Raul Midon - Giant Steps

March 12, 2008 -- At the jazz workshop in 7 Pecados with the amazing Raul Midon. Here he was joking about how easy it is to sing some mainstream song and get paid for it, rather than focus on something that only a few people understand, but is beautiful to you.

"I can play Giant Steps!"
"So what?"

Giant Steps is a piece that has a rapid succession of key changes, from E to G to Eb back to G, back to Eb then B, on so on.

If you find something complicated, it's just because you're not used to it.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• jazz
• education
• music
• festival
• raul
• midon
• sofitel
• manila
• philippines
• improvisation
• giant
• steps

[saxysam]

Its cool. but the problem is that it isn't true to jazz, this was rehearse, I want hear him improve in the moment. I admire and respect him as a musician.

[funkypinksoul]

He did a lot of improvs during the workshop, and we can't say for sure that he didn't do any of his own riffs and takes on this standard. I'm sure he learned the basic progressions of the song, but this version sounds different from my other versions of Giant Steps. All I'm saying is I can't safely and rigidly say that this was entirely rehearsed and "untrue to jazz".

[brazenkaine]

i knew Raul in music school. He worked his butt off!

[funkypinksoul]

That's SO cool! You must be an amazing musician as well, then ;)

[0222527]

he was trained in classical and jazz.

[funkypinksoul]

... and Flamenco ;)

[jazz1bro]

Amazing musical mind plus a sharp IQ to match. probably only ahandful on the planet can do what he does with voice and their instrument on Giant steps. Wonder why he isn't raved about as much as those who clone and become superstars overnight on American idol with less then 1% of his talent.Mmmmm!

[cbmuzik]

When he sings in harmonics, this dude shows just how much music IQ he's walking around with...absolutely scary!!!!!

[camilovelandiamusic]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!! This is REALLY something!

[y34r]

@intrepidpooch I wasn't trying to be cool or guru or criticizing cat

but kind of attitude thaat raul had shown is kinda arrogant and ignorant,if you asked me

same thing applied to every kind of music

you can do it technically ,doesnt mean you grab the heart of what it is

,and yeah i know george benson did sing along, kurt rosenwinkel also,keith jarrett also,

Oscar peterson did it too,

I like his work,'state of mind' and all that but not this trying-to-show-off act he was pulling

[y34r]

@intrepidpooch I didn't say that singing unison with your solo line is not Jazz or mainstream,

I was trying to say his attitude of him saying that ''its so easy to do ,i can do it this ,but i chose not it''

for example,some classical pianist got fast chops ,then he came to play jazz,he may have concept of it,and can play fast shit thing in improvisation,but that doesn't make it JAZZ

On contrary,someone who may not have the technique like raul,play less technique-oriented,but swing much more

[intrepidpooch]

@y34r Ever hear George Benson? He's one of the most emulated jazz guitarists in history and he very often sang his lines in unison while he was soloing. Not sure you should be criticizing cats when your understanding of the tradition isn't complete.

[WesMetheny]

@funkypinksoul and killingness.

[bucketgirl]

Raul Midon is the only person who can beat up Chuck Norris.

[barisax7411]

holy crap.. I already loved Raul's music that was more poppy...

I didnt realize had these kind of jazz chops!!! This man is a true genius!!!

[effsixteenblock50]

Great video! One thing though - Giant Steps has 3 key centers not 4 as is written in the description. B, G and Eb - there is no E.

[woodtigress]

Damn!