Full Transcript for Quentin Walston: Teaching Jazz, Retro Future, and Reviving 1920s Stride

his podcast 38 00:02:18,830 --> 00:02:21,801 and he basically said to me, Explain jazz to me. 39 00:02:22,041 --> 00:02:27,763 I I have no idea what it is. And he had no idea that it was even even 40 00:02:27,763 --> 00:02:31,425 the concept of, you know, inventing melodies over chords. 41 00:02:31,667 --> 00:02:33,358 you know, over the chord changes of a song. 42 00:02:33,358 --> 00:02:34,358 And 43 00:02:33,554 --> 00:02:34,554 Right. 44 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:36,191 so when I as soon as I did that to him, 45 00:02:36,191 --> 00:02:37,742 he was like, that makes sense. 46 00:02:37,742 --> 00:02:39,144 You know, I I think I I I 47 00:02:38,719 --> 00:02:39,719 Mm-hmm. 48 00:02:39,304 --> 00:02:40,965 I think I can understand that more. 49 00:02:40,965 --> 00:02:46,944 But ~ but ~ well you you did you start at like as a really young age? 50 00:02:46,944 --> 00:02:50,354 I I'm I'm getting a vibe from you that you didn't just pick this up 51 00:02:50,354 --> 00:02:53,206 in the last decade. were you like a kid 52 00:02:52,019 --> 00:02:53,070 Well, ~ 53 00:02:53,206 --> 00:02:54,206 player or 54 00:02:54,490 --> 00:02:58,333 Yeah, I mean I guess I mean now that I'm in my thirties I've been I've been playing 55 00:02:58,333 --> 00:03:00,954 for over a couple of decades, but when I 56 00:03:00,637 --> 00:03:01,637 Yeah. 57 00:03:00,954 --> 00:03:04,656 went to music school, some of my peers started when they were, 58 00:03:04,656 --> 00:03:07,318 you know, four, five, six years old. 59 00:03:07,318 --> 00:03:10,470 I didn't start that young. I started in middle school, 60 00:03:10,470 --> 00:03:12,050 probably around the age of twelve. 61 00:03:11,017 --> 00:03:12,754 Okay. Mm-hmm. 62 00:03:12,050 --> 00:03:13,050 ~ 63 00:03:13,101 --> 00:03:15,482 ~ I was self-taught for about a year. 64 00:03:15,482 --> 00:03:18,123 My parents saw that I had an interest, 65 00:03:18,123 --> 00:03:22,225 so they got me lessons, but I always still felt like I was doing ketchup. 66 00:03:22,225 --> 00:03:23,366 Like I I 67 00:03:22,837 --> 00:03:23,837 Mm-hmm. 68 00:03:23,366 --> 00:03:26,207 wasn't ~ un until I got to college, 69 00:03:26,207 --> 00:03:28,228 I wasn't a very serious practicer. 70 00:03:28,228 --> 00:03:31,630 I only did classical unless I absolutely had to. 71 00:03:31,630 --> 00:03:32,696 ~ but 72 00:03:32,148 --> 00:03:33,148 Right. 73 00:03:32,696 --> 00:03:37,613 I did have a teacher that allowed me to explore 74 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,511 ragtime and boogie woogie and jazz. 75 00:03:40,511 --> 00:03:43,753 And I'd always been composing myself. 76 00:03:43,753 --> 00:03:50,597 So I think that fostering of creativity was something that 77 00:03:50,597 --> 00:03:53,759 was really beneficial for me. And then I mentioned just kind 78 00:03:53,759 --> 00:03:58,501 of that analytical side. So that ~ the left brain helped 79 00:03:58,501 --> 00:04:04,104 me accelerate where my kind of right brain or my facilities weren't quite there, 80 00:04:04,104

--> 00:04:05,104 if that makes sense. 81 00:04:04,923 --> 00:04:05,923 Right. 82 00:04:05,513 --> 00:04:08,835 ~ sure, sure. Yeah. ~ it was the opposite for me. 83 00:04:08,835 --> 00:04:10,456 you know, 84 00:04:09,358 --> 00:04:10,374 Mm-hmm. 85 00:04:10,656 --> 00:04:15,626 I I could I could play well, but it wasn't until I was in my my, 86 00:04:15,626 --> 00:04:18,201 you know, mid l because I started very early. 87 00:04:18,201 --> 00:04:19,401 I you know, I started when I was 88 00:04:18,813 --> 00:04:19,813 What's it 89 00:04:19,622 --> 00:04:22,363 when I was three. ~ and 90 00:04:21,485 --> 00:04:22,485 wow, yeah. 91 00:04:22,363 --> 00:04:28,787 ~ but it wasn't until I was in my mid teens that I started being able 92 00:04:28,787 --> 00:04:31,258 to pull things apart and and and 93 00:04:30,642 --> 00:04:31,642 Mm. 94 00:04:31,258 --> 00:04:32,258 understand 95 00:04:32,281 --> 00:04:34,401 at least conceptually what like someone like R. 96 00:04:34,401 --> 00:04:38,304 Tatum was doing because it was just such a you know, 97 00:04:38,304 --> 00:04:41,505 an onslaught of of technique and notes that you say, 98 00:04:41,505 --> 00:04:42,505 wait a minute, wait a minute, wait, 99 00:04:42,375 --> 00:04:45,847 wait what how how did he he's changing keys in the in the middle of a measure, 100 00:04:45,847 --> 00:04:47,607 you know? You know, 101 00:04:46,291 --> 00:04:47,375 No, yeah. Yeah. 102 00:04:47,607 --> 00:04:51,819 and and it wasn't in you know until I got to Berklee and started really pulling 103 00:04:51,819 --> 00:04:54,850 stuff apart that that I I I could always sort of play, 104 00:04:54,850 --> 00:04:56,881 but it was it was different, you know, 105 00:04:56,881 --> 00:05:00,953 for me. But ~ and ~ so you obviously 106 00:05:01,930 --> 00:05:07,267 ~ through high school decided to go to music school ~ to continue your education. 107 00:05:05,905 --> 00:05:09,019 Yeah. Yeah. I it it's it's 108 00:05:09,019 --> 00:05:13,264 interesting. Like my I didn't gravitate towards jazz initially. 109 00:05:13,264 --> 00:05:17,249 I kinda mentioned I I was interested in like boogie woogie and ragtime in 110 00:05:16,917 --> 00:05:17,917 Mm-hmm. 111 00:05:17,249 --> 00:05:21,725 my younger teen years. And I I think it's mostly just 'cause I wasn't exposed to 112 00:05:22,669 --> 00:05:25,401 more, I guess, I don't want to say jazz proper, 113 00:05:25,401 --> 00:05:27,613 but you know, some of the more straight ahead artists. 114 00:05:27,613 --> 00:05:30,976 Like when I was fifteen, I didn't know who Monk was. 115 00:05:30,976 --> 00:05:32,417 I didn't know who Bill Evans was. 116 00:05:32,417 --> 00:05:35,570 ~ but I knew who Ray Charles was and and things like that. 117 00:05:35,570 --> 00:05:36,570 So I I 118 00:05:36,301 --> 00:05:38,382 kind of had an ear for that sound. 119 00:05:38,382 --> 00:05:41,585 ~ and then growing up where I was in Virginia, 120 00:05:41,585 --> 00:05:45,288 a lot of the music scene was actually bluegrass.

121 00:05:45,288 --> 00:05:46,329 So I 122 00:05:46,174 --> 00:05:47,174 sure, 123 00:05:46,492 --> 00:05:47,492 Exposed 124 00:05:46,549 --> 00:05:47,549 yeah. 125 00:05:47,022 --> 00:05:52,287 to bluegrass, and that has a really rich world of improvisation. 126 00:05:52,287 --> 00:05:53,287 So 127 00:05:52,734 --> 00:05:53,734 Right. 128 00:05:53,368 --> 00:05:55,209 in between every verse and chorus, 129 00:05:55,209 --> 00:05:57,861 you're getting fiddle solos or banjo solos, 130 00:05:57,861 --> 00:05:58,861 dobro, whatever 131 00:05:58,133 --> 00:05:59,133 Mm-hmm. 132 00:05:58,772 --> 00:06:04,096 it is. So I fell in love with improv actually outside of jazz, 133 00:06:04,096 --> 00:06:05,167 and then 134 00:06:04,349 --> 00:06:05,349 Right. 135 00:06:05,167 --> 00:06:07,619 I had my love of ragtime and boogie woogie, 136 00:06:07,619 --> 00:06:09,721 and right around junior, senior year, 137 00:06:09,721 --> 00:06:11,402 it all kind of clicked. Like, hey, 138 00:06:11,402 --> 00:06:14,265 that sound that you're after is actually jazz. 139 00:06:14,888 --> 00:06:16,380 Okay, okay, sure. 140 00:06:15,067 --> 00:06:16,518 ~ so I 141 00:06:16,679 --> 00:06:21,743 I really, really dove deep and really started practicing a lot and pursuing it. 142 00:06:21,743 --> 00:06:23,985 And yeah, I think I didn't decide until, 143 00:06:23,985 --> 00:06:28,949 you know, auditions were like four or five months away that I wanted to 144 00:06:28,949 --> 00:06:33,713 go to music school. And I probably gave my ~ music teacher a heart attack. 145 00:06:33,713 --> 00:06:36,456 I said, you know, I think I want to audition for college. 146 00:06:36,456 --> 00:06:42,621 So she's like, ~ well then you better start with Yeah. 147 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:41,432 Uh-huh. Uh-huh. You better start working. 148 00:06:43,234 --> 00:06:44,558 And I mean, when you auditioned, 149 00:06:44,558 --> 00:06:47,199 did you play you know, the classical repertoire? 150 00:06:47,199 --> 00:06:48,199 Did did you have 151 00:06:47,668 --> 00:06:48,738 Yeah. Yeah, I 152 00:06:48,738 --> 00:06:54,311 d I had to do ~ both. So I I learned Mozart's Rondo Alaterca in one 153 00:06:54,262 --> 00:06:55,262 Sure. 154 00:06:54,311 --> 00:06:56,852 of the Bach conventions. And then 155 00:06:56,852 --> 00:07:02,725 I did for my jazz I I wrote an arrangement of ~ what is it now? 156 00:07:02,725 --> 00:07:05,886 I hear a rhapsody. So classic 157 00:07:04,722 --> 00:07:05,821 ~ yep, okay. 158 00:07:06,287 --> 00:07:09,358 great American songbook tune. ~ but yeah, 159 00:07:09,358 --> 00:07:13,390 I still had so much to learn. I mean I I'm very grateful that ~ 160 00:07:14,026 --> 00:07:16,702 That James Madison University brought me in, 161 00:07:16,702 --> 00:07:18,356 because I I still 162 00:07:17,788 --> 00:07:18,788 huh. 163 00:07:18,356 --> 00:07:20,784 felt like it was an uphill an uphill battle, 164 00:07:20,784 --> 00:07:21,784 a lot to learn. 165 00:07:22,229 --> 00:07:23,229 Yeah, but 166

00:07:22,669 --> 00:07:25,802 that's I mean that's the beauty of you know that's I was lucky enough 167 00:07:25,802 --> 00:07:28,004 to get into Berklee ~ 168 00:07:27,297 --> 00:07:28,297 Mm. 169 00:07:28,124 --> 00:07:33,729 and ~ you know I mean ~ in in Buffalo 170 00:07:34,350 --> 00:07:37,012 I was the top piano player. You know what I mean? 171 00:07:37,012 --> 00:07:38,474 In Buffalo, New York, before 172 00:07:38,188 --> 00:07:39,188 Yeah. 173 00:07:38,474 --> 00:07:43,558 I went to Berklee. And I got to Berklee and there were many people much better than 174 00:07:43,558 --> 00:07:44,759 me. And 175 00:07:44,331 --> 00:07:45,331 Yeah. 176 00:07:44,820 --> 00:07:46,421 ~ you know, and I mean I also 177 00:07:46,753 --> 00:07:50,375 had the horrible misfortune of being there at exactly the same time Makoto Ozzone 178 00:07:50,375 --> 00:07:55,278 was there. And yeah, and Makoto was like from another planet. 179 00:07:55,278 --> 00:07:59,641 ~ it was, you know, nobody none of the music, 180 00:07:59,641 --> 00:08:04,274 none of the faculty that taught there was even equipped to comprehend what 181 00:08:03,776 --> 00:08:05,456 Mm. Mm. 182 00:08:04,274 --> 00:08:05,664 he was doing. It was 183 00:08:05,764 --> 00:08:07,966 he was just so heavy and so great. 184 00:08:07,966 --> 00:08:10,433 But ~ 185 00:08:08,436 --> 00:08:09,715 I heard yeah, yeah. 186 00:08:10,487 --> 00:08:11,670 no, go ahead. What were you gonna say? 187 00:08:11,724 --> 00:08:15,389 I was gonna say I heard similar things about ~ when Robert Glasper was 188 00:08:15,389 --> 00:08:18,583 in was in school. ~ the people just trying 189 00:08:17,042 --> 00:08:18,320 that's yeah. I 190 00:08:18,583 --> 00:08:20,415 to absorb his progressions and stuff. 191 00:08:20,906 --> 00:08:23,797 Yeah, I he way past my time. You know, 192 00:08:23,797 --> 00:08:25,198 I was there in the early eighties. 193 00:08:25,198 --> 00:08:28,539 ~ but ~ but yeah, 194 00:08:28,539 --> 00:08:31,520 it was it, you know, but school music school ~ you know, 195 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:36,502 again, I learned more from 196 00:08:37,103 --> 00:08:42,135 the teachers that I got to hang out and talk with than 197 00:08:41,716 --> 00:08:42,716 Mm. 198 00:08:42,135 --> 00:08:44,046 than the classes you know what I mean? 199 00:08:44,046 --> 00:08:45,586 I mean you do all the classes, 200 00:08:45,586 --> 00:08:46,586 but it's 201 00:08:45,890 --> 00:08:46,890 Right. 202 00:08:46,447 --> 00:08:49,538 like having lunch with the guy that played with Charlie Parker. 203 00:08:50,234 --> 00:08:52,005 You know, hanging out with Herb Pomery. 204 00:08:52,005 --> 00:08:55,828 And then getting out of school in in in Boston and then playing on gigs with 205 00:08:55,327 --> 00:08:57,308 Yeah. Yeah. 206 00:08:55,828 --> 00:08:57,329 all these guys, which is 207 00:08:57,329 --> 00:08:59,821 where you real educate because I I, 208 00:08:59,821 --> 00:09:04,244 you know, ~ you get to play everybody wants something different behind them 209 00:09:04,244 --> 00:09:06,075 as a c in a companyist. So 210 00:09:05,578 --> 00:09:06,578 Mm-hmm. 211 00:09:06,075 --> 00:09:09,437 that's when you really w sort of round out your your your 212 00:09:08,853 --> 00:09:09,853 Yeah. 213 00:09:09,437 --> 00:09:13,830 you know, your the way you know that this guy wants more monk stuff behind him. 214 00:09:13,830 --> 00:09:15,742 This guy wants more, you know, 215 00:09:15,742 --> 00:09:17,703 Teddy Wilson. This guy wants, you know. 216 00:09:18,119 --> 00:09:21,602 And but anyways, well ~ so you went 217 00:09:22,382 --> 00:09:25,525 you went to you went to the real school and got a real degree. 218 00:09:25,525 --> 00:09:30,419 ~ and were you did you have a group that you were s playing with a trio then 219 00:09:30,419 --> 00:09:32,931 or were you just were you doing gigs? 220 00:09:31,996 --> 00:09:32,996 Yeah, I 221 00:09:33,397 --> 00:09:38,699 I I ~ was playing with I think it was a a quintet. 222 00:09:38,699 --> 00:09:44,501 ~ a bunch of classmates. we started a group with I think 223 00:09:44,501 --> 00:09:46,982 it was called Grooveyard. so 224 00:09:46,623 --> 00:09:47,700 Nice, nice. 225 00:09:47,702 --> 00:09:52,254 it was guitar, piano, drums, and then sax and trumpet. 226 00:09:52,254 --> 00:09:56,446 ~ I'd always loved writing, so I I was writing for that group and 227 00:09:56,446 --> 00:09:59,047 we were playing around Harrisonburg and things like that. 228 00:09:59,485 --> 00:10:04,000 And then, you know, other people started going into our guitarist went into 229 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,363 the cruise ship thing for a while and some other people did their thing. 230 00:10:07,363 --> 00:10:14,250 ~ but you know, I was always determined to be full time musician no matter what. 231 00:10:14,602 --> 00:10:15,602 Right. 232 00:10:15,855 --> 00:10:20,307 And I think that was w one of the blessings of being a pianist is is you 233 00:10:20,307 --> 00:10:24,309 can get a lot of solo gigs. So it's harder for some other 234 00:10:24,309 --> 00:10:26,760 for some other instruments. Like if you're a vibes player, 235 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:28,171 you can be a killing vibes player, 236 00:10:28,171 --> 00:10:31,342 but you know, it's hard to bring 237 00:10:30,761 --> 00:10:31,761 Right. 238 00:10:31,442 --> 00:10:33,893 bring that into solo gigs and stuff like that. 239 00:10:33,893 --> 00:10:38,465 So right out of school, if it wasn't that quintet, 240 00:10:38,465 --> 00:10:42,487 ~ I was working all the wineries because in Virginia. 241 00:10:42,704 --> 00:10:45,977 yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. 242 00:10:43,293 --> 00:10:48,668 like a mini Napa Valley. So you know this was 243 00:10:45,977 --> 00:10:48,367 And what years with this? What what what what what 244 00:10:48,668 --> 00:10:52,391 ~ this I graduated in twenty fifteen. 245 00:10:52,391 --> 00:10:59,117 So I I started I know I'm I'm I'm ~ you're good. 246 00:10:57,201 --> 00:10:59,084 I'm sorry, I'm I'm just

