-
Enjoy!
-
07-16-2020 12:21 PM
-
One of my favourites!
-
Oh yeah....
-
In the late 80's word at a local cajun joint was that Harry Connick Jr. would drop by after his show in Toronto. Connick at that time was pretty popular at that point and I was impressed how he just comped letting the fantastic Russell Malone stretch out. A good time was had by all.
-
Originally Posted by A. Kingstone
Do you think the reason was that Harry couldn't cut the mustard improvisationally on the same level with Malone? IMO, Connick was a functional Boogie Woogie/Dixie pianist whose popularity was that he sounded like Frank Sinatra when he sang the standards. I've never heard him improvise to any great degree and I never liked his sound. However, he had some great bands/musicians behind him once he became famous.
Play live! . . . Marinero
-
Could very well be. I just was glad to see he wasn't playing 'the star.'
As I remember there were quite a few on the bandstand who could blow so Harry laid low.
-
Originally Posted by Marinero
-
I heard Harry a few years ago ....
and was Very Very impressed with his piano playing ....
he could play authentically in many different styles of jazz amongst them
he did a bangin stride thing , a Nat Cole thing ,
and an incredible chopsy Oscar Peterson thing
then he open his mouth sang like Frank !!
(he was very good looking too)
I never understood why he wasn’t an even
bigger Star ....
-
Originally Posted by pcsanwald
Hi, P,
Thanks for the response and the two music videos. I listened to them both and would say that Harry is a musician that never found his own voice. He sings like Sinatra and, in these recordings, he mimics Monk, poorly, with his piano playing. I believe the number one most important thing a musician must strive for after he's conquered technique is his/her own voice. . . because a musical instrument is a substitute for the human voice and if it cannot reflect your own unique personality, it fails. But, Harry's been a great success and has made a life in music and there's something to say for that but no one, in my opinion, is ever going to remember him as an innovator or a unique voice. However, this is just my opinion and I don't want my remarks to be taken as a personal attack(they are not) but merely expressing my personal tastes about music and performers.
Many times in the past when I played with ensembles, I would hire a musician who, perhaps, didn't have the best technique, but had the best sound because I knew with practice the technique would eventually improve but a personal sound can remain illusive, if not attainable, to some, in a lifetime of playing. So, thanks again for the musical offerings and your perspective. Play live! . . . Marinero
Ibanez archtop with 0.010 Thomastik strings and...
Today, 05:27 AM in The Builder's Bench