Originally published at: The greatest piano solo of all time? | Boing Boing
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I knew this was going to be Rick Beato’s video.
I like his content, but I always have to turn the volume down on my headphones by half when I watch.
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Cory Henry’s brain melting solo in Snarky Puppy’s Lingus (if you want to skip the setup go to the 4 minute mark):
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I think Oscar Peterson was the first jazz pianist to make me start paying attention to the piano in jazz recordings.
[ETA: and actually, it was a version of “Blues Etude” that did it for me too, although a different version than the one he is discussing here.]
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Peterson was a certifiable genius of the piano. He was classically trained by a music teacher with a lineage reaching back to Franz Liszt. Beyond that, Oscar could fluidly play anything he could imagine, right off the top of his head. No wonder Jazz became his game.
Sadly, this particular ability was crushed by a debilitating stroke. Through the encouragement of close friends and musicians, he was able to return to playing but not at his previous level.
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Tickle those keys, hmmmm yummy.
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Really rocking performance, i’m fascinated by the choice not to have a drummer.
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There’s a movement in Montreal, Peterson’s hometown, to rename a subway (metro) station after him. Currently Lionel-Groulx station is named for an anti-Semitic Quebec nationalist priest. The station serves the Little Burgundy neighbourhood where Peterson grew up which also happens to be the historic Anglo-Black section of Montreal and since the 1970s has been home to Montreal’s substantial Haitian community.
This is the mural I used to walk by everyday when I lived in Little Burgundy.
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Am now watching more Beato videos. He is indeed a hugely entertaining music nerd. He also looks like he should be Tony Bourdain’s big brother.
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Peterson was a household name in Canada. We all knew he was Canadian but my understanding of jazz was nil so my only real knowledge of him for the longest time was from Coffee-Mate commercials he made in the early 80s. As such, when I started listening to jazz I assumed he was talented but lightweight. Never understood until much later what his importance really was.
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I had a similar experience with Ray Charles and whatever he was advertising in the 80s/90s (either a soft drink or McDonalds). It wasn’t until probably 10 years after those commercials first aired that I realized exactly who he was and what his place in music history was.
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The bass player is absolutely filled with joy playing alongside/listening to that solo. Thanks for the intro to this amazing music.
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This is a marvelous little music history lesson:
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The only other jazz pianist that (IMHO) rivals the great Peterson is Art Tatum… yet another influential genius on the keys.
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GOAT piano solo opinion thread, I like it
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I got hooked on Beato’s YT channel a few months ago. He’s got a level of experience, knowledge, talent, humility, and enthusiasm that never ceases to amaze me. And he’s a great story teller too.
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With Lionel Hampton.
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