| LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Late-starting jazz piano masters? | |
| Jazz+ -- 12/03/2004, 10:28:00 -- #9438 | |
| Do you know of any late-starting jazz piano masters? By "jazzprof" at pianoworld.com "A famous example of a late starter in jazz piano is Red Garland. He played with Miles Davis in the 50's and was known for his incredibly tasteful block chords and melodic imagination. Red Garland only took up piano at age 18 when he was in the army. Before that he did play clarinet and so could read music. After 4 years of intense practice he got his first professional gig as a jazz pianist at age 22." | |
| Jazz+ -- 12/03/2004, 10:37:28 -- #9439 | |
| It is claimed that jazz pianist Jon Jang began piano at age 19 http://www.newmusicbox.org/news/mar00/mtcjjang_fwong.html | |
| Jazz+ -- 12/03/2004, 10:42:39 -- #9440 | |
| It's claimed that blues 'n' boogie piano master Ann Rabson began piano at age 35: http://bluesforpeace.com/blog/article.php?story=20040908045922569 | |
| Jazz+ -- 12/03/2004, 10:43:30 -- #9441 | |
| Tal Farlow "A late bloomer who didn't start playing guitar until he was in his 20s, Tal Farlow is a self-taught player who didn't read music. Nevertheless, by the time he was 30, the inventive guitarist had scored gigs with clarinetist Buddy De Franco and vibraphonist Red Norvo. Blessed with blinding speed, an unerring knack for great melodies and a deft touch, he won critical acclaim in the early '50s for his work with Norvo and trumpeter Artie Shaw. He led his own trio until a distaste for the music business led him to return to North Carolina for work as a sign painter. By the late '60s, he was making irregular appearances at festivals, and by the '80s he had resumed his partnership with Norvo, surprising audiences who had never heard his now-out-of-print seminal recordings." | |
| Jazz+ -- 12/03/2004, 10:48:45 -- #9443 | |
| Jazz artist Ben Allison started bass in his senior year of high school: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/iviews/ballison2001.htm | |
| Jazz+ -- 12/03/2004, 10:53:07 -- #9444 | |
| Percy Heath: "PERCY HEATH: [Laughing.] I had just bought a bass when Ray Brown came down to the house and showed me how to hold my finger on the back. "Oh , no," he told me. "You gotta' get your spider together." I was just getting out of my lieutenant's uniform. TOOTIE HEATH: I remember Nelson Boyd coming in the house with Jimmy's band, practicing. I remember Shrimpy Anderson. PERCY HEATH: [Laughing.] Shrimpy! RICK CONDIT: So you didn't start playing the bass until you got out of the Air Force? PERCY HEATH: Right! In 1946 Ray Brown came down to the house with Bags [Milt Jackson] and John Lewis, and Jimmy got Momma to cook for them." http://www.iaje.org/article.asp?ArticleID=125 | |
| Jazz+ -- 12/03/2004, 10:56:37 -- #9445 | |
| Aiko Shimada (singer, guitarist) started playing at age 24 http://www.thestranger.com/2001-12-13/music.html | |
| Scot -- 12/03/2004, 13:15:54 -- #9449 | |
| I know a guy from Melbourne who plays bass and didn't start until his late 30's. He's in his 60's now and plays with everyone. For the life of me I can't remember his name, though. It's been a while. I really think you can start at any time. It's just harder later in life because you often have things get in the way of focusing on the piano or other instrument. Heck, I even picked up the banjo a few years ago, and with sporadic practice session over the years (one three month intense practicing session, though) I can now play most of the five string standards- Beverlyl Hillbillies, FOggy Mountain Breakdown, etc. I can even play them fast and furious with good technique. I was inspired by Bela Fleck, of course, b ut haven't yet gotten to the point where I can improvise on the banjo without the silly fact that I can 't improv on a banjo coming out :) But I know what to practice if I WANTED to get to that level. Piano might be more difficult to start late than other instruments because of the dexterity involved, but don't quote me on that. | |
| signal11 -- 12/03/2004, 14:55:21 -- #9452 | |
| Hey, thanks for posting all of these links! Although I played piano for a couple of years as a kid, I didn't start playing piano again until I was 34 so it's encouraging to hear stories like this. All I can say about starting so late is that it *is* possible to make a lot of progress as long as you have a dedicated practice routine ;-). -- Dave | |
| Copyright © 2005 by Scot Ranney. All rights reserved. | |
| Click Here for more information about performances and clinics. Click Here to sign up for Scot's music announcements. | |