The Count at his European concert, age 77?

I have not paid much attention to big band jazz during 60es. I had a chance to listen to his orchestra at State Room, Empire State Building, if I remember correctly.

But I was much fond of Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans and Red Garland. It took me another 10 years to find how great the Count has been. I was invited to join amatuar big band during 80es and had chance to read scores of Count Basie Band.

Thing was the ad lib by the Count is completely out of my imagination. I didn't realized that till I saw his score. No, I'd rather put it this way, "Count wouldn't let you know how different he has been and didn't even give us a hint to guess so" Right, his ad-lib so natural.



This is 55 minutes video. But is packed with popular numbers. Tear,s man, tears, I feel tears come out remembering those happy years with jazz myself.

Oscar Peterson got his statute

Year was 2004, Oscar Peterson played but I see him old. My first live experience with him was in Chicago 1967 or 68. He was lively. I got tear too easy for him.

Yes, we all die. And I am feeling it quite realistic by being 70 years. He mentioned that he has lost Jone Lewis, Ray Brown, Milt Jackson, right before he started playing this tribute. They are all my favorites. 

 I am wondering how he came up with a title, "Sushi" the next tune. Lively, I like it, first time to hear it though.

http://youtu.be/bkX6rZgR1qI?t=30m

Statute of Oscar Peterson, the Great!

Right, life is too short. You realize it as being close to your end. I am the one. I hospitalized on January 6th for broken thigh bone due to prostate cancer spread to there. I had been depressed by swollen left leg for over a month. I had aches and the medicine to cure worked to give me the tantalizing constipation.

I see Peterson got  fat. There should be too much for him just to walk around. Don't you think?
Yeah, right, we all die. He lived three more years from this date and pased away on Dec 23rd, 2007. A day before Christmas Eve. Nice,

But jazz music are here to stay. There is no
reason to doubt it, right?

Here's his official site, just in case you didn't know: http://www.oscarpeterson.com

John Lewis, tribute to self

My first encounter with jazz was MJQ headed by John Lewis, a noble man. I went to Tokyo for their New Year's concert in early 60es. There was no Internet at the time and no jazz station in Japan. I have visited so-called "Jazz-coffee" shops where they play LP records with the high fidelity audio system of the time. MJQ was quite popular.

If you sit in the coffee shop, you are supposed not to move or converse but to listen. That was the time when I started smoking. I didn't like Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Sony Rollins. They were just too loud to listen to.

I wanted you to know that I like John Lewis best. The below video was recorded in 2000, a year before his death. He died on March 29, 2001, 80 years old. He lived long enough to be rewarded and respected, I believe.




I hear his tribute to himself. His left hand plays tribute and right hand wishes to keep living forever. A beautiful tune and pretty hard to play. Have you heard anyone played this tune other than John?