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David Kikoski


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Because this a keyboard forum and there has to be a David Kikoski thread.

 

I hadn't listened to him in a long time and then this came on the radio:

 

[video:youtube]pkeSgJ82-VA

 

Magnificent composition, superb playing. And this is the tip of the iceberg. I first heard him with Roy Haynes in Amsterdam. Blew me away then, still wipes me out now.

 

 

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Great to surface Dave,

 

It's been quite a while since I saw Dave Kikoski, with Randy Brecker I think. Awesome pianoplayer.

 

At one concert in Stockholm 2001 -2002 something he had a nord electro, and he was demonstratingly hitting the leslie speed button ....looked quite hilarious and obviously not his game really.

 

Also saw his trio in Gothenburg many years ago....time to through his works.

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I've written about Kikoski before, though probably not in a dedicated thread. He's totally bad-ass and capable of playing a wide variety of styles. Seen him with the Mingus Big Band and Roy Haynes, among others. I'm sure one could find him on YouTube with those groups.
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Love Kikoski. I have most of his records, and love them all. Love this kind of modern jazz. I've seen him live a couple of times, last one with his own trio. Odd signatures, original structures, all with amazind fluency and musicality. Personally, I would add an ounce of energy to his style, but that's just me. He plays with a "chamber music" feel, and that's totally allright.

 

Btw I get "Video Unavailable" too.

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Love Kikoski. I have most of his records, and love them all. Love this kind of modern jazz. I've seen him live a couple of times, last one with his own trio. Odd signatures, original structures, all with amazind fluency and musicality. Personally, I would add an ounce of energy to his style, but that's just me. He plays with a "chamber music" feel, and that's totally allright.

 

Btw I get "Video Unavailable" too.

 

Your comments confirm my remarks that he can play a wide variety of styles. When I've seen him live with the Mingus group, he played in a very exuberant, unrestrained style. I never would have associated a "chamber music" feel with him. But as I said, it's clear he's got many sides.

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Once long ago, right after BeatleJazz came out, I cold-called him and took a couple of lessons from him. I wanted to try and download some of that fluid genius that lets him run in and out of the ear with such ease and comfort--angular bursts out of moments of chamber (great description)-like serenity. Great player, smart and strange guy.

 

[video:youtube]

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Love Kikoski. I have most of his records, and love them all. Love this kind of modern jazz. I've seen him live a couple of times, last one with his own trio. Odd signatures, original structures, all with amazind fluency and musicality. Personally, I would add an ounce of energy to his style, but that's just me. He plays with a "chamber music" feel, and that's totally allright.

 

Maybe that's why he excels in Roy Haynes' and Billy Hart's groups? They provide the energy and spunk and make him soar.

I am not that familiar with his work as a leader. Gonna get more into that now.

 

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Love Kikoski. I have most of his records, and love them all. Love this kind of modern jazz. I've seen him live a couple of times, last one with his own trio. Odd signatures, original structures, all with amazind fluency and musicality. Personally, I would add an ounce of energy to his style, but that's just me. He plays with a "chamber music" feel, and that's totally allright.

 

Maybe that's why he excels in Roy Haynes' and Billy Hart's groups? They provide the energy and spunk and make him soar.

I am not that familiar with his work as a leader. Gonna get more into that now.

That's a good observation. Btw now that I think od it, I probably should have been more specific in my previous remark... what I find a bit "chamber music" is his touch/tone, not his phrasing, which is usually quite busy.

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Kikoski is great, not only at straight ahead jazz, but Brazilian jazz as well. At one time he was Astrud Gilberto's pianist. I heard them at Fat Tuesday's (3rd Ave NYC - in the 90's). Never found a recording documenting that but I must say it was Astrud's most kick a** band ever.

 

Here's a taste of what David's playing was like with Astrud - here with guitarist Toninho Horta on Agua de Beber:

[video:youtube]

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  • 3 years later...

That Jobim take is especially nice; I'll have to search out that album. I had forgotten he had been Astrud Gilberto's pianist at one point.

 

Thanks for posting that; we do "Agua de Beber" and this take gives me new inspiration for how to better adapt it to our specific instrumentation.

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Love that he doesn't overload Wichita Lineman with clever ideas. Still takes you somewhere special though. :thu:

Not to go off topic with respect to David Kikoski but this description reminded me of an example of just the right amount of clever ideas covering Wichita Lineman. I could not find the cover. Maybe it was removed because of copyright. But several years ago there was a cover done on piano by a guy named Dave Sweney going by SweneyRose Zcovers on YT and later offered in CD group sets as NYCarcherman. The CD's are not the same as the YT videos. He was using a different Yamaha DP. For the CD's he uses a Motif. It is included on Volume Three (his Facebook page has them now). It was such a beautiful and emotionally expressive interpretation.

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I've struggled to try to create a "jazz" version of Wichita Lineman. Such a great tune, but hard to play it in a distinctly different style than the original, at least rhythmically. Dave does a great job of re-interpreting.
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