bootyquake Posted March 15, 2001 Share Posted March 15, 2001 The salsa band I play with just hired a new pianist who is learning all the music by ear. I was shocked to realize that the cat couldn't read, and I wondered how far he could go. Within minutes of arriving--never before having heard Latin jazz--he was playing montunos, guaracha, and merengue like Danilo Perez or somebody equally amazing. The cat doesn't even know the names of the notes. ABCDEFG is a mystery to him. He's simply armed with perfect pitch and complete sonographic memory. He can play any type of music effortlessly. It's the most incredible thing I've ever witnessed. I'm sure he won't be with us long, and I'm sure you will have heard of him before too many years have passed. Anybody else ever meet a musician that is a legitimate genius? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigLeyhFrameBand.com Posted March 15, 2001 Share Posted March 15, 2001 I used to work for Kevin Kaufman, who was Jaco's Tech. Not long before he died he used to hang out at our store in WPB, Fla. one time Jaco was in the amp room and all the sudden we heard Jimi Hendrix vocal lines coming out of there and there were no mics in there. Walked in and Jaco is singing into the pickups of a bass. Almost died laughing, but the guy could do anything on a bass. He had the biggest hands, and thumbs that could bend backwards. ------------------ Thank you, Craig S. Leyh CraigLeyh@FrameBand.com Thank you, Craig S. Leyh CraigLeyh@NVSMedia.com Keep It Low! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 16, 2001 Share Posted March 16, 2001 There's Dickie Thompson, who plays with Ed Friedland every Friday night at Plush here in Tucson: he is 84 years old, and plays so well, and so originally, that it is common to see the two finest guitarists in town who are under 80 years old, Ed DeLucia and Matt Mitchell, in the crowd to see the 6 - 8 show before they go to play gigs of their own the same night. Dickie wrote "13 Women", which was the A side for "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets, the 1st rock & roll song to "make the charts" in the '50's. Dickie, who wrote the "banned from radio play due to suggestive lyrics" A side on the first hit in the birth of rock and roll is still packing in the crowds every Friday night at Plush in Tucson. You can find Ed's article, "Dickie Thompson: Curious Cat", at... http://multihome.www.desert.net/ww/09-13-99/tw_mus.html You can hear Dickie on recordings Ed produced and played bass on at... http://artists2.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/Maebelle/ I'll be listening at Plush tomorrow night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Friedland Posted March 16, 2001 Share Posted March 16, 2001 Hey Jerry, You're aging Dickie prematurely... he's only 83! Yeah, I'd have to agree. I've played with many great musicians in my life (hopefully more to come!) but Dickie is a rare one. Totally self-taught, and yet he plays the most complex jazz chord solos like it was water pouring out of a jug. Even though we've played together for 4 years now, he always plays something every week that gets me. He can quote a tune in a solo in such an ingenious way, it leaves you shaking your head and smiling every time. Eventually I'll get off my butt and put up an MP3 of some of the stuff we've recorded live. ------------------ www.edfriedland.com www.edfriedland.com The Bass Whisperer Bass Whisperer TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bspangleyahoo.com Posted March 16, 2001 Share Posted March 16, 2001 I had the pleasure of playing a few gigs with Chris Potter (sax and keys) when he was still a student at Dreher HS here in Columbia, SC. He was unbelievable!!! Check him out on Dave Holland's and John P's albums. He fairly recently toured with Steely Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sampoerna Posted March 17, 2001 Share Posted March 17, 2001 I had a boyfriend that was a musical genius on piano. When he was wee little (like five years old) he could pick out any song by ear. His parents had the prescience to get lessons for him and his instructors soon learned that he could learn anything that was thrown at him and could easily surpass them. He learned the notation behind it all, but he was still amazing despite the "book learning". Play any song for him once and he would proceed to play it back on piano. It's still one of the most enigmatic things I've ever witnessed. He won a college scholarship and was surely destined to become successful in music; however, I haven't found anything about him on the internet. He may have found another calling and/or changed his name. It's a pity to think that one with his talent didn't pursue it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Addicott Posted March 17, 2001 Share Posted March 17, 2001 Originally posted by Sampoerna: He won a college scholarship and was surely destined to become successful in music; however, I haven't found anything about him on the internet. He may have found another calling and/or