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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 2024.

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Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Thu 28: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 28: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead. 2:30pm.
Thu 28: Richard Herdman Quartet @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 28: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm. Guests: Josh Bentham (alto sax); Alan Marshall (tenor sax); Neil Brodie (trumpet); Adrian Beadnell (bass); Graham Thompson (keys); Steve Hunter (drums).

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Oscar Peterson Trio Live at Ronnie Scott's - BBC 4

A typical Peterson bravura performance - has there been a more technically accomplished pianist in jazz? I don't think so although Tatum, of course, ran him close. In this set from 1974 the great man was joined by Barney Kessell on guitar and Niels Henning Oersted-Pederson on bass and it says much that Peterson towered so much above the other two that their true status was somewhat submerged.
Prior to the arrival of Barney and Niels, our man had played a couple of unaccompanied numbers; "I Should Care" and a particularly impressive version of "This Nearly Was Mine". I've always felt the Rodgers and Hammerstein tune never reaches its potential when sung in the semi-operatic manner demanded of it in "South Pacific" and here Oscar totally stripped it of any sentimentality even to the extent of adding some stride-like touches without losing its harmonic attraction.
Although not in the driving seat, Barney did have a couple of decent solos but it is my feeling that a guitarist - any guitarist - is on a hiding to nothing when Oscar is in full flight. (Roly says "Click here to Check Lorne Lofsky out" - see comments)
An enjoyable half hour.
The docs that followed on Billie and Bird were, to say the least, harrowing.

8 comments :

Anonymous said...

One of the Peterson guitarists I like very much is Canadian Lorne Lofsky. He is a wonderful player - some nice examples of his unique playing are on YouTube. He can fly with the best but also seems nowadays to play a lot of subtle finger style harmony (with thumb pick)- and does it beautifully.
Roly

Lance said...

As you have remarked, another unsung hero. Plus at this stage in his life Peterson was as flamboyant than when he was at his peak thus leaving more spaces.
Someone once described Peterson (or was it Buddy Rich or both?) as a steamroller with a formula One engine!

Anonymous said...

Yes a good description - I actually got into jazz via Peterson. That great album 'Night Train'. I liked R&B and folk blues incl. blues & boogie woogie pno (Jimmy Yancey/Meade Lux Lewis etc)then saw Peterson probably on The Palladium TV show and was hooked. Dare I say it though - whilst he was a phenomenal pianist I don't think he was a great accompanist - tended to be a bit over busy. Be interested to see what others (specially pianists) think of this viewpoint. Gulp. I'll probably get slapped down.
Roly

Lance said...

Interesting point re Oscar. I think that if you are looking for an accompanist then guys such as Hank Jones or Ellis Larkins spring to mind. Put people like Peterson, Tatum or Garner with an instrumentalist (Tatum/Webster springs to mind) then you have to regard them as, in classical terms, a double concerto with bass and drums being the sole accompanists.
How about Brubeck/Desmond? How do you rate Dave as an accompanist?

Anonymous said...

An interesting topic and although I didn't see the concert in question, ( I hope it wasn't one of those recorded shortly before his death, when he was literally playing with one hand, which was sad to watch) but I agree with Roly in this respect----- Oscar was, without doubt, a phenomenal player with a flawless technique, immaculate harmonic sense & "hair -raising" drive & swing and in this respect had no equal. But he was a very competitive player who, I guess, found it difficult to play second fiddle to anyone, and on some recordings, you almost feel that he is goading rather than accompanying in a sympathetic manner.
I am not too familiar with his work with vocalists apart from Ella & Fred Astaire but I have never considered him to be alongside Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones or Ellis Larkins as an accompanist. But I do remember a series of recordings he did with other virtuoso players such as Freddie Hubbard, Joe Pass, John Faddis etc which were virtually face to face "warfare". One got the feeling that Oscar was saying "this is how brilliant I am so let's see if YOU can stay with me".
I remember one of the tracks on the album with Freddie Hubbard, which was at breakneck speed, where they were swapping 4s & 8s with astounding brilliance until Freddie became so exasperated with the increasing complexity of Oscar's breaks that he collapsed into a series of whinnying & farting noises. Oscar had proved his point!
It must have been difficult for him to contain himself when accompanying lesser mortals but as Anne will confirm, the "fireworks" are for the solos & not for the accompaniment. But HEY,if that's his only flaw, I'LL settle for that on the same terms!!!!!
Bill and Anne

Anonymous said...

A fair assessment Bill. I do like accompanists who listen/react and play 'in the gaps' - Russ Freeman with Chet Baker is a nice example.
But Peterson has his place at the absolute pinnacle when it comes to virtuoso, 'lead from the front' jazz piano.
I've got a DVD where he plays with both Ray Brown & NOHP and some of his playing on that is just breathtaking. So is their's!
Peterson was a lovely guy too, do you remember when BBC gave him a series of chat shows. He seemed a bit uncomfortable doing the Parky bit but his genuine nature shone through and incidentally he sang a nice Nat Cole inspired vocal too. Changing tack what about the unsung Freddy Cole? Another master musician.
Roly

Anonymous said...

Peterson could be a little busy in comparison to some other pianists (ideal for the trio stuff) but having said that, I've never found it irritating, so presumably it's not too busy?!

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