Errol Garner – I love the way he takes a standard and puts in his variations and yet you are still aware of the melody. His chords are out-of-site, they verge on being out of tune and yet they resolve and keep me smiling. I do not the jazz musician that is so far from the original song that it almost sounds like that last one he played. We were playing an old Sinatra standard called witchcraft. The sax player for that night took the solo and went off to a someplace ?? After about 9 measures he leans over and asks, “What song are we playing”. Aaaaaaaaaaah!

I will never stop being amazed with the music that comes from these types of musicians, they have to be the ultimate in imagination.

John C.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VhKbE_pf_E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VHUpGxFJJ8

I guess i'm with you John. I don't understand progressive jazz that wanders too far from the original tune.

Chas, that made me happy. And really sad at the same time.

What an honor to have known him.


R.

(And I'm not so sure you take a second seat in the "chops" department if you really gave it your all.)

[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 11-21-2009).]

Looking at the 'head shot' in the beginning of "I get a Kick", you wouldn't think he was playing !!! ...

On "Lady is a Tramp" there is a link to "I'll Remember April" ... what a beautiful song this is, but I prefer it at a slower tempo ... either as a Rhumba/Beguine or a bossa ... BEAUTIFUL .. I'm going to have to re-add this to my playlist ...
t.

Chas......I see what you mean. I took a chance and downloaded Down Home Blues/Gene Harris. The man has "soul." I like the blues and I like this tune he did!

Lucky

Great video! Another terrific Gene Harris w/Ray Brown trio tune is Have You Met Miss Jones. Gene plays his you know what off on that one as well. Couldn't find a video unfortunately.

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Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band
The Modulators

"Have You Met Miss Jones" ... one of the tunes most recently added to my play list ...
t.

Oh yeah, it's a great tune. A little jazz group I used to play with years ago in Philadelphia introduced me to that song. I had never played it before, much less heard it. When it was my turn to solo, I got through the A section fine, but when the B section rolled around, I about fell off my stool trying to keep up. Some crazy changes. Now I just strap in and have fun with it.

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Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band
The Modulators

[This message has been edited by WDMcM (edited 11-24-2009).]