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  1. #1

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    Attila Zoller - A Personal Remembrance (excerpted from a tribute I wrote in February 1998):

    I first met Attila Zoller in the mid 70’s. I was in my 20’s and hadn’t yet abandoned the idea of music as a full time career. I had graduated from MiddleburyCollege and then spent a few years studying guitar and composition at Berklee. I was working a regular job, but still very committed to music and performing. At some point I happened to notice a little announcement in Guitar Player magazine saying that Attila Zoller would be conducting week-long guitar workshops at his home in Newfane, Vermont in the summer. I was somewhat familiar with Attila. I had seen him perform as part of Herbie Mann’s group about 10 years earlier, and I even had one of his albums (Gypsy Cry). At any rate, I knew he was in the top echelon of jazz guitarists. I called Attila, and made the arrangements.

    I was staying at the family ski house about 30 minutes away, so I would practice in the morning and come over to Attila’s just after lunch. We would do my lesson in the afternoon, take a few hours break for dinner (which Attila would expertly prepare), and then jam ‘till after midnight. This went on for 5 days in a row!

    This was quite a memorable experience for a young aspiring musician. And while I already knew Attila was a world-class guitar player, I had the extreme good fortune to find out what a wonderfully genuine and generous human being he was as well. For the next few years, whenever I was in Vermont, I would make sure to stop by and see him - a visit which always included extended jamming. Attila would play with anyone at any time. Many times, other people were visiting and playing at the same time I was there - and not just guitarists, or even just jazz cats. I recall somebody who played a bunch of small homemade percussion instruments and someone else who played a guitar with drumsticks and a miniature violin bow. Meanwhile, I’m there trying to play this repeating harmonic minor bass figure in 5-against-4, while Attila is going on extended melodic journeys while punctuating the whole thing with soft grunts and quiet cries of, “Yeah, man!” It just doesn’t get any better than that!

    One of Attila’s most endearing characteristics was his colorful way of speaking English. The way I understand it, he learned English as a young man by hanging out with American jazz musicians in postwar Germany, so he developed his own brand of jazz slang with a Hungarian accent. One night as he was making dinner I said, “Attila, that smells great - what is it?” He replied in his thick accent, “Oh, some kind of khrayzee Hungarian sheet!” Another time, when I remarked that even though his melodic style was generally not blues based, he was very good at playing funky lines, his response was, “Oh yeah, I can funk pretty good!”

    I am very proud to say that I once got to perform in public with Attila! I think it was in 1976 or 1977. He had arranged a Saturday night concert at the base lodge of the local Newfane ski area, Maple Valley, with some prominent friends who came up from New York. In a break between sets, he planned something billed as a ‘Guitar Workshop’. It was a guitar trio made up of Attila and two of his students, myself and Mitch Seidman, who was from Boston and had also gone to Berklee. We played 3 or 4 tunes, and I’m embarrassed to recollect that I probably hogged the solos. (I couldn’t help it - my parents were there!) Mitch was a nice guy and a good player. Actually, he can play circles around me now - he’s got a couple of CDs out under his own name! Anyway, the crowd was surprisingly appreciative, and it was a real trip!

    I maintained this occasional but very warm relationship with Attila for a few more years, but in the 80’s, I didn’t play much. I had given up on making music for a living, and I was busy starting a regular career, getting married, buying a house and starting a family. So, I didn’t make a point of seeing Attila when I was in Vermont, which wasn’t all that often anyway. But in the summer of 1995, planning to spend a family vacation week at the house in Vermont, I got in touch with Attila again after a gap of about 15 years.

    I called Attila when we got to Vermont, and arranged to come by to see him. He was living in the new smaller house about a mile from the old one. I was feeling a bit anxious when we pulled up to his house a few mornings later, but Attila wasn’t. He greeted me at the door with a big hug. He looked the same! He admitted that he initially didn’t quite remember who I was when I first called, but then it hit him: I was the guy who had ended Bluesette on a raised 11th! That’s how he remembered me!

    We quickly caught up on personal histories over coffee and homemade banana bread while Mitch’s inaugural CD played in the background. Then, of course, it was time for us to play! This was the first time my wife and son had met this fabled character from my past!

    We began to go through our old repertoire of standards plus a few of Attila’s songs, and as always, he made them all seem brand new. Attila played better than ever - and so did I! But then, he always brought out the best - or at least the most adventuresome - in me. He was very complimentary, too. Frankly, half of the time I felt like someone who had just missed a bus and was chasing after it, but it was great!

    The next summer I tried to hook up with him again, but we were unable to synchronize. Thankfully, we were able to get together again this past summer (for the last time, as it turns out). We invited him over to our place (the Vermont ski house) for dinner and music in late July. It was an evening we’ll always cherish.

