Jim Hession /Well You Needn't /Thelonius Monk

[jazznbear]

How lucky you were to be included in that fertile musical experience with your uncle.

We understand they are making a movie about his life....

Yes," Ruby.My Dear" is one of my favorites. I will record my version of it at some point.

Monk is one of my favorite jazz composers.....

Thank you for your comments...hope you keep listening.

We will be watching for the movie....any timeline?

Jim

[calliope83]

great tune, and a nice feel to your playing to match...i used to get the up close and personal opportunity to hear my uncle, Joe Albany, play this and other Monk tunes that he was working out at home, and it always amazed me to hear how many variations he'd come up with from one version to the next...also beautiful was "Ruby My Dear", which, according to Joe, had such a complex chordal/melodic structure, that it took him several months of playing to "master"...

[SquidyBrown]

smokin'

[alcuwnr]

This is soooooooo awesome

[007Grasshopper]

Wow!! you're pretty dang good! I can't imagine improving on a piano. i live on the alto sax, and i can't think of using more than one note at a time yknow?

[supahsekzy]

@007Grasshopper Kinda like how pianists can't imagine how to do embouchure. Everyone's got their hard part.

[akaflk]

hey man... have loved your stride videos for a while now... wasn't sure about the bop at first, but once you get into it, it's hot.

thanks for the inspiration!

j

[pablo3691]

Excelente, muy buen sonido..

[dobermanno]

very very gooooooooddddddddd

[Nikossohn]

i like your energy-loaded and half modern - half stride piano. a lot of different chors and ideas, its great!

i think your left hand plays to much, if you want, try to give the right hand more space to keep the form approaching the chords without always playing the voicings.

thanx, i enjoyed it!

[jazznbear]

Glad you enjoyed the video. I think that the improvisations of jazz pianists, myself included, inevitably reflect the influences of previous innovators. Once I begin to play I really have no idea where the piece is going. I don't do arrangements, especially in mainstream jazz.

Re: left/right hand: I suffer from an affliction known as ambidexterity, which is a blessing.... and a curse. My left hand just has too much to say.

[jazznbear]

An additional note: Thelonius Monk as a child was a neighbor of stride innovator, James P Johnson, in Queens,New York. He was heavily influenced by the New York stride players before developing his own unique style.

Check out Columbia's recording "Solo Monk" to see the connection...

[vermeer1]

its real cool to see you do some later jazz, I love your stride piano too, which i found when looking up tatum. keep posting all sorts of things you are great. i will subscribe

[jazznbear]

Glad you enjoyed the videos!