gonna cry. 247 00:10:59,084 --> 00:11:00,084 ~ 248 00:11:00,979 --> 00:11:03,911 Well I I I appreciate that. That feels good because you know I mean 249 00:11:03,911 --> 00:11:06,183 I'm I'm I'm eleven years out of school. 250 00:11:06,183 --> 00:11:10,287 I've lost my hair. I got two kids so I'm feeling like the 251 00:11:09,943 --> 00:11:10,943 yeah, 252 00:11:10,333 --> 00:11:12,424 yeah, yeah. Well, you're half my age, 253 00:11:12,424 --> 00:11:15,405 so it doesn't matter. ~ 254 00:11:12,793 --> 00:11:14,991 very good. ~ 255 00:11:15,425 --> 00:11:18,185 you know, I graduated in nineteen eighty six. 256 00:11:18,185 --> 00:11:20,466 ~ but ~ 257 00:11:18,453 --> 00:11:20,197 There you go. Yeah. 258 00:11:20,866 --> 00:11:25,707 but so I'm coming up on my fortieth this is my fortieth year out of out of Berklee. 259 00:11:25,707 --> 00:11:28,938 ~ but I'm still waiting to start a career, 260 00:11:28,938 --> 00:11:32,489 but ~ it it it'll happen. It'll happen. 261 00:11:29,491 --> 00:11:31,421 Yeah, there you go. There's always more time. 262 00:11:31,421 --> 00:11:32,429 That's your question. 263 00:11:32,809 --> 00:11:34,530 If I don't make it by the time I'm seventy. 264 00:11:34,530 --> 00:11:37,240 ~ but ~ but 265 00:11:35,849 --> 00:11:36,849 Yeah. 266 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:39,191 so ~ so twenty fifteen. 267 00:11:39,658 --> 00:11:43,339 So the the music that you I mean, 268 00:11:43,339 --> 00:11:47,281 obviously this is a a sort of a an off topic thing, 269 00:11:47,281 --> 00:11:49,052 but I mean it's it's a different topic. 270 00:11:49,052 --> 00:11:53,463 The music that you you seem to gravitate towards and love 271 00:11:53,463 --> 00:11:57,155 is obviously straight ahead mainstream stuff that I I love. 272 00:11:57,155 --> 00:11:58,155 And you know, 273 00:11:59,836 --> 00:12:03,477 how ~ what were you listening to at that at that point? 274 00:12:03,477 --> 00:12:06,488 What do you what were you listening to like when you got out of school? 275 00:12:06,488 --> 00:12:08,048 Were you listening to to 276 00:12:08,549 --> 00:12:12,854 All the new guys coming up as well as the classic stuff or 277 00:12:12,819 --> 00:12:13,819 Yeah, 278 00:12:13,339 --> 00:12:16,670 that's such a great question. ~ you know, 279 00:12:16,670 --> 00:12:23,012 my my taste, I really like the straight ahead guys that will like push a little bit. 280 00:12:23,012 --> 00:12:25,363 Like I love Monk for that reason. 281 00:12:24,791 --> 00:12:25,791 Right. 282 00:12:25,363 --> 00:12:27,483 Cause I mean he he he's straight ahead, 283 00:12:27,483 --> 00:12:29,244 but there's still that quirkiness. 284 00:12:29,244 --> 00:12:30,244 ~ I 285 00:12:29,644 --> 00:12:30,644 Right. 286 00:12:29,974 --> 00:12:33,285 love Duke's like trio albums, like Money Jungle. 287 00:12:32,811 --> 00:12:35,314 Mm. Right. Sure. Yeah. 288 00:12:33,285 --> 00:12:35,356 I absolutely love that. And 289 00:12:35,356 --> 00:12:38,847 like that kind of sound I I tried to to get 290 00:12:39,047 --> 00:12:43,470 on my my record retro future. and and it's 291 00:12:41,483 --> 00:12:43,378 Yep. Which we'll talk. 292 00:12:43,470 --> 00:12:49,013 weird. Like I feel I almost felt badly that I wasn't as hip to all 293 00:12:49,013 --> 00:12:52,315 the other like newer newer artists out there. 294 00:12:51,863 --> 00:12:52,863 Mm-hmm. 295 00:12:52,595 --> 00:12:55,727 But when people would ask me like like ~ have you checked out this 296 00:12:55,727 --> 00:12:59,008 or you have checked out that I was like man I feel like I've got this whole back 297 00:12:59,008 --> 00:13:01,360 catalog I've got to listen to first. 298 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:02,360 Like how 299 00:13:01,750 --> 00:13:02,750 Right. 300 00:13:02,460 --> 00:13:06,423 I can't check that out until I've checked out Sonny Rollins or I can't check this 301 00:13:05,921 --> 00:13:07,186 Right, right, right. 302 00:13:06,423 --> 00:13:07,423 out and like 303 00:13:07,421 --> 00:13:10,972 I so I would just really try to absorb 304 00:13:12,833 --> 00:13:16,554 a lot of bop and and post bop stuff. 305 00:13:16,554 --> 00:13:22,215 ~ but then, you know, the newer guys that I started to get in into, 306 00:13:22,215 --> 00:13:24,576 a lot of pianists, 'cause I'm I'm a biased, 307 00:13:23,809 --> 00:13:27,780 Yeah. Yeah, 308 00:13:24,576 --> 00:13:28,317 but like ~ Jason Moran, like 'cause 309 00:13:27,780 --> 00:13:28,780 sure. 310 00:13:28,317 --> 00:13:30,648 he has like especially with his bandwagon, 311 00:13:30,648 --> 00:13:34,639 he was doing that kind of straight ahead getting out. 312 00:13:34,389 --> 00:13:35,389 Yeah, but pushing 313 00:13:35,233 --> 00:13:36,233 it, yeah, yeah. 314 00:13:36,436 --> 00:13:40,119 Yeah, same thing with like Brad Meldow and some of the Young Lion 315 00:13:39,383 --> 00:13:40,383 Mm-hmm. 316 00:13:40,199 --> 00:13:44,102 guys. ~ and then later getting into the bad plus. 317 00:13:44,102 --> 00:13:45,233 ~ so yeah, 318 00:13:44,780 --> 00:13:45,780 Right. 319 00:13:45,233 --> 00:13:48,366 I always like the the acoustic groups a lot. 320 00:13:48,366 --> 00:13:52,668 but yeah, so that's probably what I was most into. 321 00:13:52,668 --> 00:13:55,213 And then as far as gigs were, I mean, 322 00:13:55,213 --> 00:13:58,214 I I was fortunate to get some steady gigs, 323 00:13:58,214 --> 00:14:00,676 like weekly gigs. Like there is a resort 324 00:13:59,894 --> 00:14:00,894 Right. 325 00:14:00,676 --> 00:14:03,578 that I was playing piano there every Friday and Saturday. 326 00:14:03,578 --> 00:14:04,578 So two hours. 327 00:14:04,021 --> 00:14:05,021 Nice. 328 00:14:04,599 --> 00:14:06,220 two and half hours every Friday and Saturday. 329 00:14:05,891 --> 00:14:06,891 Mm-hmm. 330 00:14:06,220 --> 00:14:07,220 There was 331 00:14:06,550 --> 00:14:08,782 a cigar shop where I was doing the same thing. 332 00:14:08,782 --> 00:14:13,465 They had a piano. So that's where I kind of was able to build my solo chops, 333 00:14:13,465 -->

00:14:16,206 get more songbook under my fingers. 334 00:14:16,627 --> 00:14:17,627 It's 335 00:14:16,867 --> 00:14:21,699 it's funny because you know, one of the sad things that I see as an old man 336 00:14:21,699 --> 00:14:25,130 now is ~ all of those gigs going away, 337 00:14:25,130 --> 00:14:30,813 you know. ~ I mean that was my whole life when I was in Boston in 338 00:14:30,813 --> 00:14:33,874 the in the eighties and and and up until I went to New York. 339 00:14:33,874 --> 00:14:39,336 ~ every every every hotel in Boston 340 00:14:39,717 --> 00:14:44,543 had at least one full time piano player for one from five to nine. 341 00:14:44,543 --> 00:14:45,579 We have four hour gigs. 342 00:14:45,623 --> 00:14:46,623 Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. 343 00:14:46,219 --> 00:14:47,219 Five to 344 00:14:46,609 --> 00:14:48,600 nine and nine to one every night. 345 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:49,621 And 346 00:14:49,110 --> 00:14:50,110 Wow. 347 00:14:49,921 --> 00:14:55,364 there was seventy, seventy piano players working full time in Boston. 348 00:14:55,467 --> 00:14:56,467 Yeah. 349 00:14:55,964 --> 00:14:58,766 And we all, you know, they all taught at New England Conservatory 350 00:14:58,766 --> 00:15:00,627 or Boston Conservatory or Berklee. 351 00:15:00,627 --> 00:15:03,168 And then they would supplement their income by doing these gigs 352 00:15:03,168 --> 00:15:06,430 at the Marriott Longworth or the Copley Plaza or the Ritz Carlton. 353 00:15:06,430 --> 00:15:08,551 And that was what that was what I did, 354 00:15:08,551 --> 00:15:11,413 you know, for for for several years. 355 00:15:11,413 --> 00:15:14,974 ~ and also as you as you can attest, 356 00:15:16,203 --> 00:15:22,087 There's nothing better than building solo chops than having a long gig. 357 00:15:22,087 --> 00:15:25,650 Because you get to you get to think about what you're playing, 358 00:15:25,650 --> 00:15:27,351 but you also get to think 359 00:15:27,351 --> 00:15:30,553 about putting together medleys and things like that 360 00:15:30,741 --> 00:15:31,741 Yeah. 361 00:15:31,374 --> 00:15:36,778 that ~ that that that's just missing now because those gigs don't exist, 362 00:15:36,778 --> 00:15:37,879 you know. 363 00:15:36,918 --> 00:15:38,088 Yeah. Yeah. 364 00:15:38,088 --> 00:15:39,719 It it's such a great chance. I mean, 365 00:15:39,719 --> 00:15:43,561 like you're it's not quite like well, 366 00:15:43,561 --> 00:15:45,579 it it is practice in a way, but yeah, 367 00:15:45,579 --> 00:15:46,579 I mean you can hash 368 00:15:45,983 --> 00:15:46,983 Yeah. 369 00:15:46,532 --> 00:15:48,292 out all your different textures, 370 00:15:48,292 --> 00:15:50,563 you know, block core, walking bass lines, 371 00:15:48,875 --> 00:15:50,826 Right. Yeah. 372 00:15:50,563 --> 00:15:51,563 transitions, 373 00:15:51,694 --> 00:15:54,025 all of that stuff. And when yeah, 374 00:15:54,025 --> 00:15:57,776 when you have four hours and and you're kind of forced into it and and 375 00:15:57,776 --> 00:16:02,048 and forced to come up with a novel way of of playing all the things you 376 00:16:02,048 --> 00:16:04,769 are for the twenty third time kind of thing. 377 00:16:03,701 --> 00:16:06,073 Right. Right. Exactly. 378 00:16:04,769 --> 00:16:05,769 So yeah. 379 00:16:06,503 --> 00:16:10,556 no, it and and ~ and I I think that ~ that 380 00:16:11,596 --> 00:16:16,870 the fact that ~ you're doing it for yourself, 381 00:16:16,870 --> 00:16:20,552 but you're doing it in public so you ha you're always aware that people 382 00:16:20,151 --> 00:16:24,498 Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. 383 00:16:20,552 --> 00:16:23,925 are somebody's listening, even though it may seem like no one is, 384 00:16:23,925 --> 00:16:25,186 you know. So you have 385 00:16:24,498 --> 00:16:25,498 Yeah. 386 00:16:25,186 --> 00:16:29,790 to be you have to you know, it's it's that's why you can never I mean I 387 00:16:29,790 --> 00:16:31,950 I have this rule that you you never, 388 00:16:31,950 --> 00:16:33,131 you know, coast. 389 00:16:33,845 --> 00:16:34,845 Mm, mm-hmm. 390 00:16:33,909 --> 00:16:34,909 You you 391 00:16:34,759 --> 00:16:36,560 never know who might hear you. 392 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:37,561 And 393 00:16:36,961 --> 00:16:37,961 Yeah. 394 00:16:37,901 --> 00:16:41,293 you know, and it and so you you so there's always that little edge. 395 00:16:41,293 --> 00:16:43,804 So it's not really practice, it's really work. 396 00:16:43,211 --> 00:16:44,414 Yeah. Yeah. 397 00:16:43,804 --> 00:16:44,804 And 398 00:16:44,515 --> 00:16:50,568 ~ and it really helps. It's it helps to form people's sound and and you you know, 399 00:16:50,568 --> 00:16:53,610 your the as I said, the overall concept of what you're doing. 400 00:16:53,610 --> 00:16:57,972 And ~ and I yeah, I'm sad I'm sad that that's gone because 401 00:16:57,972 --> 00:17:02,845 ~ I miss going into a place and hearing live music. 402 00:17:03,595 --> 00:17:05,226 You know, ~ as 403 00:17:04,235 --> 00:17:05,235 That's true, yeah. 404 00:17:05,226 --> 00:17:07,697 and and I don't mean as an event, 405 00:17:07,697 --> 00:17:09,938 I mean it's just there. You know, 406 00:17:09,938 --> 00:17:11,719 the the era that I grew up in, 407 00:17:11,719 --> 00:17:14,781 every fancy restaurant had a piano player. 408 00:17:14,781 --> 00:17:19,003 You know? ~ yeah, 409 00:17:15,797 --> 00:17:20,416 Yeah, yeah, there's something so special about doing that. 410 00:17:19,003 --> 00:17:21,635 you got dressed up to go to dinner and and 411 00:17:20,416 --> 00:17:21,629 Yeah. Yeah. 412 00:17:21,635 --> 00:17:23,486 and there were people, you know, 413 00:17:23,486 --> 00:17:26,187 adults were there. And so, you know, 414 00:17:26,187 --> 00:17:27,858 and and they weren't and you know, 415 00:17:27,858 --> 00:17:29,379 they weren't on their phones, obviously, 416 00:17:29,379 --> 00:17:31,670 and they weren't watching television up over the bar, 417 00:17:31,670 --> 00:17:32,833 you know, and 418 00:17:33,120 --> 00:17:35,890 I mean there there

