Jazz Piano Workshop 1965 Jaki Byard

[ilikevines]

did anyone else just feel sad watching this because you know he's ten times better than you could ever hope to be?

[shellybellysf]

Diane, the day Your father died, I was so sickened by what happened. I don't know you, but I want you to know how much your Fathers playing meant and means to me. I am just a huge fan of his. My grandfather played his records for me in the 60s. Two great men gone from us. My condolences to you and your family

[shellybellysf]

Peeterpolomaa..No I don't put it on as back up music, and I love and enjoy the great Mr JB! Most people don't get it, but that's OK by me, as long as I can listen and dig what I want, I do not care. Thx for the comments RyLay

[eomersami01]

Hej! It's the Philharmonie Berlin!

[jmcgann00]

LOVE.

[dimmy1985]

as seen on "Funny Videos Clips - Utube Funny Videos - Best Funny Videos" - how the hell did it make it there? i never put it there!!! who did this??? damn fools.

[joelscott82]

There is so much to admire in this video. Although I play today's popular music, I did visit that school of thought. I loved it then, I love it now.

[Flextones]

I stand behind my opinion. I am more than qualified to speak it. I am a professional pianist. I have more than 50 years of playing experience and Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Music from Indiana University. I was in the US Army Band at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, NY. My job was 02 November, which is the code for piano player. I am 60 now and had a distinguished career as the piano player for the Army Band of New York.

[beonthewall1]

Incredible!



[johnnylafougere1]

Un grand parmi les grands!!

Merci pour ce magnifique post.

[cdissler]

Amazing, I was just reading an article in Downbeat about Jason Moran studying with this cat and had to check it out!

[janmorez]

--Generic arrogant comment about hip-hop being the dark plague of today's music and how it was all better in the old days--

[Wallafaza]

Fantastic

[jindochi]

His music is so beautiful. I've been playing the piano for a couple years now and I'm always overwhelmed with joy and excitement every time i watch this vid. You think, after replaying it several time you'll kinda have a feeling of what going to come next, but it feel new to me every time.

[ohbopshbam]

Jaki Byard-piano, Reggie Workman-bass, and Alan Dawson-drums. THESE CATS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOIN'.

[taftchatham]

Africa929

I heard him once, in SF, and if he'd played for a week I would have camped out at my table. What a musical genius he was. I'll imagine him just rollin' along on on an ocean of joy in that boat.

[MrAtlantajazz]

Love your mellow sound. All on the same page musically. Love it when it all comes together like this.

[dimmy1985]

ah i posted this so many years ago. never knew it'd be such a hit. lovin his facial expressions around the 3:30 mark.

[sergiolamalice9]

Never seen such a swing from somebody behind a piano. NEVER. Jaki is a sunshine !

[Sashamanxyz]

I say this stuff is the best in the world and i am 13 :) i love jazz

[lilrichbig18]

meh, I'm tired of all the disparaging remarks about the state of pop and rap music today. Please stop being all self-righteous as if you're statement is original. It has been posted all over good music everywhere on youtube comments. It was cool at first, but people that come to listen to artists such as Jaki Byard, etc. already have taste, at least I hope. Sorry for the tirade lol and keep listening to great music!

[RyLay]

The description under this video is about as perfect as anything I've ever seen.

[JazzmanJibilla]

On that Mingus at Cornell 1964 disc, Jaki opens with something called ATFW..Art Tatum and Fats Waller. He cuts them both on that one. A great underrated piano talent Jaki Byard.

[peeterpolomaa]

Fellas, hearing this kind of improvisational jazz music always puts me off.. I can't imagine anyone, but the musicians themselves can honestly enjoy it.. there is usually no melody, it's just fluff. I'd die to be able to play like him.. but listening to this - it's almost impossible. I know most of you are gonna disagree, but I also know that 99% of you don't actually listen to this, just put it on as background music.. and that says it all.

