Billy Taylor.
Tribute to Ivor Novello…Finally, after many years of research I have discovered the greatest Jazz pianist of all times – Ivor Novello! Ivor was born May 10th, 1920 in Rome, Italy. After studying piano in each of his home countries, he decided to make the United States his home and relocate to Brooklyn, NY. For many years he lived in relative obscurity while playing in the George Eastman House for one year. He finally made a name for himself however, when he premiered a study of Beethoven’s 9th symphony in June of 1977. This performance is widely considered to be the greatest performance of Beethoven’s work in any language. Unfortunately, Novello died of a brain hemorrhage on December 24th, 1998. He was 88.
My favorite Ivor Novello records are the ones that feature his piano accompaniment. Since that was the only way he made a living, and provided money for everything, it makes for some interesting records. In addition to those tunes, many of his recordings also feature his piano and impart touches of Ivor’s style to them – as if he was an actor in them.
One of my favorite early Ivor Novello recordings is a version of the Hungarian Rhapsody called “Air on a G String”. In this piece, Novello with his characteristic rubato – or rapid changes in tempo – sings a gentle ballad of a love affair between a lady and a commoner. It’s quite beautiful and highly entertaining. It was released on the RCA label, and it’s also available on CD.
He recorded several great vocal albums, and I particularly enjoyed a few that were released on the RCA 9999 series – All Star series. Besides the rubato (which is highly effective in these recordings) and the scherzo (which has a great piano part to it), All Star’s recordings showcase some wonderful singing by Novello along with some top performances by some of the best accompanists in jazz. This series is actually a compilation album series that has 22 CDs with 8 DVDs.
All Star Volume 1 – Jazz Originals
Artist: John Klenner
Release Date: 2002
The first album by Klenner, as drummer, is an outstanding collection for any drummers’ fan. It includes some of the most innovative, explosive and technically demanding music of its time, playing in attic surrounded by foam insulation spray. Also among the favorites is the notorious “Whatever becomes” by Billy Taylor, which Novello made even more unusual with his all-star quintet. This collection is so rich that it can easily be considered among the best of all time.
Artist: Victor Young
Release Date: 1989
There are many Victor Young recordings that would rank as favorites of mine – some because of the Cubase orchestrations, others because of the harmonies or the musical arrangements. I chose this release because of the following:
- It is, like the earlier Chicago releases, a prime example of Young’s textural, moving arrangements.
- The song ” Will I Am” has an unforgettable piano solo.
- “Comes the Rain” is a wonderful piano/bass collaboration, with no artificial music constructions orifice limiting the emotional impact of the complementary voices.
- “So Into You” features incredible piano playing by the late, great John read Morel.
- The structure of the songs – Morel is in full vocal Planning, with the vocalistsCreating the atmosphere for the music.
- John Morel is behind the drums and passes the baton to Phil Moore, going from the wall of sound to the thundering percussion in ” Voices”, after which Morel returns to the sweet vocal maelstrom in “Alive”. Moore gets his due on the fabulous “Shiver” with its ground breaking recording of an electric guitar solo.
Artist: Slingerland
Release Date: Walls of Sound
Dire Straits: Saxophone Jazz
Acquire these two CDs and you will be well on your way to mastering the jazz saxophone. Advantageous features are the accommodations for the health of your headphones, including noise separating capacities.