are still gigs that are great and there's 419 00:17:35,890 --> 00:17:37,411 you know obviously clubs and stuff, 420 00:17:37,411 --> 00:17:43,743 jazz clubs, but that idea of of music being a part of of life, 421 00:17:43,743 --> 00:17:45,731 you know, culturally, you know, 422 00:17:45,731 --> 00:17:48,904 and even it, you know, I mean in the worst places, 423 00:17:48,904 --> 00:17:51,685 you know, country clubs would have a piano 424 00:17:50,675 --> 00:17:52,926 Mm. Yeah, yeah. 425 00:17:51,685 --> 00:17:53,245 player, you know. ~ 426 00:17:53,665 --> 00:17:57,396 and so it's yeah, so it's kind of a sad sad, 427 00:17:57,396 --> 00:18:00,047 but but ~ but I'm glad you got to do it. 428 00:18:01,291 --> 00:18:05,399 and I'm glad that it built a foundation 'cause I think it really does to have that, 429 00:18:05,399 --> 00:18:07,144 you know, 'cause you're you're public. 430 00:18:07,144 --> 00:18:08,658 You know, that's the 431 00:18:08,242 --> 00:18:09,242 Yeah, it 432 00:18:08,822 --> 00:18:15,565 it it does build in and I think it was I was so anxious right 433 00:18:15,565 --> 00:18:17,054 out of school because I felt like, 434 00:18:17,054 --> 00:18:20,147 man, I don't know how to do a solo gig for three hours. 435 00:18:19,390 --> 00:18:20,390 Uh-huh. 436 00:18:20,147 --> 00:18:26,110 Like I I felt and and not to to knock where I went to school or or knock kind 437 00:18:26,110 --> 00:18:28,521 of jazz academia, but I 438 00:18:28,020 --> 00:18:29,020 Mm-hmm. 439 00:18:28,521 --> 00:18:32,362 I think the the tool set that I was given was more like, 440 00:18:32,362 --> 00:18:36,464 okay, here's how to be Wynton Kelly in a quartet. 441 00:18:36,604 --> 00:18:37,604 Or here's how 442 00:18:37,075 --> 00:18:38,075 Right. 443 00:18:37,544 --> 00:18:38,747 to be red garland. 444 00:18:39,090 --> 00:18:42,672 So, you know, or Bill Evans. So you you got your little rootless voicings here 445 00:18:42,672 --> 00:18:45,463 and you got your little your little melody here. 446 00:18:45,463 --> 00:18:51,226 And it was like, wait, how do I just build up a whole entire like accompaniment 447 00:18:51,226 --> 00:18:56,788 style? And yeah, it was it was slow going and and and anxious and then 448 00:18:56,788 --> 00:18:58,509 it was exciting. And then, you know, 449 00:18:58,509 --> 00:19:02,151 I'm going and I'm going and recording myself and listening back to myself 450 00:19:02,151 --> 00:19:03,361 and and listening 451 00:19:02,772 --> 00:19:03,772 Mm-hmm. 452 00:19:03,361 --> 00:19:05,852 to to Errol Garner and Art Tatum. 453 00:19:05,852 --> 00:19:08,964 And yeah, it it was just a really fun way to grow. 454 00:19:09,014 --> 00:19:11,356 And then get more familiar with the, 455 00:19:11,356 --> 00:19:13,398 you know, the Great American Songbook. 456 00:19:13,106 --> 00:19:14,757 Yeah. And it 457 00:19:13,398 --> 00:19:14,909 Which in talking 458 00:19:14,909 --> 00:19:16,580 about like things that are are, 459 00:19:16,580 --> 00:19:18,582 I think, losing importance is, 460 00:19:18,582 --> 00:19:21,505 you know, I think the Great American Songbook. 461 00:19:21,505 --> 00:19:25,848 I I know that, you know, jazz majors have to learn their tunes, 462 00:19:25,848 --> 00:19:31,123 but I think that there's less of an import on learning tunes 463 00:19:31,123 --> 00:19:33,915 and learning great lyrical melodies. 464 00:19:34,397 --> 00:19:37,168 Yeah, I I hope not. but you're right, 465 00:19:37,168 --> 00:19:40,319 but I agree. ~ i I mean, I hope it comes back, 466 00:19:40,319 --> 00:19:44,821 you know. I think that ~ 467 00:19:45,381 --> 00:19:52,244 the idea of the idea of of the great American songbook being 468 00:19:53,004 --> 00:19:58,526 almost regarded as classical repertoire now. 469 00:19:58,172 --> 00:20:00,187 Mm, mm hmm. Yeah. 470 00:19:58,526 --> 00:20:00,247 You know what I mean? It's 471 00:20:00,347 --> 00:20:04,858 I got a chance because of my age to play with sort of the last generation 472 00:20:05,219 --> 00:20:08,299 of guys that played this music when it was popular. 473 00:20:08,299 --> 00:20:10,380 You know what I mean? Did jazz 474 00:20:08,823 --> 00:20:10,128 Mm. Yeah. 475 00:20:10,380 --> 00:20:15,801 musicians that were alive in the 40s and 50s and 60s and played all this stuff 476 00:20:16,142 --> 00:20:18,922 and it was a real one to one, you know, 477 00:20:18,922 --> 00:20:19,922 passing 478 00:20:19,422 --> 00:20:21,543 of not passing of the torch, but but you know, 479 00:20:21,543 --> 00:20:24,424 being able to be on a bandstand with a guy that played with Bird, 480 00:20:24,424 --> 00:20:27,405 you know, and playing four, five, 481 00:20:27,405 --> 00:20:28,505 six nights a week with him. 482 00:20:29,049 --> 00:20:33,312 And hearing the stories and hearing and just the the authenticity of that. 483 00:20:33,312 --> 00:20:38,657 And ~ and now the generations that have passed that are coming 484 00:20:38,657 --> 00:20:43,280 up now are studying it the same way you or I studied Bach or Mozart. 485 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:47,454 You know, there's not that I mean there is there is the added advantage 486 00:20:47,454 --> 00:20:50,406 of having recordings of it and videos and stuff like that, 487 00:20:50,406 --> 00:20:52,508 which we don't have of of Beethoven, 488 00:20:52,508 --> 00:20:58,593 but ~ but so but it's still more of a separation. 489 00:20:59,357 --> 00:21:03,909 than there used to be because I mean then you get guys like Benny Green who's 490 00:21:03,909 --> 00:21:08,462 so so much into keeping 491 00:21:08,922 --> 00:21:11,630 the jazz messengers alive, you know what I mean, 492 00:21:11,630 --> 00:21:13,004 and keeping the history of that. 493 00:21:13,004 --> 00:21:15,781 So they're imparting that to their students and their, 494 00:21:15,781 --> 00:21:17,907 you know, so there's a can there's a continuity, 495 00:21:17,907 --> 00:21:18,907 but 496 00:21:18,333 --> 00:21:19,333 Mm-hmm. 497 00:21:18,747 --> 00:21:20,168 it's it's a

little bit different. 498 00:21:20,168 --> 00:21:25,951 And ~ I think it's getting ~ I think it's it's getting harder 499 00:21:26,111 --> 00:21:29,033 to find people when you go on a gig. 500 00:21:29,716 --> 00:21:32,568 That don't want to play all their originals, 501 00:21:32,568 --> 00:21:36,351 you know? and you know, 502 00:21:36,351 --> 00:21:40,534 I mean, I'm I'm a guy that prides myself on having you know, 503 00:21:40,534 --> 00:21:42,075 a lot of standards at my fingers, 504 00:21:42,075 --> 00:21:47,178 you know. ~ but I mean, I there's people writing music that I love all 505 00:21:47,178 --> 00:21:49,350 the time. But, you know, 506 00:21:48,999 --> 00:21:49,999 Yeah. 507 00:21:49,350 --> 00:21:54,023 you get these 20, 20-year-olds that get on the bandstand and they don't have any, 508 00:21:54,023 --> 00:21:56,505 they can't play all the things you are. 509 00:21:57,042 --> 00:21:58,042 Right, right. 510 00:21:57,639 --> 00:21:58,639 But they 511 00:21:57,990 --> 00:22:00,593 can play, you know, their their tunes that they wrote. 512 00:22:00,593 --> 00:22:01,593 So it's a 513 00:22:01,041 --> 00:22:02,041 Yeah. 514 00:22:01,529 --> 00:22:02,887 little different. But 515 00:22:02,904 --> 00:22:04,956 It is different. Yeah, and and it's challenging too, 516 00:22:04,956 --> 00:22:08,746 'cause I mean, like the there's also, 517 00:22:08,746 --> 00:22:13,097 you know, a body of work from the like 518 00:22:13,549 --> 00:22:16,591 you know, I feel bad. Like I I can't play any Brecker tunes. 519 00:22:16,591 --> 00:22:17,591 Like like 520 00:22:17,137 --> 00:22:18,137 Yeah. 521 00:22:17,732 --> 00:22:20,173 you know, there's that era too of of like, 522 00:22:20,173 --> 00:22:24,406 you know, you know, Joshua Redmond's writing tunes and all these guys 523 00:22:23,976 --> 00:22:24,976 Right. 524 00:22:24,406 --> 00:22:27,868 writing tunes and it's like ~ like I I sometimes I feel guilty. 525 00:22:27,868 --> 00:22:31,500 Like I don't know how to play those tunes because I was spent a 526 00:22:31,500 --> 00:22:33,422 lot more time wanting to, you know, 527 00:22:33,422 --> 00:22:36,964 learn how to play ~ Love for Sale or or whatever it is. 528 00:22:36,519 --> 00:22:38,250 Yeah, sure. And it's I mean, 529 00:22:36,964 --> 00:22:38,109 So 530 00:22:38,250 --> 00:22:42,214 and it's natural because and I think it's it's okay because it's the same with 531 00:22:42,214 --> 00:22:45,776 me is I found what I love and I 532 00:22:45,385 --> 00:22:46,385 Mm-hmm. 533 00:22:45,776 --> 00:22:49,099 just want to make sure that it keeps going into another generation. 534 00:22:49,099 --> 00:22:50,861 You know what I mean? ~ 535 00:22:49,329 --> 00:22:50,734 Right. Yeah. 536 00:22:50,861 --> 00:22:53,343 so I don't make excuses for not knowing, 537 00:22:53,343 --> 00:22:55,144 you know, a Cecil Taylor piece. 538 00:22:55,144 --> 00:22:57,896 ~ because 539 00:22:55,625 --> 00:22:56,829 Mm. Yeah. 540 00:22:57,896 --> 00:22:59,648 it's n it's outside my wheelhouse. 541 00:22:59,648 --> 00:23:00,648 You know what I mean? 542 00:23:00,007 --> 00:23:01,007 Right. Yeah. 543 00:23:01,569 --> 00:23:04,411 I and and and you know, I found a song called It's Wonderful, 544 00:23:04,787 --> 00:23:05,787 Mm. 545 00:23:05,012 --> 00:23:06,193 which I found 546 00:23:06,696 --> 00:23:08,818 I found it because this pianist that I love, 547 00:23:08,818 --> 00:23:11,290 Dave McKenna, recorded it. He did two 548 00:23:10,847 --> 00:23:11,847 yeah. 549 00:23:11,290 --> 00:23:14,832 two albums at Maybeck, but one the second one didn't come out. 550 00:23:13,095 --> 00:23:14,234 Yeah, yeah. I know. 551 00:23:14,832 --> 00:23:15,832 ~ 552 00:23:16,033 --> 00:23:18,915 and I got it, and it's it's available on his website to hear. 553 00:23:18,915 --> 00:23:22,378 ~ but it was it was never released in the series. 554 00:23:22,378 --> 00:23:25,170 ~ but he all of a sudden he's playing this tongue. 555 00:23:25,170 --> 00:23:29,724 I don't date I've known Dave, I knew Dave for 25 years and worshipped him. 556 00:23:29,724 --> 00:23:31,726 And all of a sudden he's playing this tune, 557 00:23:31,726 --> 00:23:35,188 and it's a really cool tune. And it's called It's Wonderful. 558 00:23:34,020 --> 00:23:35,955 Mm. Mm. 559 00:23:35,188 --> 00:23:36,188 And 560 00:23:37,031 --> 00:23:38,592 I know a lot of songs, you know, 561 00:23:38,592 --> 00:23:40,523 they say the falling in love is wonderful, 562 00:23:40,523 --> 00:23:41,523 ~ it's 563 00:23:40,936 --> 00:23:41,936 Mm. 564 00:23:41,374 --> 00:23:44,646 wonderful, you know, there's a lot of tunes with wonderful and I and 565 00:23:44,646 --> 00:23:48,148 and I didn't know it. And I looked up and there's like one recording of it. 566 00:23:48,148 --> 00:23:50,640 I think it was by Ella or somebody, 567 00:23:48,975 --> 00:23:51,268 Mm. Yeah. 568 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:51,640 and 569 00:23:51,671 --> 00:23:53,532 it wasn't wasn't a hit or anything, 570 00:23:53,532 --> 00:23:56,754 but and it just sort of fell by the wayside and it never got picked up as 571 00:23:56,754 --> 00:23:58,905 a as a jazz standard. And 572 00:23:58,483 --> 00:23:59,483 Yeah. 573 00:23:58,905 --> 00:24:00,817 I love finding stuff like that, 574 00:24:00,817 --> 00:24:01,817 you know. 575 00:24:01,885 --> 00:24:07,070 There's you know, Billie Holiday when she was doing stuff with Teddy Wilson, 576 00:24:07,133 --> 00:24:08,133 Mm-hmm. 577 00:24:07,631 --> 00:24:12,475 they did so many, they recorded so many sides of of tunes that just never became 578 00:24:12,475 --> 00:24:16,539 standards. Like and I remember I I sang and played one of those 579 00:24:16,539 --> 00:24:21,023 at my brother's wedding. I think it's l it was Life Begins When You're in Love. 580 00:24:21,023 --> 00:24:22,125 And I 581 00:24:21,641 --> 00:24:22,641 Uh-huh. 582 00:24:22,165 --> 00:24:25,868 I tried to track down the original sheet music for it and I had to 583 00:24:26,845 --> 00:24:30,828 it was like