    I hadn’t known anything about Attila’s health problems. He matter-of-factly recounted how he had been diagnosed with colon cancer the previous fall, had been operated on, and had gone through radiation and chemotherapy. But he said he was now back into his regular daily exercise routine and feeling pretty good again. I’m not sure if he was telling the whole story, but he seemed to have the attitude that maybe the worst was over, and we certainly hoped so, too.

    We talked about our personal playing styles, and interestingly, we both expressed a newfound lack of self-consciousness about whether our improvisations fit into any particular category. I’m not trying to say that we were at the same level artistically, but we both seemed to feel we had achieved a certain degree of stylistic relaxation.

    Then we played together for the last time (though I really didn’t know it then). He was remarkable. His playing was so relaxed and fluid, his technique was confident and precise, and his melodic and harmonic structures were more eloquently sculpted than ever before. I don’t really know how I played, as I was too mesmerized listening to him. But I found myself playing with him rather than for him. He was still the master and I the apprentice - make no mistake about that - but I was no longer merely following behind him nor just reciting my lessons. We were exploring new places together! It was absolutely inspiring! And, I remember being very encouraged by the fact that Attila was now 70 years old, and his playing was still continuing to evolve.

    It grew late and after exchanging warm good-byes, Attila left to drive back to Newfane. I was already looking forward to the next time we might play together. This next time, I thought, there would be no separate rhythm and lead roles - just two musicians playing the same song at the same time in a cordial musical conversation!

    Attila passed away almost exactly 6 months later on January 25, 1998. We were surprised and saddened that his condition had deteriorated so rapidly. Maybe he knew - but didn’t say - back in the summer when we had last seen him. One of the last quotes attributed to him (in a Boston Globe article about his life and his work as founder of the Vermont Jazz Center published just two days before his death) was, “When I play, I’m flying.” Well, I have this feeling that when Attila died, he somehow passed on little bits of his musical spirit to many different people, and I was one of the lucky ones who received a tiny piece. I can feel it! When I play, Attila plays. When we all play, Attila is flying.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2
    Jazzarian Guest
    My last guitar professor studied under him, I guess for a summer or 2 in Vermont.

  4. #3

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    thanks for sharing

  5. #4

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    Yes thanks for sharing that!

    I hadn't known any of his work until long after he had passed away but was exposed to him after hearing someone play one of his solo pieces. His last cd before he passed ( Lasting Love ) was recorded while he was ill as a solo project and is recommended if you can find it. You can get a sense of his playing and the way he composes but also what he was going through at the time.

  6. #5

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    Guys, I'm really pleased that some folks have finally noticed this thread. Attila deserves it! "Lasting Love" - yes I was hoping that would become available! He played me a tape of his solo version of KayBee (it's a nod to Kenny Burrell by the way) from that session on our last evening together, and it was great! I used to love (trying) to play that tune with him! It's also on a trio album from 1979 called, "Common Cause," (on Enja) with Ron Carter and Joe Chambers, which I have. Does anybody know if, "Lasting Love," is available in the US and where the best place to get it might be? Thanks.
    Last edited by Tom Karol; 09-29-2009 at 09:00 PM.

  7. #6

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    Tom- I had bought " Lasting Love " many years ago I think from the Acoustic Sessions site ( the site run by Woody Mann who produced the disc ) but in looking at this site now they essentially are not selling anything outside of his products. They used to sell educational products and cds from many artists but may have cleared out their inventory and limited it only to Woody. You might try contacting them.
    Yeah I like that disc also. Some of his tunes he just goes off on single line stream but does it well enough so you can hear the changes he's thinking of. The initial tune that caught my ear was About B & B but he has a couple sambas on there, in particular Samba Caribe which are really something! Good luck trying to find it!

  8. #7

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    thanks again Tom ,of course that he deserve it and I always liked to hear stories of great players from first hand,treasurable memories indeed.I have just three albums one with Jim Hall live,The last recording and with Herbie Mann live at newport,great player

  9. #8

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    Attila was a wonderfull player and actually my very first jazz-recording (taped from Dutch radio-program) was him playing Darn That Dream.

    Only later I re-discovered Attila when I obtained a Framus archtop and found out Framus made a signature Attila Zoller-model back in the 60ies and 70ies, the AZ-10. The model is now back as a reissue. Check here: www.framus-vintage.de and here Framus international

  10. #9
    I am a professional classical guitarist/composer embarking on a study tour of Europe. I wish to develop my skills as an improviser. I hope to study flamenco en Spain, Jazz in France and Germany and Early music where possible. I am looking for advice with regard to suitable courses and or lessons with jazz guitarists in your region. Any help would be much appreciated.

    Cheers

    Anthony
    Anthony Garcia | Australian Guitarist | Guitarist Composer | Zarabanda | Classical Guitarist | Guitar Teacher | Performer | Sandra Real Latin harpist Zarabanda

  11. #10

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    I have about two hours of Broadcast Video (DVD) of Attila from German concerts. One hour is duets with Jim Hall - a very interesting player.

