[78-L] OT(?): Big Band leaders as pianists

[David Lennick]

I figured somebody'd mention him.
dl

> Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2015 19:26:35 -0500
> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
> From: banjobud at cfl.rr.com.invalid
> Subject: Re: [78-L] OT(?): Big Band leaders as pianists
> 
> 
> So sue me.  I liked Eddy Duchin.
> 
> Bud
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> > On Dec 7, 2015, at 7:11 PM, Julian Vein <julianvein at blueyonder.co.uk.invalid> wrote:
> > 
> > 
> >> On 07/12/15 21:51, Kristjan Saag wrote:
> >> Was listening to the Duke Ellington 1961 album "Piano In The Foreground"
> >> (with Aaron Bell/ Jimmy Woode, Sam Woodyard) and noticed the unusually
> >> uneven mix between piano and bass/drums. The piano was really in the
> >> foreground, the percussion was hardly heard.
> >> Thought:; well, Duke was a nice pianist, but this was a situation where
> >> he was part of a trio and didn't excel in nifty soloing - why give him
> >> prominence in this way?
> >> Next thought: how high in regard as pianist was he? And what about other
> >> Big Band leader pianists: Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Stan Kenton, Earl
> >> Hines?
> >> Well, I know Hines was probably more valued as pianist than band leader,
> >> and Kenton, certainly the opposite - I'm a big fan of Kenton's big band
> >> sound but find him mediocre as pianist.
> >> Other names I should have mentioned? Carla Bley, Mike Westbrook?
> >> Eager to hear your opinions about these guys.
> >> Kristjan
> > ===============
> > I don't care for Duke too much as a soloist, apart from the odd chorus 
> > with the band. Didn't care for "Money Jungle" which, apart from being 
> > inadequately recorded, was just repetitive, thumpy and dull. And, of 
> > course, there were those, innumerable, feared "Ellington medleys"...
> > 
> > There was Claude Hopkins, who I like as a pianist, and his band too, 
> > which isn't held in much regard these days, and whose approach 
> > anticipated Basie's to some extent. I think it's a question of 
> > overstaying their welcome--if they just stick to intros and an 
> > occasional chorus that's fine, including Eddy Duchin!
> > 
> > Basie's playing was a beacon of light on the band's Decca recordings, 
> > many of which were pretty mediocre despite the adulation they have received.
> > 
> > Then, of course, there was Sun Ra.
> > 
> > I suppose pianists can hide their limitations to some extent, unlike 
> > horn players.
> > 
> >      Julian Vein
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