the University of Iowa or something had it and they scanned it for me. 584 00:24:29,418 --> 00:24:31,589 huh. Really? 585 00:24:30,828 --> 00:24:31,828 because 586 00:24:31,819 --> 00:24:33,129 yeah, I mean it was one of those, 587 00:24:33,129 --> 00:24:36,592 you know, musical theater numbers that Billy Holiday 588 00:24:35,837 --> 00:24:36,837 Never hit. 589 00:24:36,592 --> 00:24:38,894 decided to record in nineteen thirty, 590 00:24:38,894 --> 00:24:41,315 whatever, and it just didn't become a standard. 591 00:24:41,315 --> 00:24:43,267 But it was a great tune, great words. 592 00:24:41,597 --> 00:24:43,939 Right. Yeah. Yeah. 593 00:24:43,267 --> 00:24:44,267 So 594 00:24:43,939 --> 00:24:48,252 I ~ I love that stuff. And that's what I love about like ~ the stuff that you're 595 00:24:48,252 --> 00:24:52,045 doing, the the you know, the the deep dives as they say these days, 596 00:24:52,045 --> 00:24:55,578 in into you know, br bringing peop you know, 597 00:24:55,578 --> 00:24:59,911 bringing regular folks ~ information that's cool. 598 00:25:00,131 --> 00:25:01,752 I mean ~ what led you to that? 599 00:25:01,752 --> 00:25:03,394 Is that like just your own journey? 600 00:25:03,394 --> 00:25:04,655 You want to share this stuff 601 00:25:04,655 --> 00:25:06,702 Obviously education is important to you. 602 00:25:06,702 --> 00:25:08,498 ~ but how did 603 00:25:06,906 --> 00:25:08,458 Yeah. ~ 604 00:25:08,498 --> 00:25:09,498 that come about? 605 00:25:09,699 --> 00:25:14,974 well I I've always enjoyed the history of jazz and and people might think it's 606 00:25:14,974 --> 00:25:17,789 corny, but I love the Ken Burns jazz series. 607 00:25:17,789 --> 00:25:18,789 When I was 608 00:25:18,255 --> 00:25:19,255 Anything. 609 00:25:18,636 --> 00:25:21,183 I think when I was like seventeen or something, 610 00:25:21,183 --> 00:25:24,727 my folks got me the DVD set for yeah, 611 00:25:23,407 --> 00:25:24,407 That being said, yeah. 612 00:25:24,727 --> 00:25:27,220 for like Christmas or a birthday or something. 613 00:25:27,502 --> 00:25:30,154 And I just loved it. I I got it helped me get really, 614 00:25:30,154 --> 00:25:34,258 really into the music. So I think that was probably like the the seed 615 00:25:34,378 --> 00:25:37,120 of my passion about the history. 616 00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:38,671 And like, wow, this is a really, 617 00:25:38,671 --> 00:25:41,123 really fascinating stop. Like, 618 00:25:40,749 --> 00:25:41,749 Right. 619 00:25:41,244 --> 00:25:43,515 there's a lot of of richness here, 620 00:25:43,515 --> 00:25:46,898 whether yeah, you're learning about Bird or or Duke or or any of 621 00:25:46,575 --> 00:25:47,575 Mm-hmm. 622 00:25:46,898 --> 00:25:49,911 that. It's like, man, this is such an interesting thing. 623 00:25:49,911 --> 00:25:54,905 but yeah, and then fast forward to ~ you know. 624 00:25:55,181 --> 00:25:58,162 A few years ago, or probably a little bit more than a few years ago, 625 00:25:58,162 --> 00:26:02,594 wanting to have a greater online presence. 626 00:26:02,594 --> 00:26:03,784 ~ part 627 00:26:03,247 --> 00:26:04,247 Mm-hmm. 628 00:26:03,784 --> 00:26:05,265 of it is just self-serving, like, 629 00:26:05,265 --> 00:26:06,625 hey, I had a record coming out, 630 00:26:06,625 --> 00:26:08,256 I want to try to reach more people. 631 00:26:08,256 --> 00:26:12,928 and just in the process of trial and error 632 00:26:12,928 --> 00:26:15,971 and and finding what 633 00:26:16,577 --> 00:26:21,118 people were interested in learning about on social media or what would resonate with 634 00:26:21,118 --> 00:26:25,219 people, the explanation stuff tended to kick off. 635 00:26:25,219 --> 00:26:29,611 So like my when I started on social media and and I never was a 636 00:26:29,611 --> 00:26:34,372 big social media person in in in college or or or high school or anything. 637 00:26:34,372 --> 00:26:39,073 ~ I really approached it strictly from a business approach. 638 00:26:39,073 --> 00:26:43,794 ~ but you know I I did like try doing the chops videos like here check 639 00:26:43,794 --> 00:26:45,935 me out blowing over this tune and you know 640 00:26:45,721 --> 00:26:46,721 Right. 641 00:26:47,005 --> 00:26:48,005 kind of like your 642 00:26:47,127 --> 00:26:48,127 Yeah. 643 00:26:47,585 --> 00:26:52,237 experience at Berklee, there's a lot of amazing piano players out there, 644 00:26:52,237 --> 00:26:54,717 many of whom could outplay me, 645 00:26:54,717 --> 00:26:56,278 like on some changes. You know, 646 00:26:55,309 --> 00:26:57,077 Right. Yeah. 647 00:26:56,278 --> 00:26:57,278 there's killing players 648 00:26:57,158 --> 00:27:00,819 out there. ~ but I I I would do some videos where it's like, 649 00:27:00,819 --> 00:27:03,040 hey, let's let's actually just break down this song. 650 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:05,240 This is why this is a cool composition 651 00:27:04,419 --> 00:27:05,419 Mm-hmm. 652 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:07,851 or this is what is going on in Boogie Woogie. 653 00:27:07,851 --> 00:27:09,101 If you listen to Boogie Woogie, 654 00:27:09,101 --> 00:27:11,952 this is how it works. It's it's a simple it's repeated. 655 00:27:11,952 --> 00:27:14,803 So that kind of stuff, ~ 656 00:27:15,296 --> 00:27:19,738 I enjoyed talking about it. I had no limit of fun little tidbits 657 00:27:20,099 --> 00:27:24,501 and people enjoyed it too. So it just kind of was this mutual growth where 658 00:27:24,501 --> 00:27:27,683 I enjoyed talking about it and people enjoyed learning about it. 659 00:27:27,683 --> 00:27:33,726 ~ and then I went viral. I did this video breaking down take five. 660 00:27:33,726 --> 00:27:34,881 I got like 661 00:27:34,351 --> 00:27:35,351 Mm-hmm. 662 00:27:34,881 --> 00:27:36,368 four and a half million views. 663 00:27:36,368 --> 00:27:40,870 It was crazy. I I know, it's like Yeah. 664 00:27:36,825 --> 00:27:40,406 Jesus. Yeah, it's amazing. 665 00:27:40,406 --> 00:27:42,217 It's amazing. ~ 666 00:27:40,870 --> 00:27:41,971 So

667 00:27:42,778 --> 00:27:44,748 well, it's certainly as I said, 668 00:27:44,748 --> 00:27:48,860 you know, my the producer Jen ~ of this podcast, 669 00:27:48,860 --> 00:27:53,002 she's a ~ fledgling jazz pianist and she's been you know, 670 00:27:53,002 --> 00:27:57,124 she's a good classical pianist and she'd been taking lessons ~ and ~ 671 00:27:57,644 --> 00:27:59,545 and she just eats this stuff up, 672 00:27:59,545 --> 00:28:03,346 you know. ~ and I mean I'm the worst for that. 673 00:28:03,346 --> 00:28:05,187 I mean I have a million stories. 674 00:28:05,476 --> 00:28:06,476 Mm. 675 00:28:05,591 --> 00:28:06,591 and a million 676 00:28:06,221 --> 00:28:10,713 jazz history stories and I can talk jazz piano styles and everything. 677 00:28:10,713 --> 00:28:15,055 But getting on, you know, an Instagram thing and saying doing that, 678 00:28:15,055 --> 00:28:17,646 I don't have any facility for that. 679 00:28:17,646 --> 00:28:18,646 You know, 680 00:28:17,785 --> 00:28:18,785 Yeah. 681 00:28:18,063 --> 00:28:21,337 I I can ~ but ~ but ~ 682 00:28:20,463 --> 00:28:21,748 You got like awesome podcasts. 683 00:28:21,851 --> 00:28:25,835 what's that well and sure sure it's it's growing it's grow well it's good 684 00:28:25,835 --> 00:28:31,121 I mean that you know the the beauty of the podcast is we decided we wanted 685 00:28:31,121 --> 00:28:35,203 to do a podcast with people that weren't necessarily musicians 686 00:28:35,545 --> 00:28:38,436 Just talking about the music in their lives and the music that they like, 687 00:28:38,436 --> 00:28:40,316 like creative people. ~ 688 00:28:39,886 --> 00:28:40,886 Yeah. 689 00:28:40,556 --> 00:28:44,277 and in the in the the the template for that was a guy named David Silverman, 690 00:28:44,277 --> 00:28:46,618 who is the animator of The Simpsons. 691 00:28:47,128 --> 00:28:48,128 Mm. 692 00:28:47,438 --> 00:28:50,299 And he's done my last five record covers. 693 00:28:50,299 --> 00:28:56,521 And he's ~ a dear friend. And ~ but he also plays jazz tuba. 694 00:28:56,521 --> 00:28:59,432 He plays re he plays legit tuba too, 695 00:28:59,432 --> 00:29:01,382 which I didn't even know until I had him on the podcast. 696 00:29:01,382 --> 00:29:04,473 But he's, you know, he and 697 00:29:04,950 --> 00:29:10,882 his knowledge of of music was really deep and went on like on the podcast 698 00:29:10,882 --> 00:29:15,244 he went on a history of of the of of the tuba and the precursor to the tuba 699 00:29:15,244 --> 00:29:18,165 in the orchestra and what they were called and how they manufactured them 700 00:29:18,305 --> 00:29:21,713 and it was like this guy's drawing the Simpsons you know what I mean 701 00:29:21,713 --> 00:29:24,108 he directs the Simpsons movies and stuff and 702 00:29:23,832 --> 00:29:24,832 Yeah. 703 00:29:24,468 --> 00:29:27,869 and so that idea is what what led us to do this podcast. 704 00:29:27,869 --> 00:29:32,921 And then over the past year we found I mean obviously 705 00:29:33,429 --> 00:29:36,121 many of my friends are doing it and they're all musicians. 706 00:29:36,121 --> 00:29:43,086 And so ~ even though we still get people that aren't ~ known as musicians, 707 00:29:43,086 --> 00:29:45,948 I'm getting more fun talking to guys like you. 708 00:29:45,948 --> 00:29:47,589 You know what I mean? ~ 709 00:29:46,431 --> 00:29:48,084 Mm. I agree. Yeah. 710 00:29:48,150 --> 00:29:50,321 because ~ and and we're getting, 711 00:29:50,321 --> 00:29:54,114 you know, we had Joel Alterman on the other ~ last week and you know it's just 712 00:29:54,114 --> 00:29:59,218 fun to to to to chat with people that it's important. 713 00:29:59,218 --> 00:30:00,939 Music is not 714 00:30:01,761 --> 00:30:03,753 an aside for you. It's your whole life, 715 00:30:03,753 --> 00:30:08,356 you know? and ~ and speaking of your whole life, 716 00:30:08,356 --> 00:30:12,400 ~ we we should we should because I don't want to like get to the end 717 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:18,665 of the this thing and say, we forgot to talk about ~ this the you're you're you're 718 00:30:18,765 --> 00:30:24,249 you're you're subtly placed ~ ja play jazz piano like a pro ~ on 719 00:30:24,024 --> 00:30:25,024 A record. 720 00:30:24,249 --> 00:30:25,249 top of your 721 00:30:24,740 --> 00:30:28,413 Mason and Hamlin. Yes, well yeah we'll get to the album too the retro future. 722 00:30:28,413 --> 00:30:31,055 ~ but ~ 723 00:30:32,567 --> 00:30:33,567 The book, 724 00:30:33,901 --> 00:30:34,901 Yeah. 725 00:30:34,580 --> 00:30:35,807 when did when did it come out? 726 00:30:36,941 --> 00:30:41,252 This came out this year, ~ Jazz Piano Like a Pro. 727 00:30:41,252 --> 00:30:46,964 And it's ten compositions that really 728 00:30:46,964 --> 00:30:52,745 try to present or not try, but I I believe they do present intermediate piano 729 00:30:52,745 --> 00:30:57,456 players with authentic jazz piano repertoire pieces. 730 00:30:57,456 --> 00:30:58,456 So when 731 00:30:57,817 --> 00:30:58,817 Uh-huh. 732 00:30:58,377 --> 00:31:05,059 you get a jazz book at ~ at a store or order one on Amazon or whatever, 733 00:31:05,059 --> 00:31:06,579 a lot of times you 734 00:31:07,020 --> 00:31:10,142 I I don't want I'm not throwing any composers under the bus, 735 00:31:10,142 --> 00:31:14,154 but you get people that come from outside of jazz and they have pieces that 736 00:31:14,154 --> 00:31:17,256 can be maybe corny or quasi-jazzy 737 00:31:16,271 --> 00:31:17,271 Mm-hmm. 738 00:31:17,256 --> 00:31:19,167 and and don't quite hit the mark. 739 00:31:19,167 --> 00:31:23,649 They're not something that sounds like what you would hear on a record, 740 00:31:23,649 --> 00:31:24,649 on a jazz 741 00:31:23,981 --> 00:31:24,981 Right. 742 00:31:24,544 --> 00:31:29,422 record. So this the so that was the concept for this is I wanted 743 00:31:29,422 --> 00:31:34,875 to write pieces that pianists could play that actually sound like the records. 744 00:31:35,352 --> 00:31:36,352 Okay,

