Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner - Non Classical ___SWING EIGHTHS IN JAZZ __

I won't name names, but in the case of jazz geniuses, this is more the rule rather than the exception!

On a more serious note, anyone here ever see this blind and autistic jazz pianist?:

http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant/deblois.cfm

I saw a TV show where he was sitting beside another pianist at a second piano, who would play improvised passages with rather complex chord voicings. He would listen, then play it back with absolute perfection at the exact tempo, including all of the nuances, but he's unable to dress himself!

[QUOTE] virtuosic1
On a more serious note, anyone here ever sees this blind and autistic jazz pianist

Yeah he made the rounds on TV before and he is one of many. Our drummer has exhibited the same behavior after consuming many beers while playing and we call him an idiot savant.
http://www.autism.org/savant.html
http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/savant/faq.cfm
http://www.mysteries-megasite.com/main/bigsearch/savants.html


[QUOTE] virtuosic1
I won't name names, but in the case of jazz geniuses, this is more the rule rather than the exception!

I have noticed that also and of why do suppose that is. I mean watching Monk turn in a circle in the middle of a performance can be unsettling or Keith Jarrett going off on the audiences and let’s not get started on Bud Powell. You make and interesting point. DPVJAZZ

The three of them were lightweights in the eccentric olympics, compared to Bird!

I thought a few links to add to this discussion for extra reading and research to help those that want to know more about how the jazz greats swing and the differences between their playing styles. The link from another site discussing this topic is also added. Everyone has their favorites and there is much to listen to and learn from. DPVJAZZ

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/get_topic/f/18/t/021325/p/1.html
http://www.keynotesmagazine.com/article.php?uid=56
http://en.allexperts.com/e/j/ja/jazz.htm
http://www.tlavitz.net/200010keyboard.html
http://www.berklee.edu/bt/171/lesson.html?action=print
http://www.themeister.co.uk/dixie/lesson11.htm
http://www.alisdair.com/pdf/articles/It%20Dont%20Mean%20A%20Things.pdf
http://tags.lyricsfreak.com/Jazz/
http://www.iaje.org/pastrecipients.asp
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-1946-1949-Roost-Swing-Masters/dp/B00004VW9G

Horace Silver certainly did not have the chops of some of the other jazz pianist listed here but as for discussing swing and groups that swing you defiantly want to include Horace and Art Blakely and Elvin Jones. Horace made the most of what he had and was one of the most successful and well liked jazz pianists from the bop era. I met Blue Mitchell in the late 70’s in Phoenix with Pete Magadini the drummer. Prince Shell was playing piano and I ended up hanging with Prince and learning about jazz. Anyway here are some videos to make the point but there are so many more cuts still not on videos that need to be heard so do some research of the names mention and their body of works. Drummers had a big impact on the music so just don’t look at the pianists same to be said of the bass players. Check it all out. DPVJAZZ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMKtGY3M-OM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Uf6OJb3UKI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E-AQpTtjDc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3Evp6KiGEw

Here are some more links for further reading and studying. There is so much to listen to and the history jazz is as important as learning how to play. DPVJAZZ
http://www.melmartin.com/html_pages/Articles/rites.html
http://www.jazzreview.com/articleprint.cfm?ID=501
http://www.newworldrecords.org/liner_notes/80242.pdf
http://www.scaruffi.com/jazz/piano.html
http://www.halgalper.com/13_arti/stylept1.htm
http://music.barnesandnoble.com/features/interview.asp?NID=125696&z=y
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache...;ct=clnk&cd=42&client=firefo x-a

More links for how musicians swing and play jazz. Louis Armstrong is a great place to start learning how to swing. There are so many different ways to approach jazz that listening to all the players and how they played their music on the beat, behind the beat, and in front all have a place in jazz history. DPVJAZZ

http://www.musilosophy.com/swing-jazz-rhythm.htm
http://www.pgmusic.com/riffaday_ejp.php?riff=1
http://www.jazzmediapress.com/whatisajazzsinger/index.html
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache...;ct=clnk&cd=18&client= firefox-a
http://www.musicdispatch.com/bin/MDInstrumentalCat261-284.pdf
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/beat/discography_artist_armstrong.htm
http://homepages.tesco.net/stridepiano/midifiles.htm
http://www.humboldt1.com/~jazz/glossary.html
http://playlikeme.com/bills-blog/index.html