Be Bop Pianists. Be Bop pianists changed jazz piano forever. Something happened at the late night jams at Minton's night club in New York City. The musicians were'nt playing for the dancers, but for their own expression. Swing cliches were forbidden, and the rules were being re-written. Be bop was about defying the swing era norms, and finding new approaches to melody and harmony. Thelonious Monk, 1917-1982 Thelonious Sphere Monk moved to New York with his family at the age of 4. In the early 40's Monk got a gig at Minton's, where musicians would gather to jam. His first major recording was in 1944 with Coleman Hawkins, and he made his first record with Blue Note in 1947. In 1951, while with his friend Bud Powell. the New York police searched his car and found drugs.
During the 50's Monk was signed to Prestige Records, and recorded with Sonny Rollins and Art Blakey, among others. Thelonious Monk will be remembered as a be bop pianist with a unique style and vast influence on jazz. Bud Powell, 1924-1966. JAZZ A Film By Ken Burns: Selected Artist Biography - Bud Powell. Bud Powell - Anthropology (1962) Hard Bop Pianists. For the hard bop pianists, the feeling was all about the groove. These players embraced tradition, and looked for new approaches to jazz piano. Standards and blues were once again a driving force in jazz, and now gospel and R&B were also part of the mix. Hard bop pianists took the innovations of Bud Powell and Monk, then added in the new flavors to their improvisations. This new style was best suited for the small ensemble, often consisting of a piano trio plus a tenor sax and trumpet.
Horace Silver, 1928- Horace Silver was born and raised in Norwalk, CT, to parents of Cape Verdean descent who were both musicians. Horace developed his hard bop piano style quite quickly. Horace got a record deal with Blue Note in 1952, and would remain with that label for the next 28 years, becoming a huge influence on jazz. Horace Silver was the first of the "hard bop pianists. " Though limited in technical ability, Horace Silver's impact is immeasurable. Wynton Kelly, 1931-1971 Bobby Timmons, 1935-1974. Post Bop Pianists. For the post bop pianists, anything was possible.
A new, wider range of approaches to jazz piano were available. Pianists could bring all of previous influences of swing, bop, blues, gospel, and standards and with that, head into new directions. These pianists would expand the jazz piano vocabulary by using new techniques, rhythms, and free improvisation to widen the jazz pallette. Here are some of the best post bop pianists. George Shearing, 1919- George Shearing was born in London, England and has been blind since birth. During the war, he was befriended by Glen Miller, who introduced Shearing to Leonard Feather. In 1947, Shearing returned to New York to stay, playing bop piano on 52nd St.
The George Shearing style is often called "locked hands," referring to the right hand playing block chords with the melody note on top, while the left hand doubles the melody an octave below. Dave Brubeck, 1920- Dave met alto saxophonist Paul Desmond in 1947, but they did not get along well initially. All The Things You Are : Keith Jarrett.
Bill Evans Live - Someday my Prince Will Come (Jazz Piano) Someday My Prince Will Come - Chick Corea Akoustic Band. David Peschek talks to pianist Brad Mehldau. 'There was this atrocious article in, I think, GQ magazine," Brad Mehldau says, "a guy mag or whatever. It was a typical, 'Is jazz dead? Yes it is.' The biggest discourse about jazz - in the general media - seems to be that everything's been done, it's all doom and gloom. The only positive twist I can put on it is if that's what's being talked about, it's proof that it is vital. As an artform, jazz is gobbling up everything in its way. It welcomes all these other kinds of music into its fold: that's why people always get into these almost patriotic positions. " If proof were needed of the vitality and relevance of jazz, then Mehldau is it.
Encouraged by his mother, Mehldau began playing piano at the age of four and, as he grew up, devoured whatever music came his way. Later, as the 1990s waned, hanging out at a Los Angeles club called Largo, he was exposed to "people like Elliott Smith, Fiona Apple, Rufus Wainwright. "It's very much like a marriage, or any kind of relationship. Jazz Covers Rock: The New Standards. The Brad Mehldau Trio. Courtesy of the artist hide caption itoggle caption Courtesy of the artist The Brad Mehldau Trio. Courtesy of the artist Virtually every band plays a few cover songs.
The five artists heard here break away from covering standards and turn their attention to jazz covers of modern-day fare: Judas Priest, Radiohead, Aphex Twin, Bjork and Elliott Smith. For more entries in NPR Music's weekly Take Five: A Weekly Jazz Sampler series, click here. The Bad Plus - Everybody Wants To Rule The World. Robert Glasper - Smells Like Teen Spirit (1 Mic 1 Take) Brad Mehldau Trio - "All The Things You Are" part 1. Greg Spero Quartet - Autumn Leaves. Digital Interviews: Danilo Perez. Pianist Danilo Perez combines his Panamanian roots with traditional jazz forms and world music elements, creating music that is unique and exciting.
This versatility has helped propel Perez to the forefront of a new generation of jazz stylists. A producer, composer and performer, Perez has worked with Wynton Marsalis, Jon Hendricks, Paquito D'Rivera, George Benson, Arturo Sandoval and Dizzy Gillespie. His talent and style are evident on such albums as solo efforts as 1996's Panamonk and 1998's Central Avenue. Digital Interviews: When did you start playing music?
Danilo Perez: Well, since I was two years old. DI: When did you start thinking about it as a career? DP: I was around music all the time. DI: What did you learn by attending Berklee? DP: I guess, the first year was an idea of what I would expect as a quality musician on the scene. DI: What was playing with Dizzy Gillespie like? DP: That was an incredible experience. DI: Your self-titled debut album was released in the early ‘90s. Danilo Perez Trio - Galactic Panama. McCoy Tyner Quartet - Moment's Notice (2002) Thelonious Monk - Round About Midnight.