My Content
Membership has its privileges! Sign up or sign in to gain full access to both All About Jazz and Jazz Near You. Learn more.
Mike Jones: Live at Steinway Hall
Buffalo native Mike Jones clearly has listened to and learned from them all, Erroll Garner, Willy "The Lion" Smith, Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell, Teddy Wilson, and Art Tatum, especially Art Tatum. The arpeggios and the emphasis on the melody-driven right hand reminds one of the master pianist. Not only is a pianist known by those who influenced him, but also by the songs he plays. On this album, all but one of the tunes are classic entries in the Great American Songbook. The one exception, Oscar Peterson's "Kelly's Blues" doesn't seem out of place at all. "Listened" and "learned" are the operative words, not copied. A worn phrase, perhaps, but Jones is "carrying on the tradition" of these giants of the keyboard, perhaps on the way to becoming one himself.
On this album Mr. Jones playing before a small group, takes on all tempos without fear or trepidation. He swings, he strides, he dazzles with speed and sentimentalizes with romantic playing as he runs through this play list of eleven tunes taking almost 80 minutes to do it. Taking advantage of this generous amount of time made available by Chiaroscuro, each tune gets a thorough vetting. Jones can change tempos in a wink of the eye as he shows on "I'm Through with Love". Making sure that he doesn't fall into that trap of predictability, he takes a tune and completely changes the way one normally hears it played, like a bouncy, close to funky "It Happened in Monterey". On other tracks, while he doesn't sing, you can almost hear the lyrics as on his interpretation of "The Things We Did Last Summer", which features more than one tempo change.
Jones belongs to the old-fashioned school of piano players. No minimalist style for him, he uses the entire keyboard giving the listener full value for his time and money. This album is easy to recommend.
Track Listing: This Can't Be Love; These Foolish Things; I Want to Be Happy; I'm Through with Love; It Happened in Monterrey; Once in Awhile; Kelly's Blues; Lullaby of the Leaves; The Things We Did Last Summer; Medley: I'm Crazy
Personnel: Mike Jones - Piano
Title: Live at Steinway Hall | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Chiaroscuro Records
Tags
View All Events
| Date | Detail |
|---|---|
| Jun20Wed 9:00 pm |
Penn & TellerPenn & Teller Theater At Rio Las VegasLas Vegas, NV |
| Jun23Sat 9:00 pm |
Penn & TellerPenn & Teller Theater At Rio Las VegasLas Vegas, NV |
| Jun24Sun 9:00 pm |
Penn & TellerPenn & Teller Theater At Rio Las VegasLas Vegas, NV |
| Jun25Mon 9:00 pm |
Penn & TellerPenn & Teller Theater At Rio Las VegasLas Vegas, NV |
| Jun26Tue 9:00 pm |
Penn & TellerPenn & Teller Theater At Rio Las VegasLas Vegas, NV |
| Jun27Wed 9:00 pm |
Penn & TellerPenn & Teller Theater At Rio Las VegasLas Vegas, NV |
| Jun30Sat 9:00 pm |
Penn & TellerPenn & Teller Theater At Rio Las VegasLas Vegas, NV |
Related Articles
Book ReviewsFare Thee Well: The Final Chapter of the Grateful...
by Doug Collette
Published: June 16, 2018
Multiple ReviewsDot Time Legends Series: Is Every Night New Year's Eve...
by Richard J Salvucci
Published: June 16, 2018
Showcase
-
Sebastiana by Ricardo Bacelar
-
Dreaming Spirits by Mark Egan
-
Still Dreaming by Joshua Redman
Story of the Day
I have loved jazz since I was a little girl watching old movies, and seeing some of the greatest performers. My family did not listen to it on the radio or the car. It was something that I had to go out of my way for. I have met many jazz, swing, blues, and rock musicians
Read more
By Michele Peraino
Member since: 2015