yeah. 745 00:31:35,425 --> 00:31:36,425 So there's 746 00:31:36,206 --> 00:31:42,320 10 pieces and like and they have actual ~ recommended listening. 747 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:46,583 Like, hey, here's a tune. ~ this one's called Stray Thought, 748 00:31:46,583 --> 00:31:51,707 and it's like this was influenced by Crepuscule with Nelly by Monk 749 00:31:52,067 --> 00:31:54,509 and Isfahan by Billy Strahorn. 750 00:31:54,029 --> 00:31:55,050 Right, he's fair, yep. 751 00:31:55,249 --> 00:32:00,593 So you can kind of get that ~ that ~ 752 00:31:58,912 --> 00:32:00,554 I see. Yeah. 753 00:32:00,593 --> 00:32:02,905 this is Holler, it has a very 754 00:32:03,119 --> 00:32:07,051 Close, kind of Bobby Timmins moaning kind of sound. 755 00:32:07,051 --> 00:32:08,051 So 756 00:32:07,471 --> 00:32:08,471 Mm-hmm. 757 00:32:07,962 --> 00:32:11,984 they also introduce people to kind of the subgenres of jazz. 758 00:32:11,984 --> 00:32:18,507 This one, ~ All Over Blue, ~ kind of has a Stolen Moments Oliver Nelson vibe, 759 00:32:18,507 --> 00:32:21,849 or kind of a minor block chord Bill Evans vibe. 760 00:32:21,849 --> 00:32:28,012 So they all give piano players a chance to immerse themselves in the style. 761 00:32:28,012 --> 00:32:32,705 It's accessible, and then it has something that I haven't seen any book. 762 00:32:33,113 --> 00:32:35,684 Do which is have optional solo sections. 763 00:32:35,684 --> 00:32:37,384 So you 764 00:32:36,721 --> 00:32:37,721 nice. 765 00:32:37,384 --> 00:32:40,105 can play the tune skipping over it, 766 00:32:40,105 --> 00:32:43,286 it totally works. But if you, you know, 767 00:32:43,286 --> 00:32:45,377 if you play jazz authentically, 768 00:32:45,377 --> 00:32:47,867 there's improvisation. So it introduces 769 00:32:47,172 --> 00:32:48,172 Right. 770 00:32:47,867 --> 00:32:49,437 that idea to the player of, hey, 771 00:32:49,437 --> 00:32:52,569 I'm gonna play something that's prearranged for me, 772 00:32:52,569 --> 00:32:58,750 but then there's a chance, there's a spot right here that I can express myself and 773 00:32:58,499 --> 00:32:59,499 nice. 774 00:32:58,970 --> 00:33:00,671 give them a recommended. 775 00:33:01,525 --> 00:33:06,018 left hand accompaniment and ~ Yeah. 776 00:33:03,685 --> 00:33:06,579 ~ yeah, very hip. Yeah, that's really cool. 777 00:33:06,579 --> 00:33:07,579 Yeah. 778 00:33:07,059 --> 00:33:09,640 So it's ~ it's been really cool. 779 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:13,863 I I premiered this at the Music Teacher National Association, 780 00:33:13,863 --> 00:33:15,705 which was in Chicago this year. 781 00:33:15,705 --> 00:33:16,710 ~ and it's 782 00:33:16,239 --> 00:33:17,239 Mm-hmm. 783 00:33:16,710 --> 00:33:21,809 just been really cool to connect with piano teachers and get this resource to them, 784 00:33:21,809 --> 00:33:23,790 get get students playing them. 785 00:33:23,790 --> 00:33:25,101 So it it it's been really fun. 786 00:33:25,604 --> 00:33:28,957 Wow. And do you do you teach privately as well? 787 00:33:28,957 --> 00:33:29,957 Or 788 00:33:30,113 --> 00:33:36,619 I do, yeah. I've I've got probably twenty or some students that I've consolidated 789 00:33:36,619 --> 00:33:38,861 into a couple of days during my my week. 790 00:33:39,689 --> 00:33:44,904 nice, nice. ~ and at a thousand dollars a student that works out well. 791 00:33:45,220 --> 00:33:46,220 Ha ha ha. 792 00:33:47,827 --> 00:33:48,827 but 793 00:33:48,099 --> 00:33:49,099 You 794 00:33:48,319 --> 00:33:51,065 could be my my marketing guy startup. 795 00:33:50,617 --> 00:33:52,850 Yeah, sure, sure. It's worked out well for me. 796 00:33:52,850 --> 00:33:53,850 ~ 797 00:33:53,891 --> 00:33:56,705 but ~ no that it's that's really great. 798 00:33:56,705 --> 00:33:59,322 And are you thinking of a next volume 799 00:33:59,362 --> 00:34:05,024 I might. I I'm ~ right now I think my next creative endeavor is gonna 800 00:34:05,024 --> 00:34:10,115 be ~ I'm working on some some ~ performance stuff, 801 00:34:10,115 --> 00:34:13,396 getting some repertoire under my fingers and some new compositions. 802 00:34:13,396 --> 00:34:17,227 I don't wanna ~ say too far 803 00:34:16,975 --> 00:34:17,975 Okay. 804 00:34:17,487 --> 00:34:24,129 too much yet, but I'm I am gonna be ~ creating some repertoire from 805 00:34:24,249 --> 00:34:26,370 the twenties. So I'm I'm dive 806 00:34:26,177 --> 00:34:27,177 okay. 807 00:34:26,690 --> 00:34:27,980 diving farther back. 808 00:34:28,474 --> 00:34:29,474 Mm-hmm. 809 00:34:28,566 --> 00:34:29,566 into 810 00:34:29,436 --> 00:34:33,378 James B. Johnson, Fatswaller, 811 00:34:31,288 --> 00:34:34,450 Right. That's yeah. 812 00:34:33,378 --> 00:34:35,539 Gershwin, stuff like that. So that I'm I'm 813 00:34:34,450 --> 00:34:35,450 Yep, yep. 814 00:34:35,539 --> 00:34:39,340 really excited for. But ~ but in addition to this book, 815 00:34:39,340 --> 00:34:42,552 last year I I released how to teach jazz and improvisation, 816 00:34:42,552 --> 00:34:44,973 which is designed for teachers of all instruments. 817 00:34:44,973 --> 00:34:46,113 So it's really 818 00:34:45,530 --> 00:34:46,530 ~ 819 00:34:46,193 --> 00:34:49,755 geared towards improv from the ground up. 820 00:34:49,755 --> 00:34:50,795 Because a lot 821 00:34:50,170 --> 00:34:51,170 Mm-hmm. 822 00:34:50,795 --> 00:34:53,716 of materials like Abersol or whatever kind of 823 00:34:53,359 --> 00:34:54,359 Yeah. 824 00:34:53,856 --> 00:34:57,938 they start with assuming you have a lot of knowledge and a lot of facility. 825 00:34:58,520 --> 00:34:59,520 Right. 826 00:34:58,562 --> 00:34:59,562 Like 827 00:34:59,142 --> 00:35:03,305 if you're starting with A Train which you need to know a couple 828 00:35:03,305 --> 00:35:06,426 of different modes and be able to hang with a thirty-four 829 00:35:06,426 --> 00:35:09,008 or thirty-two bar tune form, excuse me, 830 00:35:09,008 --> 00:35:14,251 ~ that's gonna be like way above what a ten year old could do, 831 00:35:14,251 --> 00:35:15,251 or even

832 00:35:14,276 --> 00:35:15,276 Sure. 833 00:35:14,731 --> 00:35:19,053 what like a a freshman high school jazz band who's never improvised can do. 834 00:35:19,343 --> 00:35:20,343 Yeah, yeah. 835 00:35:19,974 --> 00:35:25,632 That's yeah, it's smart. ~ and so it's it's that's more geared towards teachers. 836 00:35:25,632 --> 00:35:31,811 And ~ did you put this out yourself contract to do it with nice. 837 00:35:29,697 --> 00:35:31,818 I did. I did put it out myself 838 00:35:31,879 --> 00:35:36,141 and I did it the easy way by starting a whole company around it. 839 00:35:36,141 --> 00:35:39,764 So yeah, the the company is 840 00:35:36,597 --> 00:35:37,597 Yeah. 841 00:35:39,764 --> 00:35:44,837 this is jazz. ~ but I I have these also for sale on on my website, 842 00:35:44,837 --> 00:35:46,819 Quentinwalston.com, W 843 00:35:46,341 --> 00:35:47,341 Mm-hmm. 844 00:35:46,819 --> 00:35:50,191 U E N T I N W A L S T O N and Amazon. 845 00:35:49,403 --> 00:35:51,234 there were there will be a link, 846 00:35:50,191 --> 00:35:52,673 Awesome. Yeah. 847 00:35:51,234 --> 00:35:52,735 believe me. ~ 848 00:35:53,055 --> 00:35:55,497 but ~ Jen is a master at that. 849 00:35:55,497 --> 00:36:00,221 ~ well, ~ and then ~ the other thing I want to talk about before we run out 850 00:36:00,221 --> 00:36:04,523 of time because we got plenty of time left and I just wanna I don't wanna miss it. 851 00:36:04,523 --> 00:36:08,726 your latest album, which you have out on vinyl, 852 00:36:08,726 --> 00:36:11,708 retro future. ~ 853 00:36:09,966 --> 00:36:10,966 Yeah. 854 00:36:12,369 --> 00:36:13,670 how did that all come about? 855 00:36:13,730 --> 00:36:17,033 'Cause I you know, I record for Capri Records and 856 00:36:16,699 --> 00:36:17,699 cool. 857 00:36:18,515 --> 00:36:23,059 and our last two albums, 'cause nobody buys C Ds, 858 00:36:23,059 --> 00:36:25,021 we put out on vinyl. 859 00:36:23,294 --> 00:36:25,461 Hmm. Yeah. 860 00:36:25,461 --> 00:36:28,644 in addition to C D too. But ~ but 861 00:36:28,644 --> 00:36:32,436 We smartly I know a guy that runs a really big recording studio out here 862 00:36:32,436 --> 00:36:34,487 in in Vegas with with heavy metal bands. 863 00:36:34,487 --> 00:36:39,099 ~ and he's he's the guy behind ~ this band called Five Finger Death Punch 864 00:36:39,099 --> 00:36:41,389 and all these bands that ~ 865 00:36:40,947 --> 00:36:41,947 Yeah. 866 00:36:41,670 --> 00:36:46,492 and ~ so he said that these you know these smaller groups come in there 867 00:36:47,192 --> 00:36:53,275 and they all press vinyl of like a hundred copies or five hundred copies 868 00:36:53,555 --> 00:36:56,606 and they sell them for a hundred dollars a piece to their 869 00:36:57,203 --> 00:36:59,134 Biggest fans, limited edition, 870 00:36:59,134 --> 00:37:01,114 and that's how they pay for everything. 871 00:37:01,114 --> 00:37:04,935 And so Tom, we did a record, we did a record with me and Penn, 872 00:37:04,935 --> 00:37:08,376 put it out on red vinyl and sold it for a hundred bucks a piece at the show, 873 00:37:08,376 --> 00:37:11,457 at the Penn and Teller show, and sold them out. 874 00:37:11,457 --> 00:37:13,527 You know? And 875 00:37:13,055 --> 00:37:14,055 Damn. 876 00:37:13,527 --> 00:37:16,559 so that covered the cost of the manufacturer and the manufacturer of the 877 00:37:16,559 --> 00:37:18,599 C Ds and you know, everything else. 878 00:37:18,599 --> 00:37:21,000 So I think vinyl is way 879 00:37:19,218 --> 00:37:21,045 Well, to your listeners, my 880 00:37:21,045 --> 00:37:23,987 vinyl is only thirty dollars, so they could save 881 00:37:23,304 --> 00:37:25,275 Well the vinyl, 882 00:37:25,275 --> 00:37:26,445 yeah, no, the vinyl that I did, 883 00:37:26,445 --> 00:37:28,576 that was the special edition I did with just me and Penn. 884 00:37:28,576 --> 00:37:30,606 We did a record I did with a record with me, 885 00:37:30,606 --> 00:37:35,197 Penn, and Jeff Hamilton ~ last year or two years ago, 886 00:37:35,197 --> 00:37:37,748 ~ which I'm very proud of the title, 887 00:37:37,748 --> 00:37:40,629 which was Are You Sure You Three Guys Know What You're Doin? 888 00:37:40,629 --> 00:37:44,530 And 'cause we're big Stooges fans. 889 00:37:44,530 --> 00:37:50,312 And ~ we that's like thirty bucks or thirty-five bucks or something, 890 00:37:49,722 --> 00:37:50,722 Mm-hmm. 891 00:37:50,312 --> 00:37:51,882 but but that's just regular vinyl. 892 00:37:52,292 --> 00:37:56,721 But ~ and then do you ~ did you do it through through a company 893 00:37:56,721 --> 00:37:58,103 or bandcamp or yourself 894 00:37:58,103 --> 00:38:00,034 Yeah, I'm I'm very entrepreneurial. 895 00:38:00,034 --> 00:38:01,075 So I 896 00:38:00,669 --> 00:38:01,669 Uh-huh. 897 00:38:01,295 --> 00:38:07,870 ~ I did this. I I got it printed a small printing company 898 00:38:07,870 --> 00:38:10,912 or or pressing company down in the Shenandoah Valley, 899 00:38:10,912 --> 00:38:13,884 actually in Harrisonburg where James Jackson is. 900 00:38:12,994 --> 00:38:14,614 Yeah. 901 00:38:13,884 --> 00:38:14,884 ~ 902 00:38:14,925 --> 00:38:19,748 but yeah, I mean I did everything from the the cover art to ~ the composition. 903 00:38:19,277 --> 00:38:22,999 It looks great. Yeah, yeah, it's a great cover. 904 00:38:19,748 --> 00:38:26,413 Thank you. This is and and ~ thank you. 905 00:38:22,999 --> 00:38:25,170 ~ I was looking at it earlier. 906 00:38:25,170 --> 00:38:26,501 ~ and 907 00:38:27,001 --> 00:38:32,634 it really ~ and ~ yeah, 'cause I I did a record during the pancake demic 908 00:38:32,634 --> 00:38:38,368 as I call it. ~ I just did a I wanted to do a solo album in my house. 909 00:38:38,590 --> 00:38:39,590 Mm, mm. 910 00:38:39,849 --> 00:38:43,191 and ~ I have a I have a a big Kawai a nine foot, 911 00:38:43,191 --> 00:38:45,032 ~ and 912 00:38:46,025 --> 00:38:50,947 And it records really well. So I did this just a solo record of 913 00:38:51,347 --> 00:38:52,828 all public domain tunes. 914

