rockinredeye Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Just found Joe Sample about a year ago and don't know most of his music. A recent addition to our song list is Put It Where You Want It. Talk about creative! The opening piano figure to that song was not written by a newbie. Great musician and artist. Kurzweil PC4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DulceLabs.com Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Joe's obituary has been posted at Legacy.com. There is a guest book for anyone wanting to leave a condolence message or share a memory with his family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Finstad Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 I don't remember why I purchased Chain Reaction, but it opened my mind to a great world of music. For that I am eternally grateful. A great loss. Jamie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1203 Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 I'm glad that i saw him live, i think it was in 2010 at the Stuttgart Jazz Open with Randy Crawford. After the show i did buy a record by him (personally) which he signed for me. Such a nice person and such a great musician who inspired me so much at the Rhodes! RIP, Joe. Nord Stage 2 76, Nord Electro 5D 73, Rhodes Mk2 73, Sequential Prophet 10 Rev4, Akai Miniak Synth, Roland JC 120 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRW Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Joe Sample (Feb. 1, 1939-Sept. 12, 2014). A very soulful pianist has gone. I'm curious, why do you consider him a "soulful pianist", because it isn't the first thought that comes to mind when I think of his playing or soloing. It's not a color thing, is it? Most of his solo output (albums-wise), including the examples people have posted here, could be considered as being very firmly in the smooth-jazz genre (even before that label existed), a genre I don't really associate with soul or soulfulness. To me, his touch on the piano (or other keys) always felt kind of "lite" and straightforward, for lack of a better word, not particularly funky, even when it was in that idiom. As always, this is just an opinion, and I'm not certainly trying to "troll" or be disrespectful to his legacy (especially at this time), and just for co-writing "Street Life" he ensured a firm place among the legends. He was also a sideman on a bunch of my favorite albums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana. Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 "Soulful" has become a cliche. I mean, when Michael Bolton is described as soulful, it's over. Does it make more sense to say Joe's playing tasted like butterscotch? I'm not sure that it did, but it elicits a more interesting reaction than "soulful." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DulceLabs.com Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 The Houston Press did a very nice write-up yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 So did the Houston Chronicle. "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxcvbnm098 Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Argh. Lung cancer. I lost both of my parents to that dreaded disease. Like many, I saw him at NAMM less than a year ago in the Casio booth. A life well lived, but certainly taken too soon.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangefunk Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Last year it was George Duke and this year its Joe Sample... I guess we're gonna be losing a lot more of our heroes as we and they get older... I first came across Joe Sample thru the 1979 LP Streetlife. His solo on that cut is fantastic... great changes too. Can you imagine a song like that in the charts these days? Later in the 80s I came across a Best of CD and loved cuts like "Snowflake", "Nightcrawler" and the like... later I got a lot of their LPs like Scratch, Streetlife, Free As the Wind, Rhapsody and Blues and more. I loved his approach to Rhodes... very heavy percussive touch (he would apparently put his Rhodes on low volume and hit the heck out of it to get the tone he got...) Saw him at Lugano jazz festival in 2005... great acoustic jazz playing with Randy Crawford... the old tunes still worked really well... RIP Joe... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangefunk Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 This tune has some lovely Rhodes from Joe [video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVYIGOPAJgQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardware Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 He played at his club in Mammoth Lakes a lot. Always loved watching who would drop in there. Really loved the song Ballad for Joe Lewis with the Crusaders. Magnus C350 + FMR RNP + Realistic Unisphere Mic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana. Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 From the NYT obit: "He also maintained a busy career as a studio musician. Among the albums on which his keyboard work can be heard are Marvin Gayes Whats Going On, Joni Mitchells Court and Spark and The Hissing of Summer Lawns, Tina Turners Private Dancer, Steely Dans Aja and Gaucho, and several recordings by B. B. King." Ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahZark Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Sample briefly at that NAMM dinner a couple of years ago when Mike was kind enough to bring him by to meet the gang. He was an absolute gentlemen, and he will be missed. RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moj Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 From the NYT obit: "He also maintained a busy career as a studio musician. Among the albums on which his keyboard work can be heard are Marvin Gayes Whats Going On, Joni Mitchells Court and Spark and The Hissing of Summer Lawns, Tina Turners Private Dancer, Steely Dans Aja and Gaucho, and several recordings by B. B. King."Ridiculous. And,"Popsicle Toes - Michael Franks. Joe's Rhodes was a great call-and-response to Franks singing those lyrics. I covered it at gigs when it was popular. Women were giggling and making eyes when we play it at the clubs, I wonder what they were thinking about. Joe "tickling' the ivories" pretty much sums it up. [video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VGZ6M6t4vA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz+ Posted September 15, 2014 Author Share Posted September 15, 2014 Re-posting this one, the essence of Joe's expressiveness can be heard starting at 3:40 : [video:youtube] Find 660 of my jazz piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I-missRichardTee Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Joe, speaking in his distinctive and truthful manner. [video:youtube] 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...
