Jazz Piano Through The Years

Mat

Mat

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I'm not too keen on stride piano to be honest, but this stuff is great. Thanks for contributing, Stu.
 

stu

New member
That's an interesting piece Mat. Takes me back a few years to when my wife (who was then a part time classical piano teacher) had me practice daily a Chopin piece (can't recall the title) and she would insist I read the music even I when I got to the stage that I knew it off by heart . My mind would wander and I would glance out the window but she would glance into the room to holler out a severe reprimand "READ THE MUSIC!!!" However, often when she went downstairs I would attempt to filter some Monk, Garner, Brubeck, and some stride into the piece and it was working quite well, until came the holler from downstairs, "I HEARD THAT! PLAY THE MUSIC AS WRITTEN OR YOU WILL NEVER LEARN!"
She likes a lot of jazz, but this was what she taught, and after a while I slowly prefered just to dig out my Brubecks,Tatums, and Monks.:)
 
Mat

Mat

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Yes, there most definitely is something about Chopin that makes you wanna mix some jazz into his pieces. And there's so many jazz arrangements out there to prove it!

I didn't know you played piano. Do you still play? Any chance for a sample? ;)
 

stu

New member
That was years ago Mat! No recording devices back then, and I never really went back to taking lessons. I fumbled my way around, I murdered the music! Although I did play quite a good medium boogie version of the Jimmy Yancey State Street Special. :)

Here's one of stride pianoman Dick Welstood. I met and talked with him once at a concert, he was with clarinet player Kenny Davern and drummer Bobby Rosengarden and they were billed as the Blue Trio. This one is by Wellstood solo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOZoBJ_RKjY&feature=player_detailpage


Here's Dick Hyman and Dick Wellstood together.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL45E8DDB07CA570AC&v=njffx--70f8&feature=player_detailpager.
 
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stu

New member
No Mat, anyway that tempo would cause me problems, busted fingers. The Chopin I murdered was a lot sloooooooower! I only upped the tempo after I knew it by heart and even then it only reached about 5mph!
 

OLDUDE

New member
Mat,
that was a beautiful piece of music, I wouldn't have believed that Chopin could be presented as Jazz.
(Though its quite possible that the guy would have been a jazz player if born to this age.)
Who was the player, yourself??
 
Mat

Mat

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OLDUDE said:
Who was the player, yourself??
Click to expand...

In my dreams, John. In my dreams :D

The first link (Sept. 6th) was to an arrangement by a Polish musician Leszek Możdżer. He recorded a couple albums with Chopin's music exclusively. The other one is a French pianist, Pierre Yves Plat. I've discovered him only recently. There isn't many of his works available to listen on the Internet, though.

If you're interested in "jazz Chopin" feel free to send me a PM - I'll gladly point you to many, many more recordings.
 
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