In the end, after studying the classical cello, and then graduating to the double bass, 1 was privileged to play alongside some of my heroes, and if 1 have one regret it is that 1 didn't record or jot down any of the marvellous after-hours conversations 1 had with the likes of Sing Miller, Alton Purnell, Don Ewell, or any of the others I was lucky enough to work with. I can't pretend that 1 was ever much of a jazz pianist, but at least 1 learned enough to know just what skill and effort had gone into the playing of those 1 admired most. 1 have been fascinated with the sound of jazz piano since I first scrambled onto my parents' piano stool as a small child, and tried to make for myself some of the sounds 1 had heard on my father's record collection. Mainly spanning the period from the birth of bebop to the present, but with old masters such as Sir Charles Thompson looking back at the swing era, and repertory specialist Butch Thompson looking even further back, their collective experience is a major part of jazz piano history. Above all, piano jazz is about the musicians who have made their own individual contributions to the style, and in this collection 1 have drawn together a selection of my conversations with some of the key practitioners. Introduction and acknowledgements Jazz pianists occupy a unique place in the story of jazz, and the development of the solo piano tradition can be traced independently from that of instrumental ensemble jazz. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available on request from the Library of CongressĬontents Introduction and acknowledgements
No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.īritish Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group an informa business © Alyn Shipton 2004 Typeset by CA Typesetting, Sheffield All rights reserved. This edition published 2016 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon 0X 14 4RN 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017, USA This piece, as well as many others, confirms that Carla Bley is one of the great jazz composers of the 20th century.Īpart from the very zen versions of the Carla Bley trio (with Steve Swallow and Andy Sheppard) you will also find superb more bluesy and energetic versions of the John Scofield trio (with the same Steve Swallow and Bill Stewart).HANDFUL OF KEYS CONVERSATIONS WITH THIRTY JAZZ PIANISTSįirst Published 2004 by Equinox Publishing Ltd. To the first two notes of the melody right hand answer the three bass notes. Note that no note is played with both hands simultaneously. The hypnotic character of the piece is reinforced by the rhythmic repetitiveness of the melody and the bass line.
#Carla bley lawns lead shhet plus#
The form is quite complex: a first A of 16 bars then an A’ of 12 bars plus a coda of 8 bars. The initial harmony is in D major but travels throughout the piece. Each finger played with the left hand is held for the entire measure, forming a harmonic atmosphere. A luminous composition by pianist/composer Carla Bley, Lawns is a hypnotic ballad.īased on the same bass riff throughout the piece.