00:38:53,098 --> 00:38:54,098 Nice. 915 00:38:53,888 --> 00:38:56,450 Right? So, ~ called all by myself. 916 00:38:56,450 --> 00:38:59,531 And I I did it all on Bandcamp. 917 00:38:59,531 --> 00:39:03,522 And and it worked great. I was shocked. 918 00:39:00,330 --> 00:39:03,055 Well done, yeah. Yeah. 919 00:39:03,522 --> 00:39:06,063 I mean, I'm you know, I've always been on a label. 920 00:39:06,063 --> 00:39:07,063 ~ I'm 921 00:39:06,530 --> 00:39:07,530 Mm-hmm. 922 00:39:07,014 --> 00:39:11,515 I'm on Capri now. Before that I was on this Caroscuro f since since the nineties, 923 00:39:09,916 --> 00:39:10,916 Mm. 924 00:39:11,515 --> 00:39:12,515 you know. 925 00:39:12,136 --> 00:39:13,216 So I had no 926 00:39:14,152 --> 00:39:16,253 I am not entrepreneurial, you know. 927 00:39:16,061 --> 00:39:17,061 Mm. Mm-hmm. 928 00:39:16,253 --> 00:39:17,253 ~ Jen's 929 00:39:17,164 --> 00:39:20,827 the brains of all this podcast stuff and everything else that I'm doing. 930 00:39:20,827 --> 00:39:25,072 But I, you know, I fought my way through it and you know, 931 00:39:25,072 --> 00:39:29,604 figured out paid the publishing and because I did another album during the pandemic. 932 00:39:29,604 --> 00:39:33,056 I did a bunch of videos for Kawai called Mondays 933 00:39:32,485 --> 00:39:33,485 ~ cool. 934 00:39:33,056 --> 00:39:38,770 with Mike. And then I wound up doing 118 videos during the pandemic on YouTube. 935 00:39:38,770 --> 00:39:39,770 And 936 00:39:40,677 --> 00:39:45,408 I decided to put out on Bandcamp an album called Quarantime, 937 00:39:45,408 --> 00:39:46,649 which was 938 00:39:46,969 --> 00:39:48,710 ~ all hundred and eighteen tracks. 939 00:39:48,710 --> 00:39:50,811 And I had to go through and you know, 940 00:39:50,811 --> 00:39:54,102 go to a rights clearance place and still so I learned all that, 941 00:39:54,102 --> 00:39:59,024 you know. But ~ but yeah, it but I'm I'm glad ~ it's it seems like it would 942 00:39:59,024 --> 00:40:03,275 be even another step to do what you did with your album. 943 00:40:03,651 --> 00:40:10,404 Yeah, but I it I I like having ~ you know a lot of the the decision making stuff 944 00:40:10,404 --> 00:40:11,404 and the 945 00:40:10,405 --> 00:40:11,405 I mean 946 00:40:10,704 --> 00:40:15,496 album is a mix of originals and then it 947 00:40:15,496 --> 00:40:22,109 has ~ two standards. It has Take the A Train and Take Five. 948 00:40:20,915 --> 00:40:21,915 Right. 949 00:40:22,109 --> 00:40:23,470 ~ Take Five 950 00:40:23,470 --> 00:40:25,110 is a a solo version. But yeah, 951 00:40:25,110 --> 00:40:26,681 the then the rest are originals. 952 00:40:26,681 --> 00:40:30,883 ~ and I I mentioned before the top like 953 00:40:31,559 --> 00:40:37,444 kind of really liking that sound of straight ahead that kind of pushes boundaries. 954 00:40:37,137 --> 00:40:38,137 Yeah. 955 00:40:37,444 --> 00:40:38,444 And 956 00:40:39,065 --> 00:40:42,283 and and and I mentioned Money Jungle by Duke Ellington. 957 00:40:42,283 --> 00:40:43,759 If anyone hasn't listened to that, 958 00:40:43,759 --> 00:40:46,932 it's just incredible. You get Duke, 959 00:40:46,932 --> 00:40:50,315 Max Roach, and Charles Mingus Yeah. 960 00:40:48,857 --> 00:40:51,898 And Charles Mingus yeah. It's such a great album. 961 00:40:50,315 --> 00:40:54,498 And it's so great. And and it pushes 962 00:40:51,898 --> 00:40:54,317 And and and 963 00:40:54,498 --> 00:40:57,210 tonality. Like they're they're they're playing a blues, 964 00:40:57,210 --> 00:40:59,883 but he's doing these cluster voicings and and 965 00:40:59,522 --> 00:41:00,673 ~ I i yeah. 966 00:41:00,673 --> 00:41:04,215 I mean and and Duke was so so hip, 967 00:41:04,215 --> 00:41:06,946 you know, I mean, everyone thinks of the band, 968 00:41:06,946 --> 00:41:09,747 but you know, even if you go to like piano in the foreground, 969 00:41:09,747 --> 00:41:11,158 that album by him or 970 00:41:10,064 --> 00:41:11,751 Mm-hmm. Yeah. 971 00:41:11,479 --> 00:41:12,479 or 972 00:41:11,839 --> 00:41:15,521 there's one of my favorite albums by Duke is this one's for Blanton, 973 00:41:15,521 --> 00:41:17,702 the duo that he did with Ray Brown, 974 00:41:16,033 --> 00:41:18,363 Mm. Yeah. 975 00:41:17,702 --> 00:41:18,702 that 976 00:41:18,563 --> 00:41:21,965 is just it's jaw dropping. It's so beautiful. 977 00:41:21,462 --> 00:41:22,683 Yeah. And 978 00:41:21,965 --> 00:41:22,965 And 979 00:41:22,683 --> 00:41:27,427 it it's crazy. And and the thing too that he was self taught for the most part. 980 00:41:27,427 --> 00:41:29,859 Like he kind of gleaned little things from people, 981 00:41:29,859 --> 00:41:35,914 but ~ I mean you listen to like just the cluster voicings, 982 00:41:35,914 --> 00:41:41,579 the whole tone stuff, just some of the like the just the way that he will grab 983 00:41:41,579 --> 00:41:47,183 a theme and just like stick with it and wring every little bit out of it 984 00:41:47,203 --> 00:41:49,585 and it's so cool. ~ 985 00:41:47,422 --> 00:41:49,603 Right. There's 986 00:41:49,745 --> 00:41:52,065 the that there's a there's a recording. 987 00:41:52,065 --> 00:41:56,587 There was a bunch of ~ sometime in the eighties ~ or nineties these CDs came 988 00:41:56,587 --> 00:42:02,820 out of Duke would go into studios with his own money and just record stuff that 989 00:42:02,820 --> 00:42:07,302 he had. And there's this version of Stompy Jones that's on one 990 00:42:07,302 --> 00:42:09,573 of those recordings and I'm I I don't know where it is, 991 00:42:09,573 --> 00:42:12,554 and I don't have the C D anymore and I can't find it. 992 00:42:12,554 --> 00:42:15,265 And it's it's so it's maddening because it's 993 00:42:15,979 --> 00:42:19,760 one of the hardest swinging things and they do exactly what you just said. 994 00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:23,702 There's just they're just working this little four note motif 995 00:42:24,135 --> 00:42:25,135 Yeah. 996 00:42:24,703 --> 00:42:30,146 over and over in the tune

and it just drills into you and it's so so hip. 997 00:42:30,146 --> 00:42:31,566 ~ but 998 00:42:30,403 --> 00:42:31,403 Mm, yeah. 999 00:42:31,567 --> 00:42:35,159 ~ yeah yeah I I and yeah I mean you the 1000 00:42:35,159 --> 00:42:39,511 other thing that we can't remember at all it's like when you talk about 1001 00:42:39,511 --> 00:42:41,872 Bix Beiderbecke or somebody, you know, 1002 00:42:41,872 --> 00:42:43,093 that music 1003 00:42:43,446 --> 00:42:46,367 didn't exist. You know, and it's I mean, 1004 00:42:46,367 --> 00:42:49,229 I saw the in the 70s, I think it was, 1005 00:42:49,229 --> 00:42:52,250 there was a a documentary on Bix, 1006 00:42:52,250 --> 00:42:57,032 and they were talking to like the kids in his high school who were 1007 00:42:56,864 --> 00:42:59,132 Yeah. Yeah. 1008 00:42:57,032 --> 00:42:58,593 in their seventies now, right? 1009 00:42:58,593 --> 00:42:59,593 And they're like, 1010 00:42:59,594 --> 00:43:02,405 he just played these this music-y noise. 1011 00:43:02,405 --> 00:43:04,346 We didn't know what it was, you know, 1012 00:43:04,346 --> 00:43:05,866 because there was no jazz, you know, 1013 00:43:05,866 --> 00:43:06,887 and they were inventing it. 1014 00:43:06,625 --> 00:43:07,625 Yeah. 1015 00:43:06,965 --> 00:43:09,887 I mean you listen to like in a mist or something and you're like, 1016 00:43:09,583 --> 00:43:10,583 yeah. 1017 00:43:09,987 --> 00:43:14,009 What it's like whole tones with mixed with James P. 1018 00:43:14,009 --> 00:43:16,440 Johnson and you're like, Wh where is this coming from? 1019 00:43:16,440 --> 00:43:20,992 Also, he's playing this on piano when he's he's a cornet player. 1020 00:43:20,992 --> 00:43:23,103 Like it's incredible. Yeah. 1021 00:43:21,429 --> 00:43:23,230 Right, right. Yeah, 1022 00:43:23,230 --> 00:43:24,671 yeah. He was he was something. 1023 00:43:24,671 --> 00:43:26,752 But I mean Duke, like I you you know, 1024 00:43:26,752 --> 00:43:32,856 ~ I mean some of the stuff, the later Duke stuff is so advanced from you know, 1025 00:43:32,856 --> 00:43:34,797 from the A Train and things like that. 1026 00:43:34,701 --> 00:43:35,701 Right. Yeah. 1027 00:43:34,797 --> 00:43:35,797 But I 1028 00:43:35,398 --> 00:43:38,169 mean I mean nothing wrong with A Train or Isfahan or any of the 1029 00:43:37,421 --> 00:43:38,421 Right, yeah. 1030 00:43:38,169 --> 00:43:39,169 Strayhorn stuff. 1031 00:43:39,040 --> 00:43:42,782 But ~ I I mean I'm a I'm a huge fan of Worm Valley, 1032 00:43:42,782 --> 00:43:43,882 ~ 1033 00:43:43,361 --> 00:43:44,361 Mm. 1034 00:43:44,363 --> 00:43:47,465 which was I think from like maybe the Queen Suite or something, 1035 00:43:47,465 --> 00:43:48,465 or I'm not sure. 1036 00:43:48,839 --> 00:43:51,173 I may have it confused with single petal of a rose. 1037 00:43:51,173 --> 00:43:54,068 But those pieces, they're haunting, 1038 00:43:54,068 --> 00:43:58,204 you know. They're they're they're so they're every bit as effective as 1039 00:43:58,204 --> 00:44:00,468 a Liszt piece written 1040 00:43:59,414 --> 00:44:00,458 Yeah. Yeah. 1041 00:44:00,468 --> 00:44:02,390 two hundred years beho a hundred years before, 1042 00:44:02,390 --> 00:44:03,531 you know. ~ 1043 00:44:02,955 --> 00:44:03,955 Yeah. 1044 00:44:04,126 --> 00:44:07,786 So I r I really wanted to kind of en embody that that playing and 1045 00:44:07,786 --> 00:44:11,699 and I mean yes, 1046 00:44:11,699 --> 00:44:16,071 I I can I can do a lot of like the single note Bebop and post bop stuff, 1047 00:44:16,071 --> 00:44:19,805 but like if you listen to ~ like ~ boy, 1048 00:44:19,805 --> 00:44:22,995 that also has kind of a epistrophe vibe to it. 1049 00:44:22,995 --> 00:44:27,197 but like boy or Bampi doesn't like crocodiles, 1050 00:44:27,197 --> 00:44:28,197 it'll 1051 00:44:27,958 --> 00:44:31,269 The yeah, Bampi is ~ not Bambi the deer, 1052 00:44:31,269 --> 00:44:37,322 but Bampi is the is the Welsh ~ endearing term for a grandfather. 1053 00:44:37,322 --> 00:44:39,623 So my my wife is English Welsh. 1054 00:44:38,630 --> 00:44:40,396 ~ 1055 00:44:39,623 --> 00:44:40,623 So 1056 00:44:40,843 --> 00:44:46,306 when my ~ my my son was a toddler, 1057 00:44:46,306 --> 00:44:51,128 he was insistent that Bampi does not like crocodiles. 1058 00:44:51,128 --> 00:44:52,148 So that was kind of the 1059 00:44:51,822 --> 00:44:52,822 ~ 1060 00:44:52,288 --> 00:44:55,810 the fun little title history for that. 1061 00:44:55,810 --> 00:44:56,810 ~ 1062 00:44:56,441 --> 00:44:57,441 That's 1063 00:44:56,855 --> 00:44:57,855 great. 1064 00:44:57,696 --> 00:45:04,370 Yeah. But but kind of channeling that either epistrophe or or that Duke sound 1065 00:45:04,411 --> 00:45:09,014 where, you know, Duke wasn't he wasn't gonna pull out a bop line ever. 1066 00:45:09,005 --> 00:45:10,005 Right. 1067 00:45:09,014 --> 00:45:10,014 You're not 1068 00:45:09,350 --> 00:45:10,995 gonna really hear him and play that, 1069 00:45:10,995 --> 00:45:15,818 but he comes up with a lot of creativity through block chords and dissonance. 1070 00:45:17,079 --> 00:45:20,281 so yeah, if people are a fan of that kind of sound, 1071 00:45:20,281 --> 00:45:24,484 I I I recommend they they check out those tunes off the record. 1072 00:45:24,484 --> 00:45:25,995 ~ yeah. 1073 00:45:25,229 --> 00:45:26,229 Yes, yes, 1074 00:45:26,209 --> 00:45:29,470 indeed. ~ well, yeah, it's funny. 1075 00:45:29,470 --> 00:45:33,931 I just sort of talking about we were talking about people that we listen to. 1076 00:45:33,931 --> 00:45:38,403 And I mean I'm guilty of going to music for comfort, 1077 00:45:38,403 --> 00:45:41,814 you know what I mean? Going I I go back to some of the same recordings I've been 1078 00:45:41,814 --> 00:45:43,414 listening to since I was a teenager. 1079 00:45:43,414 --> 00:45:50,375 You know, if I wanna hear Sonny Rollins ~ on ~ you know ~ from nineteen fifty seven, 1080 00:45:50,375 --> 00:45:53,136 you know, ~ The Sound of Sonny or one of those albums. 1081