changed his name. It's a pity to think that one with his talent didn't pursue it. I know a guy somewhat like that. He bluffed his way into a cocktail piano gig, and when they asked him to show up for an audition, he raced home, taught himself to play one song, went to the audition, got the gig, and in very short order became a bona fide piano player. Crazy!!! I enjoyed playing many gigs with him. He can play pretty much anything, on demand. Learning new songs with him was an absolute breeze. Alas, he stopped gigging out when he and his wife opened a restaurant. This is a similar tragic tale of squandered talent (although I do have to say, their restaurant really kicks ass, and I get a lot of gigs there). My old bass teacher had an interesting observation. Watching his old students progress over the years, he noted that the extra-talented ones were more liable to drop out and go do something else. The ones who really had to work at it tended to stick with it and eventually get somewhere. From this, I gather that drive is at least as important as talent. (To go on tour with Chick Corea, I imagine one needs an abundance of both!!) ------------------ Jeff Addicott http://www.jeffnet.org/~addicott/bass.html Jeff Addicott http://www.jeffnet.org/~addicott/bass.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Friedland Posted March 18, 2001 Share Posted March 18, 2001 <> That's an interesting comment. I can't tell exactly how you mean that, but I find it's a common sentiment. Some think musical genius or even just plain old talent is somehow "sullied" by any form of real training. I'm not going to choose a side on this issue, because I see examples that illustrate each side of the "argument" every day. But many talented (and not-as-talented) people learn how to access their gifts even deeper through understanding what they do. Musical intellect is not the only thing that's going to make you sound good. Many people tend to over-emphasize one or the other. But integrating knowledge, instinct and spirit gives you an ultimate freedom. As James Brown says, it's got to have "Soul Power!" ------------------ www.edfriedland.com www.edfriedland.com The Bass Whisperer Bass Whisperer TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbass1 Posted March 18, 2001 Share Posted March 18, 2001 Some people are just natural talents without "book learning", no reading skills, etc. It's easy to just "get by" without it, but it's like speaking a language without being able to read it, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sampoerna Posted March 18, 2001 Share Posted March 18, 2001 I should've put a smiley next to the "book learning" comment. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif That was more a reflection of his beliefs than mine. He was bored with his teachers and preferred doing everything his way. He could be very arrogant and was quite the soloist -- not cooperative in a group setting. It's really coming back to me as to why he's an "ex-boyfriend". http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif He had decent timing, but no rhythm, capiche? Believe me, I'm all about the book l'arnin'. Music doesn't come naturally to me like drawing does. I have to work very hard at it and it's so gratifying when I make progress. I'm also fortunate to have a husband that has a great ear and can help me out when I don't hear things quite right. Thanks for not climbing all over me, folks. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif I love these discussions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Friedland Posted March 19, 2001 Share Posted March 19, 2001 Sampoerna, I wasn't sure if you were expressing your opinion about "book learnin'" or not, but regardless, I just wanted to bring up my take on it too. Hey, we can all say anything we want as long as we don't "climb all over" anyone! I have mixed feelings on the subject. As I mentioned, Dickie Thompson is completely self taught and "ignorant" in the ways of book knowledge. But he's undoubtedly one of the greatest musicians I've ever met. Would study have made him a better player? A WORSE player? I can't answer that. But being one of those guys that makes part of a living pushing books, I suppose I'm biased toward education! ------------------ www.edfriedland.com www.edfriedland.com The Bass Whisperer Bass Whisperer TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootyquake Posted March 20, 2001 Author Share Posted March 20, 2001 I think that there are some real advantages to all players learning abstract knowledge about music. Principally, writing music lets you pass your ideas along with just paper. Musicians who rely only on their ears *must* hear the tune before they can reproduce it. Sight reading skills are really handy when NO rehearsal has been involved. Though I'd take listening skills over abstraction every time. The comment about geniuses not succeeding in professional music reminded me of a comment by President Calvin Coolidge. He said, "Perseverance is more important than talent. It can