Queen Of The Keyboard
This brief interview with legendary pianist Mary Lou Williams was conducted in 1976. During an era when jazz was the nation’s soundtrack, she was one of its greatest innovators. From child prodigy to groundbreaking composer to mentoring some of the greatest musicians of all time, Mary Lou Williams never ceased to astound those who heard her play. Time and again, she pushed back against a black and white man’s world that said, “You can’t” and said, “I can!”
In Toots Thielemans Backstage Interview he talks about his life and career, from playing jazz harmonica and guitar to becoming a professional whistler! Baron Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor Thielemans was born in Brussels, Belgium in April,1922 and left us with a rich musical legacy in August, 2016 at the ripe old age of 94. He is often credited with legitimizing the harmonica as a jazz instrument and is considered to be among the greatest jazz harmonica players of the past century by aficionados and critics alike. Toots acquired the nickname “Toots” while touring Europe with the Benny Goodman Band during 1949 and 1950. The name stuck and he eventually legalized it.
“Minor Riff” Recording Session
Ever wonder what goes on in a recording session? Now is your chance to find out as Pete Rugolo conducts a session for “Minor Riff” in Hollywood California on February 19, 1999. Players include:
Trumpets: Frank Szabo, Buddy Childers, Conte Candoli and Pete Candoli. Trombones: Roy Wiegand, Greg Solomon, Jack Redmond, Bill Tole and George Roberts. Saxophones: Steve Wilkerson, Terry Harrington, Ray Reed (alto flute), Jim Quam and Jennifer Hall (baritone). Also featuring Barry Zweig (guitar), John Leitham (bass), Chuck Flores (drums) and Jack Costanzo (congas). The session was produced by Robert Hicks, Michael James and Pete Rugolo for the “Textures In Hi-Fi” album. Video by Clyde Yasuhara.
It’s All About The Blues
Leave it to jazz legend Eddie Daniels to deliver a video that’s both up and educational and a bit blue at the same time. Eddie talks primarily about the emotive and expressive side of playing a clarinet … getting in touch with your instrument. He provides a kind of step-by-step guide for all players to begin experimenting with the blues genre and for non-musicians to better understand the subtleties of what they are hearing. From embouchure to airflow, not all clarinet playing is the same and Eddie explains why.
On the left, Ed Shaughnessy of Tonight Show fame demonstrates Budd Rich’s “Old Whip Cream Roll”. On the right, former Brubeck drummer Joe Morello talks about “Brush Technique”. If you’ve ever wondered how these guys played so fast and sounded so smooth, you’ll learn just a few of their secrets here.
Herbie Hancock On Composing “Watermelon Man”
Herbie reveals his inspiration and thought processes during the creation of this contemporary jazz standard. Hancock wrote ‘Watermelon Man’ to help sell “Takin’ Off”, his 1962 debut album as a leader. It was the first piece of music he had ever composed with a commercial goal in mind. The popularity of the piece, due primarily to Mongo Santamaría’s recording, paid Hancock’s bills for five or six years.
The Piano Masters
Ramsey Lewis goes through a historical who’s who of legendary piano greats, from Jelly Roll Morton and Fats Waller to Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett. This is a brief excerpt from the PBS Legends of Jazz series that aired back in 2006.