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Gorecki
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Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Posts: 238
Location: Glenwood, MD
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 Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 2:44 am Post subject: Herb Ellis |
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Here's a II/V/I from Herbie as the ending for the standard 'Look for the Silver Lining' I stumbled upon surfing from the album 'Jazz/Concord'.
Something fun to nibble on. 
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woland99
Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 155
Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 12:13 pm Post subject: Re: Herb Ellis |
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| Gorecki wrote: | | Here's a II/V/I from Herbie |
Thanks!
Talking about Herb - I was listening recently to Oscar Peterson's
"At the Concertgebouw" album and there are some guitar parts there
there plain and simple - impossibly fast. It almost sounds like sped up
tape. How did he do it?
JT |
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Gorecki
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Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Posts: 238
Location: Glenwood, MD
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 1:31 pm Post subject: |
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That's one I don't have.  But it sounds like I better get it! 
But it's funny what you said is basically what Oscar said about Art Tatum when he was young "That isn't one guy..is it? That's four hands..right?"... Where there after Oscar didn't touch a piano for a month! 
I'm by all means not an expert on the guy. But I've been watching a sick amount of OP DVD's lately and notice more and more Herbie is like the ultimate sideman. No apparent ego what so ever and no wonder it took someone like Joe Pass to fill his shoes for a good period of time. He is a far better player than he's given credit for..IMO.
The way Peterson, Brown and Ellis challenged each other constantly, how tight knit of a combo they were, they had to be tight! And think about it, just try to keep up with Oscar? Man! 
Any case, back to where I started. Herbie in a lot of his faster fills seems to do quite a bit of 'pick n pull off' or slur type fills. But at the same time, no doubt I've seen him whittle with the best of them. So again, I'll have to say, I think he is a far better player than he is generally given credit for.
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Mark
VM Coach
Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2007 6:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Gorecki wrote: | | The way Peterson, Brown and Ellis challenged each other constantly, how tight knit of a combo they were, they had to be tight! And think about it, just try to keep up with Oscar? Man! |
Brian,
Of course you're aware that I know quite a bit about my main jazz mentor. As I've often said, the first time I heard OP play "Misty" and make it sound like "Stormy Monday," I knew the kind of jazz that I wanted to play.
I saw Oscar perform often in the late 60s and early 70s at a club in San Francisco call the El Matador (on Broadway). Kenny Burrell also played that venue whenever he would come through town. Pretty amazing in that they did two-week gigs, six nights a week and two sets a night. No cover charge. Just a two-drink minimum. Get there 30 minutes before the first set and you could sit right up front, within 10-15 feet of these jazz legends.
Oscar was my father's favorite jazz pianist, and he used to tell me that for OP, improvising was like "breathing." He was absolutely right, because the El Matador was fairly loose, and a couple of times I saw Oscar recognize a buddy of his and motion him to come closer. They would actually be carrying on a conversation while OP was playing some blistering solo! He would also sweat profusely while performing, and would often reach for a towel to mop his brow with one hand, while the other hand was doing things that other players could only dream about doing.
Anyway, I could go on and on when it comes to Oscar, but regarding what it's like to play with him on stage? I'll leave you with a tiny excerpt from the JJG cover story interview I did with Swedish guitarist Ulf Wakenius, a member of the OP Quartet who's proudly carrying the Herb Ellis torch:
MS: Ulf, playing with Mr. Peterson would be a "dream come true" for any jazz guitarist. What’s it like to be on stage with such a powerful and historic jazz figure?
UW: When we kick off a slow medium blues you can feel that you are close to the source of what I call "real" jazz. Sometimes it swings so hard that it is unbelievable. I mean, nobody comes close to Oscar’s groove. Some concerts we play "Sweet Georgia Brown" as a chase between piano and guitar in a really fast tempo, and when Oscar plays fast he means business, or as he calls it, a "fight to the finish." Another thing I really enjoy with Oscar is when we play a totally laid back "Easy Does It" by Count Basie. To hear Oscar's touch and swing in those laid back tempos is the greatest school you can have. Herbie Hancock said about Oscar: "The most influential jazz piano player alive today. He has it all." So, standing on stage with the Oscar Peterson Quartet sums up everything I have been striving for my entire musical life.
Btw, Ulf is a member of our Teacher Feature guest faculty at VM. To learn more about him, plus take a great lesson and learn one of his tunes (transcribed by yours truly) and even an original blues tribute that I wrote for him, click here. Enjoy!
- Mark
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John G
Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Gorecki wrote: |
I'm by all means not an expert on the guy. But I've been watching a sick amount of OP DVD's lately and notice more and more Herbie is like the ultimate sideman.
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I've never seen any of his DVDs. Which ones would you recommend? I'm sure you'll probably say all of them, but I've got to start somewhere. |
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Mark
VM Coach
Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:43 am Post subject: |
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| John G wrote: | | I've never seen any of his DVDs. Which ones would you recommend? I'm sure you'll probably say all of them, but I've got to start somewhere. |
John,
I'll ride shotgun for Mr. Gorecki (sorry, Brian ) on this one. Without batting an eye I would highly recommend "Music In the Key of Oscar," for many reasons.
Besides being loaded with vintage concert footage, the DVD chronicles OP's early career as a rising young jazz piano force in Montreal. It also covers the origin of his famous piano trio with some great insights into Herb Ellis, including his determination to defy the color barrier during a time period when black and white musicians typically stayed in separate hotels.
Finally, the disc thoroughly documents Oscar's key role in developing a now-famous partnership with Norman Granz, one that led to the birth of the JATP (Jazz At The Philharmonic) concerts. JATP basically elevated jazz music and its artists to a much broader audience, and led to a massive discography of epic recordings by OP and other legends of the jazz genre.
- Mark
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Gorecki
Site Admin
Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Posts: 238
Location: Glenwood, MD
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| Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Mark wrote: | | John G wrote: | | I've never seen any of his DVDs. Which ones would you recommend? I'm sure you'll probably say all of them, but I've got to start somewhere. |
I'll ride shotgun for Mr. Gorecki (sorry, Brian ) on this one. Without batting an eye I would highly recommend "Music In the Key of Oscar," for many reasons.
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Certainly listen to Mark, John, and I agree. By far 'Music in the Key of Oscar' is the most pleasure and information you'll get from one DVD on the man and the combo. Great stuff!
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John G
Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the advice. The DVD is on its way from Amazon.  |
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