right on..but the gift is not always all-encompassing. it's the combination of the gift with the right instrument of expression..which is why Claudio is aways searching.
Charlie Parker could play tenor but he wasn't the same.
Eric Dolphy was a genius on all 3 of his axes..and Trane on 2..Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder are greats on vocals and keys, but Ray is just fair on sax..Stevie is an equal genius as a writer..but other great players are only ok, not great, when they go to a 2nd axe...and stories abound about those who started on one axe and had little success until they switched to the one that suited them better.
it's called "finding your voice". Toots Thielemans is a fine guitarist..but when he plays that harmonica--magic!

A great pianist on a Boesendorfer is miles beyond the same guy on a spinet. But a great pianist on a spinet is light years beyond a lousy pianist on a Boesendorfer. It's not totally one thing or another, because even the lousy pianist will sound better on a Boesendorfer.

some greats need no practice..just play, like Tatum. others are like Heifetz, who said: "if i don't practice one day, i can tell. If i don't practice 2 days, my wife can tell. if I don't practice 3 days, the audience can tell."



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Miami Mo