Dana. Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 [video:youtube] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I first paid attention to Joe thanks to this from Joni Mitchell's Hissing of Summer Lawns. Skip to 3:30. Evidently this forum's video widget won't handle links to a particular spot. [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT_ZR0ze4eQ I'm still trying to figure out some of the stuff he does there. Sounds to me like he was having a great time recording that track! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz+ Posted September 16, 2014 Author Share Posted September 16, 2014 Every note he plays on that Joni track is basic blues scale. It's his time feel and snappy touch that makes it so marvelous. Find 660 of my jazz piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16251 Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I first paid attention to Joe thanks to this from Joni Mitchell's Hissing of Summer Lawns. Skip to 3:30. Evidently this forum's video widget won't handle links to a particular spot. [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT_ZR0ze4eQ I'm still trying to figure out some of the stuff he does there. Sounds to me like he was having a great time recording that track! Soulful! AvantGrand N2 | ES520 | Gallien-Krueger MK & MP | https://soundcloud.com/pete36251 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephonic Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Here he is with a dreamband: Marcus Miller, Hiram Bullock, Omar Hakim, and a percussionist and keyboardist I can't identify: [video:youtube] Same thing, poor audio quality, but has a little interview with Sanborn at the beginning: gear list.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrythek Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Here he is with a dreamband: Marcus Miller, Hiram Bullock, Omar Hakim, and a percussionist and keyboardist I can't identify: Philippe Saisse was the synth/keys player in that house band. Great clip, great show. Thanks for sharing. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kawai James Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Live performances of 'The Young Rabbits' and 'Freedom Sound' from the 'Frankly Jazz' TV show recorded in 1962 (Joe was just 23!). I think Jimmy Bond is on bass: [video:youtube] [video:youtube] The Jazz Crusaders' earlier 60s material ('hard bop'?) is highly recommended! It's less easier to come by than the 70s Crusaders output, however Mosaic put out a beautiful box set of their Pacific recordings a few years ago. Cheers, James x Employed by Kawai Japan, however the opinions I express are my own. Nord Electro 3 & occasional rare groove player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJUSCULE Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 I'll second James's comment about the Pacific sessions. Here's the title track from the one record I own (got it in Montréal this summer for $3): [video:youtube] Interesting to hear Joe on harpsichord, no? One of two tracks on the album where he switches over. Eric Website Gear page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Every note he plays on that Joni track is basic blues scale. It's his time feel and snappy touch that makes it so marvelous. True dat! What I'm still trying to learn from isn't the lead so much as the the sound he gets from the crashy chords on rhythm. I have stuff I can play that serves the purpose, but just isn't quite the same. His left hand in particular, though I'm sure it's mostly simple stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz+ Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 Joe made a fairly straight ahead jazz trio album in 1976 with Ray Brown and Shelly Mann: [video:youtube] Find 660 of my jazz piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz+ Posted September 17, 2014 Author Share Posted September 17, 2014 "Funky Blues" : [video:youtube] Find 660 of my jazz piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillplaying Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Great player. Sorry to hear the man's gone. He's left us recordings of some cracking tracks. I'm the piano player "off of" Borrowed Books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKeys Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 To say Joe Sample was a big influence on me would be an understatement. I have been a fan for years and have seen him perform with a trio twice. I've even had my hands on a piano he played just days before in a recording studio. If I could ever play as a true jazzer his would be my style, so tasteful and soulful. I will treasure his music more now. RIP Joe Jimmy Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. Groucho NEW BAND CHECK THEM OUT www.steveowensandsummertime.com www.jimmyweaver.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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