[Jerkicus]

@peeterpolomaa how did a philistine such as yourself end up on a jaki byard video? i'm sorry you aren't intelligent enough to "get" his music just because there isn't an easy melody to follow. perhaps you should look into Lady Gaga or Ke$ha for now?

[RyLay]

@peeterpolomaa

As much as I would love to tell you that you're retarded, I will go the sympathetic route instead. You have to realize that Jaki was actually hearing these things in his head when he was playing. Once you're there, you can understand what a mind it would take to venture beyond conventions such as the ones that you probably find much easier to hear and appreciate the audacity and brilliance that it takes to play such outside stuff.

[RyLay]

@peeterpolomaa

He really put the work in to be able to get these kinds of lines out there and your ears will have to put in equal amounts of work to understand what makes them great. Listening shouldn't be something you do just for pleasure; it should be something you do in order to learn new sounds. You gotta get those sounds.

[madflavason]

C R A Z Z Z Z z Y!

[Paintblob]

Some of the best piano playing I've ever heard! This peace gets better everytime I listen to it.

[Tobiashreese]

When you find yourself needing inspiration...listen to this.

Good medicine.

[Pjam2006]

magic fingers

[ganelio]

Quest'uomo suonava le cose di Hancock 10 anni prima..è fra i musicisti più sottovalutati della storia del jazz...ascotate che si inventava con Dolphy...

[heru1966]

The rhapsodic part at 6:11 is amazing. So many wonderful moments in this.

[skyla61]

Reggie Workman-bass

[missmusiclover3]

?:s talented musicians but just plain weird to me

[critchley3819]

I stumbled acroos this looking for somthing else, this groupe are unreal , musical genius

[DYNODRUM]

I Believe this Is Alan Dawson on Drum's and could that be Richard Davis on the Bass w/ bow... Great stuff Thanks so much for posting.......................­..

[flowsage]

this is great

[modjaffamodjaffa]

Hello Hello. I play the piano, im no master but I everytime I play people tell me Im good. I need some tips from you Jazz Lovers! I want to play Jazz on piano. Tabs, tricks, tunes, music to listen to for inspiration, websites, anything would help. Tnx alot!

[FMSV1P3R]

I just jizzed ::)

[heru1966]

Jaki Byard is one of the most complete and accomplished pianists in jazz.

[blinkie7]

A jazz giant.

[DarthClam]

Workshop? Hah! He's just fuckin showin off... not that that's a bad thing!

[fiddlerfart]

Find "Anything for Jazz" - a DVD documentary about Byard with Bill Evans as well - short but sweet

[sagittariuslove5]

a moment of truth,playing at this level is my work in progress dream.thank you for this post.

[thatbastardson]

a little too abstract for me, but good nonetheless. i guess im just not smart enough to get it.

[gamoonbat]

He gets down and dirty at 3:30 and out!

[erykaadams]

i heard he played alto as well

[vananthoney]

Thanks for posting this......!!!!!!

[hackblob]

I love this! I think the drummer is Alan Dawson - can anyone confirm?

[AFRICA929]

Jaki Byard died (tragically) on February 11, 1999. He was 76 years young I only wish that he could have had his last wish which was to buy a boat. Not a big wish to have. I would like to think that maybe he did buy that boat and that maybe our dreams do not die with us, and that maybe he's just sailing right through heaven now, listening to the music he admired, gigging with his departed fellow musicians and enjoying the high seas of heaven as only he could. .

-Diane Byard

[heru1966]

Nice to read your comment, Diane. This clip of Jaki is very special to watch. I owned a copy of the album that was made of this concert and was especially taken by Jaki's performances. This particular clip shows him at his brilliant best. It's like hearing the whole history of jazz piano.

