jim,
i agree with you that carole is no rick wakeman, but then again this a
matter of the ''virtuoso''. i voted for her as a great pianist because she
is a master of piano harmony. and her technique isn't THAT easy, either.
she's really beyond the chopsticks level. i think it is hard to write
exclusively on the piano. it takes a lot of musicianship to find chord
progressions and stuff that still sounds original after, what? maybe six or
seven hundred songs? i mean, carole king has squeezed every possible hook
and phrase from her piano. and again, when you try to play her songs, you
realize that they're not so basic at all. of course, ''locomotion'' or ''it
might as well rain until september'' are kindergarten stuff. but, although
it may sound like bang bang bang bang when you listen to the song, ''natural
woman'' is hard to play and sing at the same time [and she's done it live]
and in all its apparent simplicity, it's a very powerful piano part.
anyhoo, i made it clear that i would include self/accompanists under the
category i was voting. that's why i didn't vote for robert holliston or duke
ellington. the only virtuoso i decided to leave on my list was patrick moraz
because of his synthesizer solo on sound chaser [yes, relayer]. to me that
solo is the ultimate synth thing!!! so i said what the heck, i'll leave
martha argerich out but i'll vote for moraz. but yes, carole's solos are
dismal.
wallyk
-----Mensaje original-----
De: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]En nombre de Jim
L'Hommedieu
Enviado el: Viernes, 03 de Noviembre de 2000 01:45 p.m.
Para: _JMDL - June 98
Asunto: Re: Great Pianists- Carole King...
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I've seen the name Carole King thrown out as a great pianists here.
Ummm........
Well, first the positives...... Ms. King has written some great, great
songs. In fact she's written LOTS and LOTS of great, great songs.
I have eight of her albums. 8. In fact I was into her stories of love and
loss before I discovered.... uh... the true way. :)
That said, I must interject:
What the heck are you guys talking about? Ms. King bangs chords on a
keyboard. She clangs out two finger solos. She has enough talent to flesh
out wonderful, humable tunes, but she's no 'great' as a player. In my book.
Now, I'm basing my judgement, ignorant as it may be, on the period from
"Writer" through "Thoroghbred", including "Tapestry", "Music", and "Really
Rosie". In other words, her career peak.
Mind you, I love Carole King! But she's no Ramsey Lewis. She' no Garth
Hudson or Rick Wakeman. Oscar Peterson. Hell, I'll take Dave Brubeck and
Keith Emerson although those guys tend to be 'bangers' too.
I'm growing old for this rock era, moon-june stuff. I'm buying jazz and
JMDL songwriters lately.
It's a wacky world when I can hear a superior pianist who can improvise on
the spot, embarassing any of my idols, on any night of the week for $8 at
"The Blue Wisp Jazz Club" in downtown Cincinnati....... and I don't go. But
if Carole King came to town, I'd gladly scheme a way to the fron of the line
& pay $60 to sit up close and listen to her bang-bang-bang all night long.
I have some bad musical habits and tastes but I'm growing out of them.
I love Carole King. But as a technician, well....
Regretfully turning in his Carole King Fan Club secret decoder ring,
Jim Lamadoo
np-- Charles Mingus'es "Mingus Ah Um"
npimh: Jokes from a hot movie I rented tonight- "Duck Soup" starring the
Marx Brothers. Hey, I told you I'm growing old. :)