00:45:53,542 --> 00:45:58,645 And ~ but ~ I've just sort of I'm late to the party, 1082 00:45:58,645 --> 00:46:00,216 of course, because I'm late with everything, 1083 00:46:00,216 --> 00:46:04,538 but I I'm I'm sort of getting into ~ Sullivan Fortner. 1084 00:46:04,538 --> 00:46:05,859 And 1085 00:46:04,945 --> 00:46:05,945 Mm, mm-hmm. 1086 00:46:06,239 --> 00:46:11,302 you know, he's he's it's it's funny 'cause he's got like a he's almost 1087 00:46:11,302 --> 00:46:16,295 got like a Tatumesque vibe to his playing that just sort of shoots off 1088 00:46:16,295 --> 00:46:18,546 the rails all the time. And I I 1089 00:46:17,341 --> 00:46:18,393 Yeah, yeah. 1090 00:46:18,546 --> 00:46:21,197 like it, you know, it's it's he's he's very, 1091 00:46:21,197 --> 00:46:22,428 very hip. ~ 1092 00:46:22,707 --> 00:46:23,707 Yeah. 1093 00:46:23,336 --> 00:46:28,379 but I yeah, I you're doing great stuff and it's it's right it's right up my alley. 1094 00:46:28,379 --> 00:46:29,620 You know what I mean? It's 1095 00:46:28,955 --> 00:46:29,955 Yeah. 1096 00:46:30,340 --> 00:46:33,042 I don't I don't want to disparage anybody, 1097 00:46:33,042 --> 00:46:37,215 you know, ~ certainly not an old get off my lawn old man type 1098 00:46:37,215 --> 00:46:43,179 stuff. But I don't really I don't the music that there's some guys that 1099 00:46:43,179 --> 00:46:45,512 are like merging hip hop with jazz. 1100 00:46:45,780 --> 00:46:46,780 Mm. 1101 00:46:46,365 --> 00:46:49,118 in electronic stuff that it's just not w I mean, 1102 00:46:49,118 --> 00:46:51,711 they're great at it and it's I'm sure it's really good, 1103 00:46:51,711 --> 00:46:53,513 but I don't ever want to listen to it. 1104 00:46:53,513 --> 00:46:58,118 You know what I mean? It's it's I it's it's different for me, 1105 00:46:56,227 --> 00:46:58,912 Yeah, yeah. I I I 1106 00:46:58,118 --> 00:46:59,118 you know, I'm 1107 00:46:58,919 --> 00:46:59,919 old. 1108 00:46:59,413 --> 00:47:01,617 yeah, I can sympathize with that. 1109 00:47:01,617 --> 00:47:05,724 And and it's interesting 'cause like I I was thinking about this. 1110 00:47:05,724 --> 00:47:09,007 I I can understand why 1111 00:47:09,667 --> 00:47:13,439 you're merging or why people would merge hip hop because I mean it it 1112 00:47:13,439 --> 00:47:16,999 is the the popular drum accompaniment of the 1113 00:47:16,421 --> 00:47:17,421 Mm-hmm. 1114 00:47:16,999 --> 00:47:18,972 day. And if you think about swing, 1115 00:47:18,972 --> 00:47:21,634 that was the popular drum accompany of the day. 1116 00:47:21,634 --> 00:47:26,927 But you know, I I love jazz that swings and I 1117 00:47:26,957 --> 00:47:30,439 try to make new jazz that swings. 1118 00:47:30,439 --> 00:47:35,042 Try to say like, hey swing there's there's still plenty to say within 1119 00:47:35,042 --> 00:47:37,085 the swing idiom. ~ 1120 00:47:36,857 --> 00:47:37,857 Right. 1121 00:47:37,793 --> 00:47:41,485 And and some of my favorite guys are are guys that that can do that. 1122 00:47:41,485 --> 00:47:46,048 Like I mean, I was just yesterday listening to Ari Honig, 1123 00:47:46,048 --> 00:47:49,150 his T for three album. And it's so good. 1124 00:47:46,821 --> 00:47:49,978 Mm-hmm. Right. Yeah, 1125 00:47:49,150 --> 00:47:50,230 It's and and they're 1126 00:47:49,978 --> 00:47:50,978 yeah. 1127 00:47:50,230 --> 00:47:53,472 saying so many new, exciting, 1128 00:47:53,472 --> 00:47:55,594 creative things on that record. 1129 00:47:55,594 --> 00:47:58,455 ~ but it it's still within the swing idiom. 1130 00:47:58,455 --> 00:48:03,398 So but like you said, like it's not to disparage other people's music. 1131 00:48:02,703 --> 00:48:04,494 No, I mean, everything 1132 00:48:04,494 --> 00:48:07,685 goes off in directions and it's really great. 1133 00:48:07,685 --> 00:48:12,167 It just it doesn't enter my it doesn't enter my consciousness. 1134 00:48:12,167 --> 00:48:13,314 You know what I mean? I 1135 00:48:12,943 --> 00:48:13,943 Right. 1136 00:48:13,314 --> 00:48:18,516 I mean I think that swinging in jazz is important. 1137 00:48:18,516 --> 00:48:20,247 ~ it's 1138 00:48:18,774 --> 00:48:20,243 Mm-hmm. Yeah. 1139 00:48:20,247 --> 00:48:24,613 not the only thing, but it's a foundation for me of of what I want to hear. 1140 00:48:24,613 --> 00:48:26,754 and ~ 1141 00:48:25,114 --> 00:48:26,114 Right. Yeah. 1142 00:48:27,013 --> 00:48:29,754 And the fact that guys like you and and you know, 1143 00:48:29,754 --> 00:48:33,627 there I mean there are plenty of younger guys that are keeping the tradition alive, 1144 00:48:33,627 --> 00:48:37,369 but I, you know, I think that it's important. 1145 00:48:37,369 --> 00:48:43,952 ~ and I I don't I don't know what the the future will bring, 1146 00:48:43,952 --> 00:48:46,043 but I as long as like you know, 1147 00:48:46,043 --> 00:48:47,955 guys like you and even I mean I'm old, 1148 00:48:47,955 --> 00:48:50,140 but you know, I try to 1149 00:48:50,814 --> 00:48:56,096 present music that's of that era but with 1150 00:48:55,613 --> 00:48:56,613 Mm-hmm. 1151 00:48:56,937 --> 00:48:59,137 but modern. You know what I mean? 1152 00:48:58,621 --> 00:48:59,643 Yeah. Yeah. 1153 00:48:59,137 --> 00:49:00,137 ~ 1154 00:49:00,058 --> 00:49:03,339 I mean fresher ideas, not as a museum piece, 1155 00:49:02,110 --> 00:49:04,658 Yeah. Right. Yeah. 1156 00:49:03,339 --> 00:49:04,810 you know, not as a, you know, 1157 00:49:04,810 --> 00:49:06,460 and I'm not we're not playing, 1158 00:49:06,460 --> 00:49:09,622 you know, ~ because the guys that are on my latest record, 1159 00:49:09,622 --> 00:49:15,484 Alex Frank and Graham Dechter they're they're like us. 1160 00:49:15,484 --> 00:49:18,332 I mean they're between y our ages. 1161 00:49:18,770 --> 00:49:19,770 But they're 1162 00:49:18,803 --> 00:49:19,803 Mm-hmm. 1163 00:49:19,410 --> 00:49:22,511 they grew up, you know, I Alex study with John Clayton, 1164 00:49:22,511 --> 00:49:24,713 so he came out of Ray Brown. So he, 1165 00:49:24,713 -->

00:49:30,365 you know, that that foundational style of the Oscar Peterson trio and the and the, 1166 00:49:30,365 --> 00:49:33,337 you know, ~ and Paul Chambers and you know, 1167 00:49:33,337 --> 00:49:34,957 I mean when I was at Berklee in the eighties, 1168 00:49:34,957 --> 00:49:36,458 there were guys that thought 1169 00:49:36,458 --> 00:49:38,580 that Ron Carter invented jazz bass. 1170 00:49:38,580 --> 00:49:42,482 You know, and I mean I love Ron Carter and he's a monster 1171 00:49:41,487 --> 00:49:42,487 Yeah, yeah. 1172 00:49:42,482 --> 00:49:44,283 player, but they never heard of Jimmy Blanton, 1173 00:49:44,283 --> 00:49:45,493 they never heard of Paul Chambers, 1174 00:49:45,493 --> 00:49:46,493 and they're at Berklee. 1175 00:49:45,648 --> 00:49:46,648 Yeah. 1176 00:49:46,862 --> 00:49:52,086 You know? So you know, so as the years go by and it gets farther and farther 1177 00:49:52,086 --> 00:49:56,579 in the past, I I'm glad that like guys like you are keeping 1178 00:49:56,619 --> 00:49:58,300 the monk thing especially. I mean, 1179 00:49:58,300 --> 00:50:02,882 I'm I'm a huge fan. it's one of the few movies that I when I went 1180 00:50:02,882 --> 00:50:05,514 and saw Straight No Chaser when it came 1181 00:50:04,890 --> 00:50:05,890 Mm. 1182 00:50:05,514 --> 00:50:08,426 out, I stayed and watched it a second time. 1183 00:50:08,426 --> 00:50:11,708 It was so good, you know. But ~ 1184 00:50:08,919 --> 00:50:10,179 Nice. Yeah. 1185 00:50:12,309 --> 00:50:13,309 but 1186 00:50:13,217 --> 00:50:19,644 So, what are your plans? I mean when well how long ago did retro future come out? 1187 00:50:19,644 --> 00:50:20,811 Is it like just stuff? 1188 00:50:20,782 --> 00:50:21,782 It 1189 00:50:20,992 --> 00:50:24,264 it so it came out in twenty twenty-four, 1190 00:50:24,264 --> 00:50:27,416 which feels which is crazy. ~ so 1191 00:50:24,869 --> 00:50:27,342 Okay. Mm-hmm. 1192 00:50:27,416 --> 00:50:30,708 I've got ~ probably an EP in the pipeline. 1193 00:50:30,708 --> 00:50:31,708 ~ I've 1194 00:50:31,153 --> 00:50:32,153 Mm-hmm. 1195 00:50:31,468 --> 00:50:35,691 got some stuff with my trio, some recordings from our concerts, 1196 00:50:35,691 --> 00:50:36,811 some really 1197 00:50:36,273 --> 00:50:37,273 Yeah. 1198 00:50:36,951 --> 00:50:42,074 just awesome energetic recordings of us playing standards. 1199 00:50:42,074 --> 00:50:43,315 So it's just a really 1200 00:50:43,018 --> 00:50:44,018 wow. 1201 00:50:43,375 --> 00:50:46,497 fun way for people to hear. 1202 00:50:47,117 --> 00:50:49,667 Our approach to standards. And I mean, 1203 00:50:49,667 --> 00:50:51,338 you're talking about Ron Carter. 1204 00:50:51,338 --> 00:50:56,120 I got a chance to talk with him earlier this year about him and 1205 00:50:56,120 --> 00:51:00,421 the second great quintet and how they just go off the rails. 1206 00:51:00,421 --> 00:51:06,142 And and ~ I'm in no way trying to compare myself to their level, 1207 00:51:06,403 --> 00:51:11,234 but you know, with the trio, I enjoy also that that concept of like, 1208 00:51:11,234 --> 00:51:12,964 hey, we're we're gonna see where it goes. 1209 00:51:12,964 --> 00:51:13,991 Like, we we don't just 1210 00:51:13,445 --> 00:51:14,445 Right. 1211 00:51:13,991 --> 00:51:14,991 have to stick to 1212 00:51:15,573 --> 00:51:19,486 ~ you get your two courses, then I'll get my two courses and then we'll wrap this 1213 00:51:19,486 --> 00:51:25,616 up. So ~ so yeah, I I'll probably be putting out some some of that just 1214 00:51:25,616 --> 00:51:32,084 to to keep some more recent stuff ~ out for people to listen to. 1215 00:51:32,084 --> 00:51:34,776 ~ but then I as I kind of alluded to, 1216 00:51:34,776 --> 00:51:40,190 I do have this this project that I'm really excited about that centers around jazz 1217 00:51:40,190 --> 00:51:44,633 in the twenties. Cause I mean you talked about how people are are how the 1218 00:51:45,473 --> 00:51:48,436 ~ the great American songbook is starting to diminish. 1219 00:51:48,436 --> 00:51:52,489 There are some traditions from the 20s that are almost completely gone, 1220 00:51:52,489 --> 00:51:55,142 like stride piano. And and I 1221 00:51:53,969 --> 00:51:55,011 Sure, sure. 1222 00:51:55,142 --> 00:51:57,924 I love stride piano myself. ~ 1223 00:51:57,585 --> 00:51:58,585 Mm-hmm. 1224 00:51:58,025 --> 00:52:02,609 like trying to trying to figure out how do we how do we present that in 1225 00:52:02,609 --> 00:52:06,142 a way where people don't say that that sounds corny or are you playing 1226 00:52:05,746 --> 00:52:06,746 Yeah. 1227 00:52:06,142 --> 00:52:08,855 Scott Joplin? And it's like, no I'm not playing Scott Joplin. 1228 00:52:08,572 --> 00:52:10,563 Right, right, right. It's funny. 1229 00:52:08,855 --> 00:52:10,236 ~ yeah 1230 00:52:10,563 --> 00:52:11,684 ~ 1231 00:52:11,845 --> 00:52:16,928 just to just I just did ~ a great ~ interview with Judy Carmichael, 1232 00:52:16,928 --> 00:52:17,928 who 1233 00:52:17,236 --> 00:52:18,236 Mm. 1234 00:52:17,849 --> 00:52:20,651 is an you know, I don't know if you know Judy's playing, 1235 00:52:20,651 --> 00:52:24,794 but she is like one of the best stride pianists alive. 1236 00:52:24,794 --> 00:52:26,955 And she's had a wonderful career, 1237 00:52:26,955 --> 00:52:31,759 but she does the same thing. She does she she manages to present stride 1238 00:52:31,959 --> 00:52:32,959 as not corny. 1239 00:52:33,312 --> 00:52:34,323 Yeah. Yeah. 1240 00:52:34,006 --> 00:52:35,006 You know, 1241 00:52:34,407 --> 00:52:36,284 and it's really it you should check her out, 1242 00:52:36,284 --> 00:52:37,418 definitely. She has a show 1243 00:52:36,865 --> 00:52:37,865 Yeah. 1244 00:52:37,418 --> 00:52:40,489 on NPR called Jazz Inspired. ~ 1245 00:52:40,192 --> 00:52:41,192 Then maybe 1246 00:52:40,534 --> 00:52:43,137 I have come across for stuff. Maybe. 1247 00:52:43,137 --> 00:52:44,925 Yeah, I'll have to check it out. 1248 00:52:44,180 --> 00:52:45,180 ~ I heard 1249