[SeerTrulth]

@AFRICA929 Diane, Jaki got his boat. I can guarantee you that if he wished for a boat, he cruised pristine waters soon after releasing from his earthly body. And heaven is way to limited a concept for an innovative genius (like us all, actually, in our own ways less obvious than Jaki) to find creative fulfillment. Mr. Byard is creating much, much more than one body could have on Earth, I assure you, and you may find this out directly when you move outward, as well, with him.

[swisstripz]

@AFRICA929  thanks Ms.. Byard, this comment just made my day

[greob]

Can you name sources about this case?

I didn't know they had caught the murderer. Is it Leicht the jazz trumpeter? The same one who has a youtube account and a blog...

I've tried to look up some facts about this but I find misleading comments on weblogs...

[PREZ150]

Did they ever find who shot Jaki Byard ?

[juiorocha]

Muito lindo..

Julio- Brazil -Barueri

[Flextones]

I guess I never really heard Jaki before. He was young and healthy in those days. To the others you would have to have a trained ear to appreciate this. If you don't even know what an interval is and what to listen for then you are listening on the surface and without any debth of understanding. If you have relative pitch you can appreciate it. If you have absolute pitch then you really can appreciate the styles. He goes from abstract to early and back.

[gamoonbat]

I don't think pitch matters much as that would be the piano tuning. Jaki's art was all about rhythm and the stride that he could do with his left hand now and then. He also had a great sense of melody.

[greob]

It's the 35th time I watch this video. Thank you poster, I'm off to buy the DVD now!

"Jazz Piano Workshop 1965 in Berlin" for 15 bucks, deal.

[greob]

Indeed, thanks for the hint. I heard about Pierre Christophe before, but now that you mention it, I will look into it. :)

[ewenson111]

fuckin emo

[nairda200885]

mistrzostwo cos pieknego

[taftchatham]

Byard is fantastic--a virtuoso in every way.

His version of "Just Rollin' Along" (the middle section, starting @ 3:15) from "Family Man" features Major Holley on bass/vocal and is great.

[neon854]

More difficult than good sounding

[greob]

Wow, now that is some very HARD Bop we have here.

Amazing! Great video quality too.

Not a big fan though, hard bop is very difficult to a) play b) understand c) study.

[greob]

4:05 is absolutely brilliant. I still wonder what makes it so special... (probably the drummer?)

[C0NTR4B455]

Beautiful..Just beautiful..Three masters arrive on a stage and start to make music..Playing and listening intently..Its called JAZZ!!!!!!!!!!!

[claitontesch]

SUPERB!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DavidDefries]

Sure they read . The drummer , Alan Dawson was Tony Williams' teacher in Boston before T joined Miles . Reggie Workman , Bassist is a renowned teacher . JB wrote for a big band , and taught , So how could he not read ? Just listen : here he runs the whole gamut of Jazz piano history , and ending in a French classical genre . Look at his fingering  He studied the European classics too. Many American Jazz musicians love Stravinsky Bartok Kodaly Debussy Ravel. Wise up you guys

[ndodro]

This is amazing! That Bud Powell, The Duke, and the Impressionists, all have a part in Byard's improvisation, naturally Mingus procedures, and that all this stands all possible comparison with European New Music, all that was going in Darmstad, Paris, Milano in those years. Underrated he can be no more now, but in the sixties Byard could be seen 'simply' as a 'jazz virtuoso' and so confined. That's why many jazz musicians were opposing jazz as a label.

[heru1966]

@ndodro Very much so. Jaki's playing represents 360 degrees of music, as you've described so well!

[bopkick5]

hey r you de david defries who used to play with "loose tubes"?

[joshonn78]

why is it people got to compare all the time just watch this guy and appreciate his work enjoy it dont get caught up in your head just feel it you like it or you don't

[thefatha]

genius......

[Andrewkepandrew]

dont get much better than this.

absolutely brilliant!

[HorstAction]

i love this shit

[roccoZKY]

GRANDE

[Nick05000]

Man, Jazz is so amazing, I wish people as young as me would listen to it. Instead of Rap and manufactured singers.

