What do we wanna tell pianists? (just for fun!)

[rpjazzguitar]

I've asked a number of great players what they were thinking at a high point in a solo.

The answers were mostly the same. "I don't know". One told me "I was thinking darker".

Now, some of these players were well versed in theory, but what they used on the bandstand was deep familiarity with different sounds combined with the ability to find them on the instrument. Mere mortals might relate to that by considering a 12 bar blues; do you think about the individual chords or do you just go by sound?

And, it's that ability to hear sound and find it on the instrument that allows jazz musicians to create, harmonically, on the fly.

So, what do I want the pianist to know? Be creative but don't go so far that I can't comprehend it with my limited ears. That might not be received so well by a new band member. I've never actually said it.

[rictroll]

I would ask them about cool voicings using upper partials. Better to learn...

[oldane]

So, what do I want the pianist to know? Be creative but don't go so far that I can't comprehend it with my limited ears. That might not be received so well by a new band member. I've never actually said it.

There goes a story about Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson trio on a JATP tour. During his solo, Peterson rolled out all his virtuosity and speed with all kinds of substitutions, embellishments, syncopations etc. When it was time for Lester to come back in, he slowly sidestepped to the piano and asked "Hey, where are you m*****f*****s at?". He forgot (or did he?) about the mike in the piano two feet from his face, so he was heard loud and clear by the audience who cracked up. Lester was told to stay after the concert to have a lesson on decent stage conduct from Norman Granz which he recieved with a mock schoolboy attitude.