00:52:44,925 --> 00:52:49,589 but ~ yeah, she's great. ~ Judy's I've known her for many years, 1250 00:52:49,589 --> 00:52:50,589 but she 1251 00:52:49,999 --> 00:52:52,561 had me on Jazz Inspired to talk about my new record the other day, 1252 00:52:52,561 --> 00:52:58,407 but we're two of the only living people that both made piano rolls. 1253 00:52:59,783 --> 00:53:00,889 Whoa, really? 1254 00:53:00,657 --> 00:53:01,657 You know, 1255 00:53:01,238 --> 00:53:06,627 yeah, yeah. I made a bunch of for the QRS piano roll company. 1256 00:53:06,627 --> 00:53:10,055 ~ yeah, yeah. And ~ 1257 00:53:06,929 --> 00:53:10,132 Really? That's awesome. I'm I'm 1258 00:53:10,313 --> 00:53:14,017 reading a a biography that just came out about James P. 1259 00:53:14,017 --> 00:53:17,020 Johnson and you know, digging into his stuff. 1260 00:53:14,953 --> 00:53:18,315 ~ Yeah. Yeah. 1261 00:53:17,020 --> 00:53:18,121 So 1262 00:53:18,455 --> 00:53:23,518 I I was lucky enough to be good friends with Dick Wellstood who was like James P. 1263 00:53:23,518 --> 00:53:26,819 Johnson's last student. And ~ you know, 1264 00:53:25,521 --> 00:53:26,640 Wow. Yeah. 1265 00:53:28,841 --> 00:53:33,564 I love Dick's playing. if you ever if you ever look just look up Stride Monsters, 1266 00:53:33,564 --> 00:53:35,985 it's him and Dick Hyman playing two pianos. 1267 00:53:36,395 --> 00:53:37,395 Really? 1268 00:53:36,745 --> 00:53:39,697 ~ yeah, it's an amazing, amazing record. 1269 00:53:40,860 --> 00:53:44,582 he in a room with with Dick Wellstood playing stride, 1270 00:53:44,582 --> 00:53:49,205 it was it was earth shattering when 1271 00:53:48,889 --> 00:53:49,889 I bet. 1272 00:53:49,205 --> 00:53:51,037 he would dig in, even on an upright, 1273 00:53:51,037 --> 00:53:53,468 he but he would just start to dig in. 1274 00:53:53,468 --> 00:53:54,468 It was it 1275 00:53:53,985 --> 00:53:54,985 Yeah. 1276 00:53:54,409 --> 00:53:58,872 was a level of authenticity that I assume standing next to James P. 1277 00:53:58,872 --> 00:54:01,243 Johnson would have been like. And you know, 1278 00:54:01,243 --> 00:54:04,275 I love Dick Hyman, but it's more studied. 1279 00:54:04,275 --> 00:54:05,356 His 1280 00:54:04,780 --> 00:54:05,780 Yeah. 1281 00:54:05,356 --> 00:54:07,127 his his stride is more studied. 1282 00:54:07,615 --> 00:54:09,607 And which is not a bad thing, it's just different. 1283 00:54:09,607 --> 00:54:12,470 But but Wellstood had that authentic, 1284 00:54:12,470 --> 00:54:14,852 like you know, down in the mud, 1285 00:54:14,852 --> 00:54:17,435 deep stuff that ~ 1286 00:54:15,011 --> 00:54:17,364 Yeah. ~ that's 1287 00:54:17,435 --> 00:54:19,305 it we it really was but anyways, 1288 00:54:19,305 --> 00:54:23,410 ~ so I'm excited for your to check this 20s thing out. 1289 00:54:23,410 --> 00:54:26,953 what you is there a timeline or 1290 00:54:27,975 --> 00:54:28,975 Well, 1291 00:54:28,455 --> 00:54:33,719 ~ I I it it I'm not sure I'm I'll probably 1292 00:54:33,719 --> 00:54:38,403 be testing out pieces f over the next twelve months, 1293 00:54:38,403 --> 00:54:39,403 ~ 1294 00:54:38,686 --> 00:54:39,686 Mm-hmm. 1295 00:54:39,163 --> 00:54:44,337 before I I really do kind of a a full a full thing. 1296 00:54:44,337 --> 00:54:46,198 But you know, I also love Jelly Roll, 1297 00:54:46,198 --> 00:54:47,770 Jelly Roll Morton. Like he's 1298 00:54:46,827 --> 00:54:47,827 Sure. yeah. 1299 00:54:47,770 --> 00:54:52,353 got some great tunes and and ~ some of the stuff I'm gonna be arranging for trios, 1300 00:54:52,353 --> 00:54:54,114 some stuff I might keep as solo. 1301 00:54:54,114 --> 00:54:55,114 ~ 1302 00:54:54,624 --> 00:54:55,624 Right. 1303 00:54:55,295 --> 00:54:59,348 But yeah, so I I know listeners to this, 1304 00:54:59,348 --> 00:55:02,510 they might not keep track of what I'm doing in sixteen months or twelve months. 1305 00:55:02,510 --> 00:55:09,464 So at least I will be putting out some some some fresh trio stuff soon while 1306 00:55:08,085 --> 00:55:09,189 Right. Good. 1307 00:55:09,644 --> 00:55:12,496 I kind of get together this new concept. 1308 00:55:12,448 --> 00:55:13,448 Right. 1309 00:55:12,496 --> 00:55:13,496 But 1310 00:55:13,447 --> 00:55:19,090 but you know, it it's all about that thing of of just like joyfully presenting jazz. 1311 00:55:18,027 --> 00:55:19,388 Right. That's 1312 00:55:19,388 --> 00:55:23,530 that that's you know, I I I that's where that's why when I saw you, 1313 00:55:23,530 --> 00:55:27,262 I realized you're like one of us. 1314 00:55:27,262 --> 00:55:30,865 You know what I mean? Like that music is supposed to be fun 1315 00:55:30,865 --> 00:55:32,556 and entertaining and enjoyable. 1316 00:55:32,556 --> 00:55:37,658 And you know, there's room for for maudlin horrible songs about death 1317 00:55:37,658 --> 00:55:39,419 and destruction if you want it. 1318 00:55:38,818 --> 00:55:40,193 Yeah. Yeah. 1319 00:55:39,419 --> 00:55:40,419 But 1320 00:55:40,400 --> 00:55:42,681 you know, but as as a rule, you know, 1321 00:55:42,681 --> 00:55:44,022 I want I want 1322 00:55:44,396 --> 00:55:47,278 I d she has to swing and have a good time listening to it. 1323 00:55:47,203 --> 00:55:48,364 Yeah, I'm glad I'm 1324 00:55:47,278 --> 00:55:48,278 ~ 1325 00:55:48,364 --> 00:55:52,187 glad you brought that up. Like you you mentioned the kind of the thing about 1326 00:55:52,347 --> 00:55:54,919 ~ like the hip hop thing isn't for you. 1327 00:55:54,919 --> 00:55:59,863 For me, some of it like the ethereal sad stuff isn't for me. 1328 00:55:59,863 --> 00:56:00,863 Like some of the 1329 00:56:00,218 --> 00:56:01,218 Right. 1330 00:56:00,794 --> 00:56:04,716 the pieces that are just a whole bunch of dark ambient chords, 1331 00:56:04,696 --> 00:56:06,634 Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it doesn't 1332 00:56:04,716 --> 00:56:06,638 like that's not 1333 00:56:06,638 --> 00:56:09,660 for me. ~ but like I love Errol Garner. 1334 00:56:09,660 --> 00:56:11,842 Like what a joyful piano player. 1335

00:56:10,168 --> 00:56:12,239 Yeah. Don't 1336 00:56:12,360 --> 00:56:14,442 get me started on Erl Garner. I mean, 1337 00:56:14,442 --> 00:56:18,772 one of my biggest influences and again, 1338 00:56:18,772 --> 00:56:22,990 I I just so s I mean, 1339 00:56:22,990 --> 00:56:24,912 all natural and 1340 00:56:24,344 --> 00:56:25,344 Mm-hmm. 1341 00:56:24,912 --> 00:56:29,716 effortless. I mean how he plays those sixteenth note runs with a full hand, 1342 00:56:29,716 --> 00:56:31,968 you know, octa thing filled 1343 00:56:31,968 --> 00:56:33,670 in, like flawlessly. 1344 00:56:33,902 --> 00:56:38,480 Yeah, the fill it in just the just the chord lines and also being self taught 1345 00:56:36,668 --> 00:56:39,949 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 1346 00:56:38,640 --> 00:56:40,984 and like which yeah is great. 1347 00:56:39,949 --> 00:56:41,219 It was yeah, 1348 00:56:41,219 --> 00:56:44,581 yeah. I've told this before and I'll I'll be make it brief, 1349 00:56:44,581 --> 00:56:50,092 but one of the defining moments of my life was probably when I was I don't know, 1350 00:56:50,092 --> 00:56:51,663 ~ seventeen, eighteen years old. 1351 00:56:51,663 --> 00:56:57,955 I was driving around listening to the jazz station and there was a record, 1352 00:56:57,955 --> 00:57:01,936 Errol Garner put out a record called Encores and Hi Fi. 1353 00:57:02,607 --> 00:57:03,607 Mm. 1354 00:57:03,132 --> 00:57:08,036 And it was all these sort of show pieces that he would do as encores. 1355 00:57:08,036 --> 00:57:09,036 ~ 1356 00:57:08,483 --> 00:57:09,483 Okay. 1357 00:57:09,357 --> 00:57:12,670 but there's this version of the man I love that is 1358 00:57:12,336 --> 00:57:13,336 Mm. 1359 00:57:12,670 --> 00:57:14,541 probably seven or eight minutes long, 1360 00:57:14,541 --> 00:57:17,123 starts out completely as a ballad, 1361 00:57:17,123 --> 00:57:23,689 then doubles the tempo, and he plays chorus after chorus after chorus after 1362 00:57:23,689 --> 00:57:30,031 chorus of that right hand stuff where you're just saying how and I I mean I 1363 00:57:30,034 --> 00:57:31,705 I I had to pull the car over. 1364 00:57:32,206 --> 00:57:33,206 Yeah. 1365 00:57:32,432 --> 00:57:33,432 To 1366 00:57:32,602 --> 00:57:36,094 listen to it because it was so swinging and it was so, 1367 00:57:36,094 --> 00:57:39,416 you know, I you're thinking, How are his hands not bleeding? 1368 00:57:39,416 --> 00:57:43,028 You know? And ~ yeah, 1369 00:57:39,777 --> 00:57:42,282 Yeah. They're four arms of steel. 1370 00:57:43,028 --> 00:57:45,575 yeah. You yeah, check that out if you have a chance. 1371 00:57:45,445 --> 00:57:46,997 Man, that's awesome. 1372 00:57:45,575 --> 00:57:47,340 ~ Errol Garner, 1373 00:57:47,950 --> 00:57:51,743 it's out now, but at the time it was only a a Japanese import. 1374 00:57:51,743 --> 00:57:55,124 And so I remember paying like seventy dollars for the record, 1375 00:57:55,124 --> 00:57:59,127 you know. ~ that yeah, 1376 00:57:55,558 --> 00:57:57,955 Yeah. But sometimes

those records are worth it, 1377 00:57:57,955 --> 00:57:59,761 you know. You you just gotta that again. 1378 00:57:59,127 --> 00:58:00,127 yeah. 1379 00:57:59,848 --> 00:58:00,848 Yeah. 1380 00:58:00,067 --> 00:58:01,067 One of my 1381 00:58:00,467 --> 00:58:02,830 favorite purchases was ~ Herbie Hancock, 1382 00:58:02,830 --> 00:58:05,293 the piano, which is now streaming. 1383 00:58:05,293 --> 00:58:11,680 I mean, but at the time it was it was recorded for Japanese Sony over 1384 00:58:10,996 --> 00:58:11,996 Okay. 1385 00:58:11,680 --> 00:58:13,882 in Japan and never was released in America. 1386 00:58:13,882 --> 00:58:18,337 And it's just solo piano album by Herbie that's some of the most beautiful playing 1387 00:58:18,337 --> 00:58:20,446 you'll ever hear. ~ 1388 00:58:19,442 --> 00:58:20,442 That's awesome. 1389 00:58:20,742 --> 00:58:24,777 I I did ex one of those things where you have to like stop and and just listen 1390 00:58:24,777 --> 00:58:29,330 to whoa, ~ I think it was Oscar Peterson's put on a happy face. 1391 00:58:29,330 --> 00:58:30,330 And 1392 00:58:29,694 --> 00:58:30,694 ~ 1393 00:58:30,151 --> 00:58:36,436 it was just just chorus after chorus of just like the most blues saturated stuff. 1394 00:58:35,922 --> 00:58:39,379 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yep. 1395 00:58:36,436 --> 00:58:40,129 It's it's it was like a kind of medium up swing, 1396 00:58:39,379 --> 00:58:40,676 Yep. 1397 00:58:40,129 --> 00:58:41,129 but just 1398 00:58:41,060 --> 00:58:44,923 just like the bluesiest block chords and runs and and it was just 1399 00:58:44,457 --> 00:58:45,457 Yeah. 1400 00:58:44,923 --> 00:58:47,826 like I'm just stopping whatever I'm doing just to to 1401 00:58:48,272 --> 00:58:50,708 P put on that face of what is that? 1402 00:58:50,622 --> 00:58:51,622 What well yeah, yeah, 1403 00:58:51,542 --> 00:58:55,883 yeah. Yeah. I well there's if you wanna if you wanna have your mind bent, 1404 00:58:55,883 --> 00:59:02,715 ~ may I subtly recommend ~ a on I think it's called 1405 00:59:02,715 --> 00:59:07,206 ~ it's an Oscar album on ~ verv what's it called? 1406 00:59:07,206 --> 00:59:09,507 They put it out as a two record set now. 1407 00:59:09,507 --> 00:59:10,507 ~ 1408 00:59:09,833 --> 00:59:10,833 Mm. 1409 00:59:10,727 --> 00:59:13,888 but it's Affinity, the the trio album Affinity. 1410 00:59:12,521 --> 00:59:14,575 Okay. Mm. 1411 00:59:13,888 --> 00:59:14,888 Get 1412 00:59:14,848 --> 00:59:17,259 to ~ Yours is my heart alone. 1413 00:59:18,367 --> 00:59:21,319 And listen, you don't even have to listen to the whole tune, 1414 00:59:21,319 --> 00:59:25,301 which it w is is frightening. But the 1415 00:59:23,919 --> 00:59:24,919 Yeah. 1416 00:59:26,061 --> 00:59:32,435 the last the last minute of that where they're closing 1417 00:59:32,435 --> 00:59:37,978 out the tune, he starts this like rhapsodic thing that's like that it's 1418 00:59:37,978 --> 00:59:42,760 a stride thing that's like then and he's slowing down and speeding up 1419 00:59:42,760 --> 00:59:46,772 and they lock back together and it will it it'll it'll hurt you. 1420 00:59:46,772 --> 00:59:47,772 I mean it 1421 00:59:48,247 --> 00:59:53,779 It's one of those things that I I heard 20 years ago and I and I just kept picking 1422 00:59:53,779 --> 00:59:55,610 up the needle to the record and putting it back. 1423 00:59:55,610 --> 00:59:58,981 And I'm like, is this a skip in the what what the hell are they doing? 1424 00:59:58,981 --> 00:59:59,981 You know? 1425 01:00:00,185 --> 01:00:01,185 Yeah. 1426 01:00:00,582 --> 01:00:02,623 They were so tight. It was amazing. 1427 01:00:02,623 --> 01:00:06,344 But yeah, Affinity, yours is my heart alone. 1428 01:00:06,344 --> 01:00:08,975 Check that out. But ~ anyways, 1429 01:00:08,975 --> 01:00:11,427 well, I'm gonna thank you so much for doing this. 1430 01:00:10,807 --> 01:00:12,382 Yeah. Thank you for inviting me. 1431 01:00:11,427 --> 01:00:12,537 And we 1432 01:00:12,537 --> 01:00:15,388 could do another couple hours on ~ on on this stuff. 1433 01:00:15,388 --> 01:00:16,809 ~ but 1434 01:00:15,545 --> 01:00:16,545 I'm sure we could. 1435 01:00:17,387 --> 01:00:19,270 It's really, really wonderful to have you, 1436 01:00:19,270 --> 01:00:23,405 Quentin. And ~ and I look forward to the twenties thing. 1437 01:00:23,770 --> 01:00:24,770 Yeah. 1438 01:00:24,066 --> 01:00:26,139 Thank you. Thank you. I really appreciate it. 1439 01:00:26,139 --> 01:00:28,933 I love the podcast and yeah, thanks for having me. 1440 01:00:28,933 --> 01:00:32,998 And it was a lot of fun diving into all this all this jazz history and and just, 1441 01:00:32,998 --> 01:00:35,511 you know, going over over and over these great recordings. 1442 01:00:36,284 --> 01:00:37,284 thanks, man.