[whateverni]

I listen to jazz and rap, among almost everything else. Don't need to tear down other genres to build up another.

[Nick05000]

I listen to almost every kind of music aswell, all I'm saying is that Jazz takes the most musical skill and on average most people don't respect/appriciate how good it is. You have to at least admit that rap and (most) singers aren't the most technically musically talented people.

[sizzlinfr]

Nuh uh, all "genres" require their own technical genius. It took a LOT of practice obviously for Byard to get where he was, but also it took a LOT of practice for rappers like Tupac, Eminem, Outkast, and Kanye West to get where they were. Yes, I'd agree that most mainstream rappers are crap and can in no way be considered artists, but those that I mentioned have demonstrated in many of their songs a combination of poetic, rhythemic, and vocal genius.

[Nick05000]

Can any of them read music?

[bertdockx]

that's silly, man. there's a long list of good musicians that don't know how to read music, and a long one of bad musicians that do know how to read.

[sizzlinfr]

I agree. If you judge musical genius by one's ability to read music, then you win the silly game. We could battle this two-valued logic over what constitutes musicality forever, so I guess the term "artist" would be safer for me to use. I've studied jazz, poetry, and vocal history, and I understand the technical dynamics of each. Moreover I understand your perspective, but I don't suggest arguing over subjects about which you have not given your own full attention.

[bertdockx]

''Moreover I understand your perspective, but I don't suggest arguing over subjects about which you have not given your own full attention"

i'm not sure what you meant by that (maybe this: "i suggest not to argue over etc"), and whether it was directed at me or nick05000. please explain?

[sizzlinfr]

Oh sorry lol the "I agree" part was for you. The rest was for Nick.

[memzehni]

*lmfao*... what do you think?

[nyshoefly]

no infact this isnt music, this is just 4 guys who picked up random instruments and started banging them and found they made sounds, amazing!

OF COURSE THEY COULD

[Nick05000]

Wow ok, well as much as I enjoy having to type this. FOR EVERYONE THAT DIDN'T UDNERSTAND WHY I WROTE " CAN THEY READ MUSIC" IT WAS IN REPLY TO A GUY WHO WAS SAYING RAP WAS AS GOOD AS JAZZ, TO WHOM I ASKED THAT QUESTION, OF FUCKING COURSE THESE GUYS CAN READ MUSIC. STOP REPLYING TO THAT COMMENT.

[BizzMarki]

Different Genre's of music require different talents and intellect.

Becoming a virtuoso in an instrument requires thousands of hours of training and practice, and you really must start an an early enough age or it won't be accomplished.

Making beats for a rap song in a studio however can be done easily by most people as long as you have to right equipment, with a midi keyboard and a computer I was able to make great sounding beats in less than a day.

Whilst Mastering a piano takes a lifetime.

[sizzlinfr]

Making beats is not rap. Making beats may make people famous and rich, but that's not music composition, nor is it performing, nor does it take practice. What made you think that digitalized thumps constitute rap? Again, I don't suggest arguing over subjects about which you have not given your own full attention. Other than that, sure, I agree fully.

[123frizzlefry]

@Nick05000 I agree. I think it's a lack of interest in music that doesn't have the 3 minute, verse,chorus,verse structure, with a catchy chorus, you know. i'm 19 and I love Jazz, but I don't know many other people who love jazz too. most people of my age like music that doesn't have much depth in it like lady gaga, or lil wayne

[TheYuLeeAn]

@Nick05000 Hm. How young is young? I'm 16 and I listen to allot of jazz, classic, crazy modern music just as to freaky rock (Pete Doherty :-), some gothic and old school rap...

But ur right, most young people don't have a big range of musical interests. Most don't even play an instrument :-(

[JAZZSTARish]

@Nick05000 true that..especially the fusion funk..and latin jazz..not like crap today..

