lady” and Red musically dance as one!  This is a dynamic duo you are going to enjoy.

Don’t Blame Me / Bolivar Blues – Thelonious Monk

by | Nov 14, 2020 | Quartet/Quintet, Solo/Duo

Thelonious Monk is something of an acquired taste.  As Monk himself has said, “The piano ain’t got no wrong notes” … but once that taste is acquired, the listening experience is singular and thoroughly enjoyable!  The impression is one of almost hitting the note by playing around it, implying the expected note by actually creating a new version of it.  Monk is the very definition of avant-garde … half pianist, half painter.  As for Charlie Rouse adding his tenor to the mix, Charlie rents space inside Monk’s head.  Together they are musical twins joined at the hip!

Recorded in 1966 in Denmark, Don’t Blame Me puts Monk’s quartet on hold for a solo performance of the time-tested classic.

Monk’s Bolivar Blues was recorded in Japan in 1963.  The quartet is Thelonious at the piano, Charlie Rouse on tenor saxophone, Frankie Dunlop playing drums and Butch Warren on bass.

Happy Reunion – Duke Ellington & Paul Gonsalves

by | May 29, 2020 | Solo/Duo

Happy Reunion was a frequent concert feature for Gonsalves in the Ellington band’s later years.  Here, Paul was at the end of his career and no longer anywhere near his prime.  Still, if you take into account the close, enduring friendship between these men, and the fact that they even died only 4 months apart, this rare collaboration with just the two of them, makes for a tender and most memorable moment.

The story behind this performance seems to be that Paul Gonsalves, who had a long history of alcohol and drug abuse, had been under the weather and was late for a rehearsal with the full band. The usual Ellington strategy with a wayward musician was to call upon him for one solo after another. This video was recorded the next afternoon as the legendary tenor man again shows up late and is greeted by Ellington with, “Stinky, you juiced again?” At the end of the classic duo’s number, Gonsalves requests four kisses … an Ellington specialty. It’s a happy reunion and everything is forgiven, as always.