Jim Hession / Snowy Morning Blues/James P. Johnson /stride

[lauraneville]

I am SO envious...seriously. Good thing that my envy does not stop me from listening to you play over and over and over!! thanks for all of the posts...

[lauraneville]

spectacular!!

[dtimoske]

Great performance of one of my James P Johnson favorites

[brandon1994mc]

This is the best performance on YouTube. It shows the drive that the other performances here don't

It is wonderful. This man playing is a wonderful player, he knows this music deeply!

[norb44fr]

I like the way Jim Hession plays this masterpiece from James P. It sounds great ! Stride piano style is better than ever , should be more played by the young musicians. Thank you Jim for recording this on youtube for the whole world !

[jake1995k]

I can't get a copy of the New York Stride Piano book for anything less than $200. Is there someone I could buy the sheet music for this music off of?  I would pay anything you wanted up to maybe $50. I can't get all the voicings by ear, and it is killing me.

[norb44fr]

You can have it from the San Diego / coronado public Library for almost free.

But if you still don't have it , I can scan the one I have and mail it to you under PDF files format for free. Let me know .

[shubus]

Wow! Heaven't heard this piece by Johnson before. You do it justice! Must be nice to have hands large enough to play those 10ths without breaking them. Eubie had large hands too. Makes me want to take up a smaller piano! By the way, didn't know you had any blue shirts :)

[jazznbear]

LOL...Surprise..............

[tregter7]

Fantastic! I'd give it ten stars. My favourite tune.

[solidmotion]

Thank you for posting this. It's not easy to go see someone who plays authentic stride piano whenever I feel like it.....you're awesome - for playing as well as you do and for sharing this with us.

[dfranklin70]

This is probably my favorite video of yours. I hear some commonly gospel used progressions and combinations. I was wondering pianist like James P Johnson got inspirations from gospel or if it was the other way around? Also, I have heard that some of Joplin's rags resemble New Orleans folk tunes which predated Joplin, is this true? Anyway, your playing is absolutely WONDERFUL!!!

[jazznbear]

James P Johnson, like so many of the early jazz artists who were raised in or near Harlem, was indeed influenced by gospel(spirituals) that were sung in the churches.JPJ wore many musical hats,including that of accompanist to blues singer, Bessie Smith.

Joplin, although based up the Miss. River in Missouri, may well have been influenced by the music of Louis Gottshalk,an American classical composer,from New Orleans, who was heavily influenced by the Afro/creole music of the mid 1800's.

[dfranklin70]

This is probably, in my opinion, your best video...this song has a great gospel feel to it too. I hear a lot of commonly used gospel chords combinations. I was wondering if James P. Johnson got his influences from gospel somewhat or if it was the reverse. Anyway, this was a WONDERFUL performance!!!!

[dfranklin70]

This is probably my favorite video of yours...it has a great gospel feel to it too. Wonderful?

[msk87]

You are God

[jazznbear]

No, just a hard working professional musician.Glad you are enjoying the videos!

[wilscool]

I love this piece. I have it in a folio of a bunch of stride and early jazz songs. You are the first player that has played it anything like that sheet music. I'm guessing that you learned it from the same score as I did. I love It!!! I also noticed that you played it in just under 3 minutes. All of the ones I've seen have gone over 4 minutes at least. I'm guessing they take more repeats and improvise more. I can't get enough of your music!

Will

[saullouis]

did you know James P?

[jazznbear]

James P. died when I was in kindergarten. I would have loved to have met him and did work hand in hand with Eubie Blake who was my mentor as well as James P.'s teacher.

[Squarerig]

Now Mr.Hession brings many of my old 78's to life-and what a life!Thank you Mr.Hession

[jazznbear]

Musical legends Eubie Blake,Teddy Wilson, Don Ewell, Jess Stacy, Dick Wellstood and Johnny Guarnieri have all talked to us about their admiration for Johnson's music. Thelonious Monk grew up in Johnson's Queens neighborhood where he heard JPJ's piano daily. Check out the CD Solo Monk where TM plays his own concept of stride piano.

[nudirt]

Forty years on, I never get tired of listening to Jimmy's great recordings of this piece, but it's an inspiring change to hear it played just so by Mr. Hession. Can you believe that people have claimed James P. couldn't play or write the blues?

[jazznbear]

I am glad you enjoyed this rendition....I had previously recorded this with more improvised choruses

but have always retained the original version as it defies being improved upon.Many people are unaware of the fact that James P.Johnson recorded many sides as accompanist to the great blues singer Bessie Smith. In our almost 40 year career Martha and I have NEVER heard a disparaging word about any aspect of Johnson's musical prowess.

[CBasie2856]

I have this song on my cd!!!

[kingcade]

Nice playing and nice story. Cheers.

[7notemode]

Great stride, great feel. You ennunciate your notes very, very well.