do everything talent can do, and a number of things that talent cannot." It strikes me that I've met dozens of musicians you would have heard of if they could have persevered to solve their personal, emotional, organizational, or health problems. I firmly believe that anybody who is willing to humbly learn all they can about music, and forge a personal style, can become a popular recording artist if they stick around. Most are simply not willing to make the sacrifices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lug Posted March 20, 2001 Share Posted March 20, 2001 Ive got one for you. In one of my first bands a girl showed up and learned every song or wrote her own part on the flute in one take. Later we found out she was 1rst chair in state band. Years later, I joined a band with a fantastic keyboard player who could learn any song I played him in one or 2 takes (ex. the entire WIRED album by Jeff Beck in one afternoon). I later found out that they were brother and sister and that both their parents where professional musicians. Both had great attitudes and plenty of feel also. A very humbling situation, twice. You can stop now -jeremyc STOP QUOTING EVERY THING I SAY!!! -Bass_god_offspring lug, you should add that statement to you signature.-Tenstrum I'm not sure any argument can top lug's. - Sweet Willie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretch Posted March 23, 2001 Share Posted March 23, 2001 I had a gig a few weeks ago where i got to meet Cecil Bridgewater and jam with him for a while. He was our guest soloist and a few hours before the show I played some bass while he improvised on his trumpet and then a little while after my friend took the bass and i we had a musical conversation with me on my bari sax (I'm a fiend for low tones). Cecil came up with impressive melodies off of his head in matters of seconds and built on them like i'd never heard a trumpeter play before, it was truly amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dude_dup3 Posted March 23, 2001 Share Posted March 23, 2001 Michael Manring qualifies in my opinion. Now if I could only understand what and how he does what he does! I study his tape and get lost in about 2 seconds! http://cwmonkey.virtualave.net/s/3dlil/read.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Friedland Posted March 24, 2001 Share Posted March 24, 2001 Manring? Hell Dude, he only plays 4 basses at once, how hard could that be? http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif ------------------ www.edfriedland.com www.edfriedland.com The Bass Whisperer Bass Whisperer TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy_dup1 Posted March 26, 2001 Share Posted March 26, 2001 Sure, I have met a few. I just played a gig today with my friend Norbert Stachel. He is currently the saxophone soloist in Tower of Power. He plays all the woodwinds (and bass), every style (you should hear him play Klezmer clarinet, jazz on the alto flute or salsa bass) (or Klezmer violin with his EWI) and I have never heard him play a wrong note in fifteen years of playing with him. And that means sight reading off of charts in C on Bb tenor or clarinet, F alto flute, Db piccolo, Eb alto and so forth. Also I taught Arion Salazar of Third Eye Blind for a while. At age 18 he came in, had been playing bass for three years, could play anything off of any Level 42 album. I'd play an album for him and he'd say, I got it. And he did, he could then play everything on the album after hearing it once. Man, I would sell my soul to the Devil to have that level of talent. I hope he someday ends up in a band where his talent is put to good use. Another former student is saxophonist Howard Wiley. He came in at age 13 having memorized half a dozen Charlie Parker albums. Then later he moved on to Coltrane. One semester he said he had been practicing drums, could he play drums in the jazz band instead of sax. Knowing him, I said yes. Turned out that his starting point for drums was the style of Jeff Tain Watts! ------------------ http://www.jps.net/jeremy/basspage.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtian_dup1 Posted March 26, 2001 Share Posted March 26, 2001 The genius I played with for a long time was this drummer named Chris Gennert in San Francisco. They guy had...IT. His kit was the ugliest thing you ever saw, but it sounded GREAT because he bought all the pieces at different garage sales based solely on the SOUND of the drum. Most evenings he would pack his kit up in his panel van, drive up to the top of Mt. Tamalpais, and play to the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. It was so beautiful it could make you cry. My grandparents were up there once watching the sunset as well, and came back and told me about this amazing drummer who was playing to the sunset, and they thought it was amazing as well. The guy had IT. I'll bet he is still a professional gardener, too. - Christian Budapest, Hungary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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