Your Biggest Influence That Isn't a guitarist

**Innerurge1** · 07-10-2009, 03:00 AM

i think personally that I am overall more influenced by musicians that are not guitarists.... I would say my top 3 influences are Wayne Shorter, Bill Evans and Joe Henderson...

Who are some of your biggest influences that arent guitarists?

**heavyblues** · 07-10-2009, 05:53 AM

Billy Cobham
Herbie Hancock
Jaco Pastorius

**whiskywheels** · 07-10-2009, 06:18 AM

Neil Ardley. Trevor Watts. Lol Coxhill.

Mainly I'm influenced by non jazz musicians/composers; Ivor Gurney, Arvo Part, Richard Strauss and Mahler!

It's all so beautiful.

**Little Jay** · 07-10-2009, 09:01 AM

Charlie Parker!

**vinnyz** · 07-10-2009, 09:04 AM

Bird Lives!

**JohnW400** · 07-10-2009, 09:12 AM

Chick Correa on his "Light as a Feather Album". Only that album

**gravitas** · 07-10-2009, 09:52 AM

Steve Gadd.

**Jake Hanlon** · 07-10-2009, 09:59 AM

Kenny Wheeler/Keith Jarrett.

**mangotango** · 07-10-2009, 10:15 AM

Ellington
Miles
Zawinul

Composers, melodicians, leaders of great bands.

**fast1** · 07-10-2009, 10:16 AM

i would have to say its my mother on this one. she told me never to give up and pursue what you want with your best efforts.

**Sordello** · 07-10-2009, 10:23 AM

In my ears, no one even comes close to Louis Armstrong. In all my listening of his music, The Satch never played an "extra" note that didn't belong and never played a "wrong" note to the feel of the song, and yet he took chances all the time: oh man, what CONFIDENCE he had in that trumpet!!

That intro riff to West End Blues is one of the Top Five best jazz performances of ALL time IMHO.

**heavyblues** · 07-10-2009, 11:25 AM

Cannonball Adderley...only one man can make the sax sound as fast as a hummingbird and make you trip some serious jazz balls at the same time.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 07-10-2009, 11:31 AM

I don't know if "influence" is the right word, because I play straight up stuff, but Cecil Taylor, Antony Braxton and Ornette Coleman clear out my earwax better than any Q-tip.

And Braxton can play a big horn:

**derek** · 07-10-2009, 11:35 AM

Charlie Parker

Kenny Werner, both because of his playing, and his book Effortless Mastery.

**Innerurge1** · 07-10-2009, 11:35 AM

Is that a contrabass saxophone ? ^

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 07-10-2009, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Innerurge1

Is that a contrabass saxophone ? ^

Indeed. Notice that puny thing in front of him, the baritone sax?

I think he also plays the sub-contrabass clarinet. That's a lot of plumbing.

But then he also playing the sopranino:

(edit: not so sure about the "sub", but definitely the contrabass clarinet.)

**Silence** · 07-10-2009, 12:22 PM

Bill evans - "The universal mind of Bill evans" made me look at my instrument and improvising in a whole new light.

**Innerurge1** · 07-10-2009, 12:34 PM

Silence - completely agree...
I consider him the "Jim hall of piano" if you know what i mean...

**mr. beaumont** · 07-10-2009, 12:49 PM

miles
bill evans
chet baker
art farmer
danny grissett
tom harrell
hank jones
brad mehldau

i guess you could say i like piano players and trumpeters a lot more than guitarists...

although, that said, the biggest influence on my single note playing is paul desmond

**whiskywheels** · 07-10-2009, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

i guess you could say i like piano players and trumpeters a lot more than guitarists...

Yeh, +1 here! The late Ian Carr, and the even later Thelonius Monk to be added!

**Bailz** · 07-10-2009, 04:00 PM

Bill Evans - Incredible attitude to practicing. see the discussion between him and his brother on the DVD.
Kenney Wheeler - Great beautiful music.
John Coltrane - nuff said
Vinnie Colaiuta - He's incredible. watched his videos for years.
Herbie Hancock - Love his weird chord stuff. makes it all sound right even though its not!?!
Michael Brecker - big time influence. compositionally and improvisationally.
Stevie Wonder - awesome groove music. inner visions has had massive play in my house.
Donald Fagen/Walter Becker (Steely Dan) - my favourite 'band' of all time. I just love everything they've done.
Cannibal Ox - hip-hop. very very poetic and stirring.
Thelonious Monk - ace chords!
Wayne Shorter - compositions more than playing, although i love his playing.
Brian Blade - the new album is up there in my top 5 so far this year.

thats 1% of the non guitarists who influence me.

**itsall4you** · 07-10-2009, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

Indeed. Notice that puny thing in front of him, the baritone sax?

I think he also plays the sub-contrabass clarinet. That's a lot of plumbing.

But then he also playing the sopranino:

(edit: not so sure about the "sub", but definitely the contrabass clarinet.)

Sub-Contrabass Saxophone remains as a "theoretical" instrument up till this day since Adolphe Sax (the inventor of all saxophones more or less) drew it up on paper.

However, what you are talking about might be an subcontrabass tubax which has same fingerings as all the other saxophones but is actually smaller than the contrabass saxophone even though it IS lower.

Just some random facts from the top of my brain..

**nomelite** · 07-10-2009, 09:56 PM

Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull : I learned all the blues, folk and jazz from him.

**Silence** · 07-10-2009, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by Innerurge1

Silence - completely agree...
I consider him the "Jim hall of piano" if you know what i mean...

I feel ashamed to say this, but Haven't listened to Jim hall yet, I ordered "Dialogues" though!

**Innerurge1** · 07-10-2009, 11:46 PM

You need to check out his cd "Live!" - some of the most amazing playing ever for traditional jazz... also on Bill Evans CD Interplay... He has a greeat solo on the self title song... you should check it out.... dialogues is a great cd... i know you will enjoy it