Wonderful Chuck Leavell Tutorial --Jessica

[Shamanzarek]

The "other" keyboard player for The Stones was Jack Nitzsche who also worked extensively as orchestrator and conductor for Phil Spector. From 1964 t0 1966 he was their primary keyboard player on all recordings done at RCA Studios Hollywood.

[TommyRude]

2 hours ago, Polkahero said:

Is that a mistake at 3:08 during the octaves section?

Yup sure sounds like it, and a few more here and there.  Which begs several questions.. 

 

How is it possible that one of the GOAT piano songs / riffs / solos has mistakes in it?  How can something that is so perfect actually be imperfect?  Does the slight sub-imperfection actually contribute to the overall perfection?

 

Why did they leave it in there?  Is it possible that Chuck did this all in one take, and they decided that the feel and sound was so damn good they would live with the few very minor clams?  Did they feel they attempting to "fix" it by overdubbing would not work? 

 

Or perhaps, these are not mistakes at all, they are intentional?  Could they be small easter eggs planted by Chuck and the boys to keep fans on their toes and guessing?  (ok I'm grasping here haha)

 

Slight diversion:  I don't know if this was already mentioned, but this year is the 50th anniversary of Jessica.  Happy Anniversary!

[bill5]

I just hope before I die I learn to play at least one Sea Level song. To me that is Chuck Leavell, not the Allman Bros or Stones work (which I have nothing against). 

[MathOfInsects]

Yeah, he probably meant to hit that one note out of 10,000 more cleanly. That's not the same thing as a mistake. If anything it makes it more perfect.

What amazing playing. That part is so complex and simple at the same time. I'm also always amazed to find out how much LH playing people do, or really, did back then. But the part isn't the part without it. 

It's also really patient playing. He's 100% in the rhythm section until that great solo. He doesn't vary or pop out anywhere. He's almost like a looping percussion part. 

So good. 

[SamuelBLupowitz]

14 hours ago, MAJUSCULE said:

Just found an isolated piano track of the original. Mm mm good.

 

 

Well, guess it's time to hit the woodshed again. His left hand (really, the interlocking of both hands) is grooving SO HARD.

[SamuelBLupowitz]

10 hours ago, TommyRude said:

 

Why did they leave it in there?  Is it possible that Chuck did this all in one take, and they decided that the feel and sound was so damn good they would live with the few very minor clams?  Did they feel they attempting to "fix" it by overdubbing would not work? 

I'd be willing to bet he did the take live on the floor with the band. You can hear the drum bleed in the piano track (unless they achieved the isolated track through some phase trickery and that's what I'm hearing). In that case, fixing a mistake that you never heard in a thousand listens until you heard the isolated track would have been time consuming, and ultimately more jarring for the listener than leaving it as-is. No pro tools for comps in 1973!

[zxcvbnm098]

I think I've heard him say he improvised the whole thing, and then when people expected him to play it like the record he went back to relearn it. I think he was only 20 when he recorded it, also..........sheesh!

[Outkaster]

That whole intro I was playing different all these years. I will have to relearn it.  The rest of it is straightforward.

[Al Quinn]

I saw Chuck with the Allman Brothers in 1973 at the Nassau Coliseum. I was 14; it was my first concert. The band was great and Chuck was on fire! Through the wonders of Wikipedia I just learned that he was only 21. That concert, and Chuck in particular, inspired me to pursue music more seriously.

[bill5]

I had a chance to see the Allman Bros in the 70s for dirt cheap and didn't go because I didn't have anyone to go with. I figured there would be other chances. doh. 

[HammondDave]

Amazing tutorial of one of my favorite piano solos.  What an artist!