Pianist and composer Tim Richards has been performing and composing for bands on the British jazz scene for well over 30 years. Parallel to the journey as a working musician has been a flourishing profile as an educator and author of a series of books for budding pianists, published by Schott Music. More recently he has collaborated with MusicGurus, the online music education platform, who partner with leading artists to produce interactive lessons. After two successful blues piano course with Tim, one is available called Beginning Jazz Piano. Interview by Mike Collins
real name: Leon Bix Beiderbecke Born Mar 10, 1903 in Davenport, IA Died Aug 6, 1931 in New York, NY Bix Beiderbecke was one of the greatest jazz musicians of the 1920s. His colorful life, quick rise and fall, and eventual status as a martyr made him a legend even before he died, and he has long stood as proof that not all the innovators in jazz history were black. Possessor of a beautiful, distinctive tone and a strikingly original improvising style, Beiderbecke's only competitor among cornetists in the '20s was Louis Armstrong but (due to their different sounds and styles) one really could not compare them. Beiderbecke was a bit of a child prodigy, picking out tunes on the piano when he was three. While he had conventional training on the piano, he taught himself the cornet. Influenced by the original Dixieland Jazz Band, Beiderbecke craved the freedom of jazz but his straight-laced parents felt he was being frivolous. He was sent to Lake Forest Military Academy in 1921 but, by coincidence, it was located fairly close to Chicago, the center of jazz at the time. Beiderbecke was eventually expelled he missed so many classes. After a brief period at home he became a full-time musician. In 1923, Beiderbecke became the star cornetist of the Wolverines and a year later this spirited group made some classic recordings. In late 1924, Beiderbecke left the Wolverines to join Jean Goldkette's orchestra but his inability to read music resulted in him losing the job. In 1925, he spent time in Chicago and worked on his reading abilities. The following year he spent time with Frankie Trumbauer's orchestra in St. Louis. Although already an alcoholic, 1927 would be Beiderbecke's greatest year. He worked with Jean Goldkette's orchestra (most of their records are unfortunately quite commercial), recorded his piano masterpiece "In a Mist" (one of his four Debussy-inspired originals), cut many classic sides with a small group headed by Trumbauer (including his greatest solos: "Singin' the Blues," "I'm Comin' Virginia," and "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans"), and then signed up with Paul Whiteman's huge and prosperous orchestra. Although revisionist historians would later claim that Whiteman's wide mixture of repertoire (much of it outside of jazz) drove Beiderbecke to drink, he actually enjoyed the prestige of being with the most popular band of the decade. Beiderbecke's favorite personal solo was his written-out part on George Gershwin's "Concerto in F." With Whiteman, Beiderbecke's solos tended to be short moments of magic, sometimes in odd settings; his brilliant chorus on "Sweet Sue" is a perfect example. He was productive throughout 1928, but by the following year his drinking really began to catch up with him. Beiderbecke had a breakdown, made a comeback, and then in September 1929 was reluctantly sent back to Davenport to recover. Unfortunately, Beiderbecke made a few sad records in 1930 before his death at age 28. The bad liquor of the Prohibition era did him in. For the full story, Bix: Man & Legend is a remarkably detailed book. Beiderbecke's recordings (even the obscure ones) are continually in print, for his followers believe that every note he played was special. — Scott Yanow All Music Guide
improvising blues piano tim richards pdf 67
We are comparing piano players,musicians and arrangers. The piano is by far the most complex instrument.Harmony rhytm and melody .We are comparing inventors,innovators or persons who copied or refined a style .We are comparing blues stride boogie ballads funky salsa musicians And at the end of the day your taste decide.I have been transcribing and analysing piano music for a lifetime,as a professional player.Compliment for the list is really reasonable .It s impossible to agree on names.Any musician does certain slyles or particulars better.Harmonisations,complex funky grooves, stride pop jazz ballads ,new ideas,tango jazz, gospel rock and so on.But ,generally speaking,when you trancribe and compare you understand a lot.For instance the quality of Bill Evans texture and harmony is very sophisticated and complex .Art tatum does in a minute more modulations and notes than Mozart in 20 minutes.Jarret can improvise with an astounding freedom.Piano Music is an handmade product .You can copy or to invent a own convincing style like a painter an actor a sculptor.But somebody stands out for superior quality .Talking with great pianists we mostly agree that Tatum was simply unbeliaveble technically but musically too ,,he did too many notes but he could play with great feeling and romance.I agree with the number one. As an arranger for romantic ballads i see Evans as the very romantic tasty arranger who never become too cerebral.Hancock a pioneer in funky modern piano ,Corea agreat innovator ,fantastic musician sometimes a bit cold and complicated.Peterson the king of bluesy swing piano ,one of the few who could make a show with the piano.I could add hundred of very good pianists but i think that the top 5 is rather well defined.Astonishing musicians who reinvented the piano and had theyr own convincing style.To Arrange for piano is a very complicated and extremely interesting art . 2ff7e9595c
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