mmartinez Posted July 16, 2013 Author Share Posted July 16, 2013 Following up with a review of Cy Walter's "Rodgers Revisited" album. Not quite what I was expecting. Most of of the songs are in a "classical" style of playing. I'd put them more in that camp than jazz or cocktail. But a couple of them are more of the rag-timey type of thing which I find appealing. I've also ordered the vinyl "Cy Walter at the Drake" whcih presumably is his live playing at the Drake hotel. That I expect to be more interesting and probably more in a cocktail style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmammal Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 That's the problem with great players who never broke into the upper echelon. They did some nice things, have some albums but they never became worldwide classics so now you can't find them unless you get lucky at a garage sale or something. I looked a little deeper into Page Cavanaugh's bio and it almost sounds like he was the forunner to Paul Smith in Hollywood. It looks like Page did lots of film and studio work up to the late 50's or so when according to Paul Smith's bio, he became Hollywoods "go to" pianist up to the 80's when almost everything went electronic in the studios. All I can say is my memory of Page is of a very good cocktail/dining room style player who did some singing, knew all the tunes (I never saw any books or charts on the piano) and it's the same for his guitarist too, he knew all the songs. It will always bother me to play in jazz groups where we all have the Real Books on stands. I really don't like that but for casual players we don't have any choice. I know quite a few jazz tunes but I still have to have my stand and the books because stuff continually gets called that I either never played or haven't played in years. Bob Hammond SK1, Mojo 61, Kurzweil PC3, Korg Pa3x, Roland FA06, Band in a Box, Real Band, Studio One, too much stuff... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmartinez Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 All I can say is my memory of Page is of a very good cocktail/dining room style player who did some singing, I'm going to do some digging and see if I can't find some recordings of him in this type of venue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moj Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Here's a "cocktail pianist" who's not to shabby. I hear Walter/Tatum influences. And, I think he's from Hungary! [video:youtube] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moj Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 Page Cavanaugh was a guest on Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland several years ago. I remember a nice melodic tip he shared where he plays the melody in tenths with the octave, ie. he adds a third to the top note. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmartinez Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 Here's a "cocktail pianist" who's not to shabby. Oh this is great. Not only is he an example of good, solid cocktail piano, but I think he could cook his dinner and do his laundry at the same time. I chuckled when I saw him answering his cell phone with one hand and continuing the piano with the other. Actually as I listen to him more, his improvisational level is such that he probably does straight jazz too. Here's a few that I listen to sometimes: * Candlelight Trio. Happy Piano Hour. I have no idea who the pianist is because there's no credits listed anywhere. Even searching online fails to produce any list of musicians on the recording. * Van Craven. Interludes. This is a youngish guy, I think he lives in the SE U.S. somewhere. He plays nicely on his two-CD Interludes with a good mix of standards. * Atlantic Five Jazz Band. I don't know why they call it a band, because it's just a pianist. Tends to be quite a bit more technical than standard cocktail fare. Like "Candlelight Trio" another unknown pianist. I have never been able to find out who the musician is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmartinez Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share Posted July 20, 2013 Oh yeah, he's definitely a jazz guy. There's some youtube vids of him with a trio. (Bela Papai). You can tell from his cocktail video. You don't get to his level of improvisational ability without doing jazz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobadohshe Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Here's a "cocktail pianist" who's not to shabby. I hear Walter/Tatum influences. And, I think he's from Hungary! [video:youtube] To me that's not cocktail piano, it's stride. But that's just going off my arbitrary definition earlier in this thread. Of course it sure looks like he's in a cocktail bar, so what do I know. I tend to define the 'style' as more bland, florid, wallpapery and less harmonically interesting than this. In reality all these labels are for pianistic styles that can be quite fluid and incorporate as much or as little of whatever they want. Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37 My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I-missRichardTee Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I am not an academic- I just know I get compliments when I play whatever it is I play. My attitude before a gig, is one of fear, and wondering what am I going to do to make the gig a success with patrons. 1. I would avoid too hip chords 2. playing is a matter of taste with regard to denseness of harmony, the way the melody is rendered.. think singable, "the lady" is humming to you, so don't lose her. 3. They are talking, and listening... the listening cannot be jarring to the conversation. 4. Song choice, is scary for me. Just don't play obscure to the public music. Guess #4 depends on for whom one is entertaining. 5. Wait for them to ask you to turn up, rather than down. 6. Melody is king ( or Queen if that's your preference ) everything you play is in reference to melody, or a counter melody. 7. Learn these kind of guidelines, then forget them! A paraphrase of Charlie Parker.. the greatest improvisor of all time. You don't have ideas, ideas have you We see the world, not as it is, but as we are. "One mans food is another mans poison". I defend your right to speak hate. Tolerance to a point, not agreement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmartinez Posted July 28, 2013 Author Share Posted July 28, 2013 CY WALTER - AT THE DRAKE I ended up getting this album on vinyl and I have to say it's great stuff. I like it better than the other one. This one is more along the lines of cocktail, with a better selection of standards. On some of the songs he plays by himself and on a couple with a three piece. It seems to have been recorded live - one would hope at least, given the title. Anyway it's great stuff, he definitely has own thing going on and I really liked his rendition of Moon River. Now if I can find something similar with Page Cavanaugh I'll be set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmartinez Posted July 28, 2013 Author Share Posted July 28, 2013 Here's a "cocktail pianist" who's not to shabby. Oh this is great. Not only is he an example of good, solid cocktail piano, but I think he could cook his dinner and do his laundry at the same time. I chuckled when I saw him answering his cell phone with one hand and continuing the piano with the other. Actually as I listen to him more, his improvisational level is such that he probably does straight jazz too. Here's a few that I listen to sometimes: * Candlelight Trio. Happy Piano Hour. I have no idea who the pianist is because there's no credits listed anywhere. Even searching online fails to produce any list of musicians on the recording. * Van Craven. Interludes. This is a youngish guy, I think he lives in the SE U.S. somewhere. He plays nicely on his two-CD Interludes with a good mix of standards. * Atlantic Five Jazz Band. I don't know why they call it a band, because it's just a pianist. Tends to be quite a bit more technical than standard cocktail fare. Like "Candlelight Trio" another unknown pianist. I have never been able to find out who the musician is but he's quite good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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