YES! McPherson’s improvised lines at those quick tempos can somehow be very inventive, slippery, surprising, and yet right in the tempo - all at the same time. It’s very impressive. And great piano comping for Charles as well, Ethan!
I'm fortunate to have seen him a few times in Chicago, and he was always great and inspiring, but I'm not sure that video isn't the hottest stuff I ever heard him play.
This — “When you employ triplets and then play eighth notes right after that; it’s like you shot a bow and arrow.”— is a poetic image straight out of like Tennyson. SO dope.
So interesting, that idea that all the action is in the space between the beats. Thanks for reposting. I’m looking forward to seeing you tonight at Birdland…
I remember seeing Charles in New Haven probably in the late 70s. To this day, my favorite recording of his is on the Xanadu label. “Beautiful”. He plays “Lover” on that and just tears into it!
“The real secret to improvising is to be alive in the space and not just alive here [claps hands]...
The improviser has to be totally alive throughout the whole spectrum of a bar. Not just a downbeat of a bar, in a micro beat way not just a macro beats.” This is so important -- not only in jazz, not only in music. In the classical world, the great bassist Julius Levine taught it -- like Mr. McPherson, through subdivision: one approaches wholeness, the circle, by adding angles to the square. In the end, it is reached through surrender, through what the mystics call abandonment to Divine Providence... So much meaning in his mention of T’ai Chi!
This great discussion of rhythm reminds me of that legendary Pat Metheny clip where he sets the metronome to click on 2 and 4 then rips through an astonishing improv over All The Things You Are.
Ten years ago I missed my window to ask this when it was timely. When McPherson is talking about practicing through the changes in thirds, I'm assuming he doesn't mean "going from the third of one chord to the third of another chord," like the melodies of "All the Things" and "Autumn Leaves", which is an exercise lots of jazz ed talks about. I'm assuming he means "instead of practicing scales through the changes like F-G-Ab-Bb-C, play in thirds like F-Ab-G-Bb-C-Ab ..."
Is that what he was showing you?
Also in general amazing interview, helped me sort out my own developing thoughts about Bird vs his followers, Sonny vs Trane, Trane vs his followers, etc. Thank you!
Thank you for the confirmation! When I need a mental break at work I'll often reread old DTM, so this is one of those nuggets I've been puzzling over for a while.
“the game in between this beat and the next one.” 🤯
The top table
Thanks for reposting this wonderful interview of McPherson sharing his concepts. And his uptempo improving on “Lover”: WOW, WOW, WOW !!
yeah. that's one the best things I ever heard...crazy good
YES! McPherson’s improvised lines at those quick tempos can somehow be very inventive, slippery, surprising, and yet right in the tempo - all at the same time. It’s very impressive. And great piano comping for Charles as well, Ethan!
I'm fortunate to have seen him a few times in Chicago, and he was always great and inspiring, but I'm not sure that video isn't the hottest stuff I ever heard him play.
I've never read a more meaningful, deep discussion of time and rhythm.
Thanks, Ethan. There is so much to digest here...
I'm certainly still working on digesting it all myself!
This — “When you employ triplets and then play eighth notes right after that; it’s like you shot a bow and arrow.”— is a poetic image straight out of like Tennyson. SO dope.
This is a great read! Thanks Ethan - now I'm going to have a think and a sit-down at the piano.
So interesting, that idea that all the action is in the space between the beats. Thanks for reposting. I’m looking forward to seeing you tonight at Birdland…
Wow Ethan. Two pianists teaching an old drummer more about rhythm. Well done, thanks for posting.
MIssed this first time around. thanks for the redux.-- Doesn't get better than Sonny Clarks time.
A great teacher teaching a great teacher. So much to learn from this
Wonderful! Thank you!!
I remember seeing Charles in New Haven probably in the late 70s. To this day, my favorite recording of his is on the Xanadu label. “Beautiful”. He plays “Lover” on that and just tears into it!
“The real secret to improvising is to be alive in the space and not just alive here [claps hands]...
The improviser has to be totally alive throughout the whole spectrum of a bar. Not just a downbeat of a bar, in a micro beat way not just a macro beats.” This is so important -- not only in jazz, not only in music. In the classical world, the great bassist Julius Levine taught it -- like Mr. McPherson, through subdivision: one approaches wholeness, the circle, by adding angles to the square. In the end, it is reached through surrender, through what the mystics call abandonment to Divine Providence... So much meaning in his mention of T’ai Chi!
This great discussion of rhythm reminds me of that legendary Pat Metheny clip where he sets the metronome to click on 2 and 4 then rips through an astonishing improv over All The Things You Are.
Thanks for sharing!
You already said you were working on a book of your interviews, etc from DTM/TT, right?
I have literary ambitions, but I don't know about the interviews book. Maybe late in life
OK!
Ten years ago I missed my window to ask this when it was timely. When McPherson is talking about practicing through the changes in thirds, I'm assuming he doesn't mean "going from the third of one chord to the third of another chord," like the melodies of "All the Things" and "Autumn Leaves", which is an exercise lots of jazz ed talks about. I'm assuming he means "instead of practicing scales through the changes like F-G-Ab-Bb-C, play in thirds like F-Ab-G-Bb-C-Ab ..."
Is that what he was showing you?
Also in general amazing interview, helped me sort out my own developing thoughts about Bird vs his followers, Sonny vs Trane, Trane vs his followers, etc. Thank you!
yes, exactly, play in thirds like F-Ab-G-Bb-C-Ab. Thanks for comment
Thank you for the confirmation! When I need a mental break at work I'll often reread old DTM, so this is one of those nuggets I've been puzzling over for a while.