[ELpiffpaff]

@Nick05000

well, old hip hop producers used a lot of jazz samples, like dj premier. his music has been called "jazzrap"; you can google. it.

[Sashamanxyz]

@Nick05000 Oh yea how old are you?

[janmorez]

@Nick05000 what's wrong with rap music?

[SeerTrulth]

@janmorez Nothing is inherently wrong with any artform. BUT, you find more genuine expression in the face of adversity in our jazz heritage than you do in most commercially-packaged rap music productions. These men were birthing new freedoms of expression and musical complexity linked to soul. Rap artists are typically, validly expressing something, but very, very often if they have a label, they have a big establisment profit boss, and their work is for sheep that follow fame and glitter.

[JsoTurn]

@Nick05000 So what's wrong with rap music?

I can listen to almost anything. From Metal and rock to hip hop and blues and jazz...

[sitarnut]

@JsoTurn It isn't MUSIC

[JsoTurn]

@sitarnut rap(hiphop) is music just as much as everything else. there is other rap artists than what you have heard. most of the main stream rap is bullshit, but there are some great hip hop artists that don't have that much attention.

don't say something isn't music just because you don't like it.

[somusheelan]

Great player..............jazzzzz...­.....

[hachamacha]

Great player. I took a couple lessons from him at NE Conservatory long ago but learned much.

Thanks, Hashi

[claudthornhill]

How Jaki could have been so under appreciated? I don't get it.

[jazzm]

My favorite set from the workshop. Made my day. thanks for the post.

[IEatDafodiles]

I like John Lewis's 'Django'..

But Jaki is a bloody machine!

[feltxrider]

i like jazz like this just instruments no words. can anyone recommend some good artists?

[PsychoticCat723]

art tatum

dave brubeck

thelonius monk

they're all insanely different but they do the smaller instrument combos like this.

[AshwinManOfSteel]

yeh true. i meant learning all my jazz and blues scales so i can improvise like this beast. oll, it will take a few good years i reckon. it would be worth it at the end tho. lol, awesome vid.

[bobtheknobrob]

practice everyday and you'll be there even sooner

[AshwinManOfSteel]

simply awesome... and complex too. lol, amazing stuff. might work up the courage to try and learn something like that some day. haha, brilliant

Ashwin

[IEatDafodiles]

'Learning' something like this isn't really possible seeing as it's free jazz..

I love Jaki Byard!

But he;s so under-rated..

[thphaca]

True, but you can still learn the guidelines for how to achieve that effect. In this case, he uses the whole-tone scale to eliminate all harmonic properties.

[IEatDafodiles]

Yeah - totally man.. But I'd say rather than learning a whole improvisation it's good to pick out ideas, work them out, analyze them and then encorporate them into your own style of playing. If you listen to a number of different players and invent your own techniques, you can get a nice, interesting sound.

[dirigentkomponist]

Few people I've worked with made a larger impression on me than Jaki. He was a walking encyclopedia of jazz. You can hear the history of jazz in his playing. I spent the summer of 1976 studying and performing with him at Bennington College in Vermont. Years later, I was driving home from a gig when I heard on the radio he had been murdered. I had to pull over and just weep at thought of never seeing him again. His death was a loss from which we will never fully recover.

[MadMathmatics]

can you teach me somethin? i promise i'm promising. I've known a few jazz theory, and I need to know where to improve my skills

[dirigentkomponist]

I'll do what I am able from a distance. What instrument do you play? Are you in a college program? Do you have a teacher locally where you live? Let's take this dialog off Youtube.

[exhort91]

The drummer looks to be Alan Dawson

[jujutay]

anyone know the drummer?

[scribe63]

he makes some of the funniest faces when he plays :-)

[luganskymichelangeli]

*speechless*

[squandermania]

What makes this a workshop? Is it all improvised?