    DG

  12. #11

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    There is a fabulous book of his sheet music available from ENJA Publications; I have it, and it is great.

    enja music publishing

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by daveg
    I have about two hours of Broadcast Video (DVD) of Attila from German concerts. One hour is duets with Jim Hall - a very interesting player.

    DG
    Here is the You Tube stuff with Jim Hall there is also some footage with Jimmy Raney.

  14. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by zappafan99
    Here is the You Tube stuff with Jim Hall there is also some footage with Jimmy Raney.

    that is great!thanks for posting.

  15. #14

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    Attila once told me that his favorite guy to play duets with was Jimmy Raney.

  16. #15

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    Tom, thanks for posting your memories of Atilla. I really enjoyed your comments. I first heard Atilla with Don Friedman's quartet on a record called Dreams and Explorations. One side of the LP was standards and the other all free playing. Looks like it's out on CD now: Amazon.com: Dreams and Explorations: Don Friedman: Music

    "Common Cause" is my favorite Zoller record. Amazon.com: Common Cause: Attila Zoller: Music

  17. #16

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    Resurrected this old thread because it's the best place to show this clip.

    A 1959 appearance on Austrian TV. Oscar Pettiford on Bass ! Very good quality audio (headphones recommended).

    Hope you enjoy it !.


  18. #17

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    Attila had a big influence on my playing. Back when I was in high school, they had a jazz program in NYC called Jazz Interactions, where some great jazz musicians would come to some school, and give free group lessons to a bunch of us jerks.
    Attila was in charge of the guitarists, who were a bunch of pitiful rock and rollers, except for this Latino dude who was one of Attila's private students. He had a really bad stutter, but he could play his ass off. I always wondered what happened to him.
    Anyway, I wasn't as good as the Latino dude, but I had taken some lessons, so I could at least comp half decently.
    Attila told me to play in position, rather than jump all over the neck just playing licks I had memorized.
    This criticism totally changed my approach to jazz, and I had Attila to thank for it.

  19. #18

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    Nice to see this thread resurrected! @Pubylakeg: Attila had a lot of respect for Oscar Pettiford. He even wrote a song called, "Ode to OP."

  20. #19

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    time to (re) dust this old chestnut off...(every 5 years or so!! haha)...just for the great remembrance by tom k ^....bravo tk

    one of my fave zollers, in a trio setting, his lp on enja-dream bells

    title track (only one available on utube... i wanted to play opener- sudden romance..but...)




    zoller was not only a great player, but he was also a gear hound and helped design (with bill lawrence) the great zoller pickup and various framus and hofner zoller model guitars...(our man jimmy raney famously used a zoller hofner)...he was also an esteemed educator, with his most known disciple being pat metheny


    cheers
    Last edited by neatomic; 02-27-2020 at 06:10 PM.

  21. #20
    joelf Guest
    Glad to see this, and with so many responses. Attila was a one-of-a-kind guy and very under-rated player.

    I'll share some personal reminiscences when I have a little more energy. Funny, funny stuff---and endearing...

  22. #21

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    Zoller was engaged to Jutta Hipp @ the time of the alleged Feather incident.

  23. #22

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    Here's a picture of him, playing in a small club
    in Frankfurt:

    Attila Zoller-attila-jpg

  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by wintermoon
    Zoller was engaged to Jutta Hipp @ the time of the alleged Feather incident.
    I never knew that he was engaged to JH, but what was the Feather incident? Did it involve Leonard Feather?

  25. #24

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    "JW:
    Why did Hipp's career falter?
    KVS:
    I do not think her career declined quickly because she rejected romantic advances by Feather. However, bassist Peter Ind—who was in Hipp’s Hickory House trio—recalled in a 2005 interview that Hipp may have written her fiancé Attila Zoller in Germany about it and that somehow the word spread and may have gotten back to Feather. Feather, of course, would not have been amused. After all, he was married and a father. "




    Jutta Hipp: The Inside Story - JazzWax

  26. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by wintermoon
    "JW:
    Why did Hipp's career falter?
    KVS:
    I do not think her career declined quickly because she rejected romantic advances by Feather. However, bassist Peter Ind—who was in Hipp’s Hickory House trio—recalled in a 2005 interview that Hipp may have written her fiancé Attila Zoller in Germany about it and that somehow the word spread and may have gotten back to Feather. Feather, of course, would not have been amused. After all, he was married and a father. "




    Jutta Hipp: The Inside Story - JazzWax
    Thanks, I always wondered what happened to her.

    I also found out about the Billy Bean/Stan Getz thing. I had heard rumors of Getz messing up Billy's head for years, but I never knew what happened until I read that book/dissertation Seth Greenberg wrote abut Billy, which I posted on last week.
    Since you live in Philly, did you ever meet or hear Billy play? Did you know any of the guitarists, (Dave Strong and Mark Evans) that hung with Billy when he returned to Philly?