Oscar's solo on "Satin Doll" is almost entirely “locked hands” (i.e., 4-way close, double lead).
This is a widely-used jazz piano technique that goes back to the 1940s from Milt Buckner, George Shearing, and others. It's also a basic saxophone-section voicing and a George Shearing Quintet (with piano, vibes, and guitar) mainstay.
Here's a transcription of a Bill Evans solo that uses that same technique:
If I may, here is a clip I’ve been watching every now and then for years. Oscar Peterson with two bass giants: Ray Brown and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.
At the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1977... "You Look Good To Me". 🎹🎶
In all the years I attended shows at Joe Segal’s Jazz Showcase in Chicago, Ray Brown was the only artist who never used the green room. He would always sit in the vestibule with the guy who collected the money. Ray would greet all the patrons who entered. He was a warm person and devoid of pretension. The last time I saw him I sat very close to the stage. When he was announced he put his hands on my shoulders to pull himself up to the stage. I told every bass player I knew that I had been anointed by God.
I have this great Mosaic set since about two weeks and I'm really happy about this release. I have many but not all of the original LPs/CDs, so for me there was no question about ordering the box. And there a few bonus tracks from the "Porgy & Bess" session.
For european readers I recommend TYQ Music. That's a dealer from Belgium which is an official partner shop from Mosaic Records. You save on the customs duties you would otherwise have to pay if you ordered the box directly from the USA.
I have been a grateful happy customer of Mosaic since their beginning. Of course, I bought this set. In fact, it was Mosaic website years ago that made me aware of Marc here. Super indeed.
Of all the jazz albums I’ve listened to the most, Oscar’s West Side Story is probably top five all time. “I Feel Pretty” and “Reprise” are so unique and I love his interpretations of these familiar melodies.
Like you, I had all those OP sides on LP at one time. It's good to see them back in pristine form.
Thigpen, in one view, never got the credit due him. He proved, once and for all, that hard swinging has nothing to do with volume. It has to do with intensity and how it's applied, and man, did he get into OP's head.
As a drummer, I have to comment that his feel and his sound were, quite simply, sublime. Thigpen was meticulous about how his drums and cymbals sounded and I can tell you with some accuracy, that no other drummer sounded like him. Believe me, I tried--I tuned and tuned and tried every brand and size of cymbal-- but it just couldn't be done.
Personally, he was a beautiful cat who always gave me credit for the books and videos I wrote and produced about the legends of jazz drumming. If something I did received a less-than-stellar review, he made sure to set the record straight with the reviewer. Ed Thigpen. I miss him.
Now, all I have to do is get enough bread to buy the Mosaic set! Keep up the fine work.
There's no bad Oscar Peterson. I don't know how anyone could listen to him and stay in a bad mood.
His interview on the old Dick Cavett show is really special. He was not an idiot savant - he could discourse eloquently on different piano styles and demonstrate them.
Oscar's solo on "Satin Doll" is almost entirely “locked hands” (i.e., 4-way close, double lead).
This is a widely-used jazz piano technique that goes back to the 1940s from Milt Buckner, George Shearing, and others. It's also a basic saxophone-section voicing and a George Shearing Quintet (with piano, vibes, and guitar) mainstay.
Here's a transcription of a Bill Evans solo that uses that same technique:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkjabWb9elM
Bill Evans, p; Paul Chambers, b; Philly Joe Jones, d. January 19, 1959.
Compare and contrast.
Thanks Bill for the insights, as always!
Bill Evans also uses locked hands on the chorus of "Witchcraft",,,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evpn_2OhCes
And here's a locked-hands Shearing Sound illustration...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J0fnoWA8LA
If I may, here is a clip I’ve been watching every now and then for years. Oscar Peterson with two bass giants: Ray Brown and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.
At the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1977... "You Look Good To Me". 🎹🎶
https://youtu.be/3D5k1UdjGhI?is=sZGF6U8AEmar-dCV
In all the years I attended shows at Joe Segal’s Jazz Showcase in Chicago, Ray Brown was the only artist who never used the green room. He would always sit in the vestibule with the guy who collected the money. Ray would greet all the patrons who entered. He was a warm person and devoid of pretension. The last time I saw him I sat very close to the stage. When he was announced he put his hands on my shoulders to pull himself up to the stage. I told every bass player I knew that I had been anointed by God.
I have this great Mosaic set since about two weeks and I'm really happy about this release. I have many but not all of the original LPs/CDs, so for me there was no question about ordering the box. And there a few bonus tracks from the "Porgy & Bess" session.
For european readers I recommend TYQ Music. That's a dealer from Belgium which is an official partner shop from Mosaic Records. You save on the customs duties you would otherwise have to pay if you ordered the box directly from the USA.
https://tyqmusic.eu/label/mosaic-records/
Thanks so much Christian for providing a link to a European vendor and Mosaic partner for my dear readers abroad.
I have been a grateful happy customer of Mosaic since their beginning. Of course, I bought this set. In fact, it was Mosaic website years ago that made me aware of Marc here. Super indeed.
I will purchase this set when (and if) the Canadian dollar ever wakes up from the dead.
I recently purchased the Bob Crosby set from Mosaic . I took a lickin' on the exchange I almost stopped tickin'! No fault of Mosaic.
Of all the jazz albums I’ve listened to the most, Oscar’s West Side Story is probably top five all time. “I Feel Pretty” and “Reprise” are so unique and I love his interpretations of these familiar melodies.
Like you, I had all those OP sides on LP at one time. It's good to see them back in pristine form.
Thigpen, in one view, never got the credit due him. He proved, once and for all, that hard swinging has nothing to do with volume. It has to do with intensity and how it's applied, and man, did he get into OP's head.
As a drummer, I have to comment that his feel and his sound were, quite simply, sublime. Thigpen was meticulous about how his drums and cymbals sounded and I can tell you with some accuracy, that no other drummer sounded like him. Believe me, I tried--I tuned and tuned and tried every brand and size of cymbal-- but it just couldn't be done.
Personally, he was a beautiful cat who always gave me credit for the books and videos I wrote and produced about the legends of jazz drumming. If something I did received a less-than-stellar review, he made sure to set the record straight with the reviewer. Ed Thigpen. I miss him.
Now, all I have to do is get enough bread to buy the Mosaic set! Keep up the fine work.
There's no bad Oscar Peterson. I don't know how anyone could listen to him and stay in a bad mood.
His interview on the old Dick Cavett show is really special. He was not an idiot savant - he could discourse eloquently on different piano styles and demonstrate them.