[iwanttowatchsomethin]

WOW

[GodfatherHuggE]

A classic example of Jaki's varying approaches of brilliance and creativity, all rolled into seven minutes. This is a complete treasure. Those of us who knew Jaki will always celebrate his joyful spirit more than we grieve his tragic loss, and this video helps us in our celebration.

[jlevinson6]

Probably the most underated and neglected talent in the history of jazz

[seamusohanrahan]

agreed

[ajack2boys]

@jlevinson6 I completely agree. A great, great talent.

RIP Jaki

[jmanasia1]

that is some of the baddest shit ever

[harveylegs]

Jaki I love you

[stijnwit]

Wow! timing of Byards block chords at 4.06!! - drummers dropping bombs at 4.36 ka-BOOM!!

[joey2tones]

yeah that is pretty amazing

[francossavella]

who's the drummer?

[dakotared55]

Wonderful!

[linkubusam]

If I could play like that, I'd wouldn't have a care in the world.

[LetTheRainCome]

My favorite pianist! Great faces, you could tell he had a hell of time while he played. I bet he was such a funny and interesting guy. R.I.P.

[TheJaZzEnthusiast]

Ahh yes... I Love this video nothing like seeing Jaki Byard (my most FAVORITE musician ever!!) In action on a live performance!!! I wish I was able to see him perform live! before his tragic and sad death! =/

[dec10]

Google for Jaki Byard Live at Le Petit Opportun - it's a good bootleg from the 80s you should check out.

[setepratas]

Magnifico!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[6stringsnsmoke]

Erroll Garner faces.lol

[AccordionJo]

awesome, awesome...WOw!!

thanks so much for posting this

[niepce38]

I love the "Hey Hey !" at 02:52 :)

[NotRichAtAll]

Jaki was married to my "Great" Aunt Louise. I never met him, but I heard all about him from my grandmother. I heard he was an incredible musician. I have one cd from him called Family Man.

[Lot2learn]

Wow. Incredible! Thanks so much for posting.

[raikonomicron]

jaki es un pionero del jazz.

increible

[SidewalkFrequencies]

so underated.

[SidewalkFrequencies]

Pure Natural Talent.

[jazzaheadandbehind]

This is the first time that I have seen Jaki in action. I have been a long time admire of him and his incredible talent.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[plainwain]

Jaki Byard

Jaki (John) Byard (June 15, 1922 -- February 11, 1999) was a jazz piano player and composer who also played trumpet and saxophones, among several other instruments. Byard began playing professionally at the age of 15. After serving in World War II he toured with Earl Bostic in the late 1940s, making his recording debut with Charlie Mariano in 1951.

Byard recorded extensively with Charles Mingus , the Apollo Stompers.Byard was killed in 1999 by a bullet wound to the head.

[Johnnynoir333]

that's natural causes in my old neighborhood.

[jazzvibes251]

7 nites/wk playing vibes & drums with you in Boston taught me all I know & beyond. This brings it all back.Beautiful, swings, cosmic - al francis Jazz Bohemia

[ilssonttousfous]

LONG LIVE JACKY'S MUSIC ! He is a constant source of inspiration, Thanks you.

[mauimauvais]

Oh my, wonderful. Who's backing him--is that Ron Carter on bass?

[vova47]

Reggie Workman on bass and Alan Dawson on drums

[jacktheimprovident]

Man, I've only recently become familiar with this guy, but he already ranks up with Oscar Peterson and McCoy Tyner as my favorite jazz keyboardists. He also apparently played Sax, trumpet and vibraphone.. so crazy that he was murdered

[dellabonna]

What a wonderful priceless treasure, I can hardy belive it's true to see Jaki in action in '65. One of the greatest pianists in the history of our music, and so callously murdered. I wish they'd caught the mother....er and sent him to Old Smokey.

[javijazztazz]

The most eclectic pianist in the history of jazz

[30M]

yeah!

[antcol8]

bless you for this one

[bopsophony]

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.

[07weber]

yo this is ridiculous son.