Oscar Peterson, Sonny Stitt, Jacob Garchik's hilarious post, Gabriel Kahane's serious comment in the Atlantic, 2 from Sam Newsome, summer concerts in review, RIP composer Daniel Lentz
I never heard the Oscar Peterson synth thing but I remember being subscribed to Keyboard magazine when he was on the cover with his Synclavier. In the article he did have a great quote that made me laugh saying “You really have to learn how to play to the sound because trust me, there is nothing worse than stride flutes.“
Speaking of Varitone Jazz radio hits, Eddie Harris dominated the Chicago Jazz radio airwaves in 1967 with Listen Here and Theme In Search of a Movie—both still fun to listen to as curios. I think Eddie actually handled the Vari better than Stitt but a gimmick is a gimmick (remember the Lyricon?)
I got to write something about the varitone. There is a famous picture of Coltrane holding one but he never recorded on it. If you look in late 60s downbeats they are filled with these and similar devices, like the Conn Multi vider, and swing and bebop guys endorsing them. Lee Konitz and Al Grey also used them.
From the first notes, I realized this must have been the same approach "The Electrifying Eddie Harris" took back then. I've long understood something technological was afoot but didn't know what until now. Mystery is revealed!
Yes. Eddie was one of the great experimenters, and made a series of albums for Atlantic with the Varitone and other electronic devices. Some are fun to listen to, some are unlistenable, all sound irredeemably dated, and I was around when they first came out. Swiss Movement, the Montreux Jazz Festival concert with Les McCann, is Eddie at his best imo, playing unadorned, gutbucket tenor sax. And, behind the radio hit “Compared To What” it was a big selling hit album that holds up to this very day.
Nothing I heard of his afterwards really meshed with my own aesthetics, but back when I was spending whole days in my college music library checking out every score and recording I was allowed to, Missa Umbrarum really blew my mind. Off to check out Wild Turkeys and Point Conception...
I saw Sonny Stitt with a local rhythm section in Milwaukee sometime late 70’s maybe 1980. He showed up at the now defunct Jazz Gallery in a checker cab wearing a light blue 3 piece suit with an alto case in one hand and a tenor case in the other. We were waiting for the doors to open and he walked by us into the club. When the show started he was on fire especially on alto. He was in an ornery mood and made fun of the (pretty good bass player I thought) Skip Crumby-Bey introducing him as Skip be crumby after his solos. I don’t remember the rest of the band but it was a great performance by Stitt
I got to hear both Sonny and Eddie playing varitone in Chicago clubs. I think I remember hearing that one reason Sonny might have been interested in the device was that it made him easier to hear in clubs with lousy sound systems, just as I think a major reason that electronic pianos took off was the lousy state of pianos in so many clubs.
Separately, who is the likely pianist Ms. Rothenberg seems to be introducing in the photo?
You have to admire Oscar Peterson’s willingness to set his reputation aside and try a new thing. Maybe I’ll think of him next time I dare to step onto the dance floor.
I never heard the Oscar Peterson synth thing but I remember being subscribed to Keyboard magazine when he was on the cover with his Synclavier. In the article he did have a great quote that made me laugh saying “You really have to learn how to play to the sound because trust me, there is nothing worse than stride flutes.“
A great quote! But I am not sure he learned that lesson LOL
Perhaps he arrived at that conclusion after listening to one of his playbacks?
Hahaha!
Speaking of Varitone Jazz radio hits, Eddie Harris dominated the Chicago Jazz radio airwaves in 1967 with Listen Here and Theme In Search of a Movie—both still fun to listen to as curios. I think Eddie actually handled the Vari better than Stitt but a gimmick is a gimmick (remember the Lyricon?)
I got to write something about the varitone. There is a famous picture of Coltrane holding one but he never recorded on it. If you look in late 60s downbeats they are filled with these and similar devices, like the Conn Multi vider, and swing and bebop guys endorsing them. Lee Konitz and Al Grey also used them.
Here’s a link to a 2011 Marc Myers posting on JazzWax which dives into Sonny Stitt’s Varitone odyssey:
https://www.jazzwax.com/2011/12/sonny-stitt-varitone-redux.html
From the first notes, I realized this must have been the same approach "The Electrifying Eddie Harris" took back then. I've long understood something technological was afoot but didn't know what until now. Mystery is revealed!
Yes. Eddie was one of the great experimenters, and made a series of albums for Atlantic with the Varitone and other electronic devices. Some are fun to listen to, some are unlistenable, all sound irredeemably dated, and I was around when they first came out. Swiss Movement, the Montreux Jazz Festival concert with Les McCann, is Eddie at his best imo, playing unadorned, gutbucket tenor sax. And, behind the radio hit “Compared To What” it was a big selling hit album that holds up to this very day.
Love it!
I'm sorry to hear about Daniel Lentz. Missa Umbrarum and Wild Turkeys both put me in a trance whenever I listen to them. RIP.
Nothing I heard of his afterwards really meshed with my own aesthetics, but back when I was spending whole days in my college music library checking out every score and recording I was allowed to, Missa Umbrarum really blew my mind. Off to check out Wild Turkeys and Point Conception...
Thanks for the shout-out, Ethan!!
I saw Sonny Stitt with a local rhythm section in Milwaukee sometime late 70’s maybe 1980. He showed up at the now defunct Jazz Gallery in a checker cab wearing a light blue 3 piece suit with an alto case in one hand and a tenor case in the other. We were waiting for the doors to open and he walked by us into the club. When the show started he was on fire especially on alto. He was in an ornery mood and made fun of the (pretty good bass player I thought) Skip Crumby-Bey introducing him as Skip be crumby after his solos. I don’t remember the rest of the band but it was a great performance by Stitt
I forgot he had a matching light blue fedora
I got to hear both Sonny and Eddie playing varitone in Chicago clubs. I think I remember hearing that one reason Sonny might have been interested in the device was that it made him easier to hear in clubs with lousy sound systems, just as I think a major reason that electronic pianos took off was the lousy state of pianos in so many clubs.
Separately, who is the likely pianist Ms. Rothenberg seems to be introducing in the photo?
Tyshawn Sorey is in the photo with Rothenberg
You have to admire Oscar Peterson’s willingness to set his reputation aside and try a new thing. Maybe I’ll think of him next time I dare to step onto the dance floor.