Sunday, July 19, 2026
George Wallington Quintet • The New York Scene
George Wallington, cuyo verdadero nombre era Giacinto Figlia (Palermo, Sicilia, 27 de octubre de 1924 - Cape Coral, Miami, 15 de febrero de 1993) fue un pianista y compositor italo-estadounidense de jazz.
Emigrado a Estados Unidos apenas recién nacido, aprende piano desde los nueve años de edad y, ya en la adolescencia, comienza a tocar en clubs de Nueva York. Conoce a Max Roach, con quien se incorpora al quinteto de Dizzy Gillespie, en 1944. Después tocará con Georgie Auld, Allen Eager, Red Rodney, Charlie Parker, Kai Winding y Gerry Mulligan, comenzando en 1949 a dirigir sus propios grupos, aunque sin dejar de colaborar con músicos como Lionel Hampton (1953) y realizar grabaciones con Serge Chaloff, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Phil Woods, Tony Scott y otros muchos. Después, a finales de la década de 1950, abandona la escena musical para dirigir su propia empresa de aire acondicionado.
En 1984 hace una reaparición, grabando un álbum de piano solo y trabajando con Marian McPartland, además de aparecer en algunos grandes festivales.
Estilo
Wallington está considerado como uno de los arquetipos del pianista bop, y desarrolló su estilo de forma paralela pero cercana al de Bud Powell. Se caracterizaba por la originalidad de los acordes de paso que utilizaba para su mano izquierda, así como por la calidad de su sonido. Fue también importante su obra como compositor, especialmente tras su regreso en los años 1980.
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Wallington
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George Wallington (October 27, 1924, – February 15, 1993) was an American jazz pianist and composer.
Wallington was born Giacinto Figlia (some sources give "Giorgio") in Sicily, and then moved to the United States (New York) with his family in 1925. His father sang opera and introduced his son to classical music, but Wallington listened to jazz after hearing the music of saxophonist Lester Young. He said that he acquired the name Wallington in high school: "I like to wear flashy clothes [...] and the kids in the neighborhood would say, 'Hey, look at Wallington!'" He left school at the age of 15 to play piano in New York.
Later life and career
From 1943 to 1953 Wallington played with Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Marsala, Charlie Parker, Serge Chaloff, Allan Eager, Kai Winding, Terry Gibbs, Brew Moore, Al Cohn, Gerry Mulligan, Zoot Sims, and Red Rodney, and recorded as a leader for Savoy and Blue Note (1950). Wallington toured Europe in 1953 with Lionel Hampton's big band. In 1954-60 he led bands in New York that contained rising musicians including Donald Byrd, Jackie McLean, and Phil Woods.
From 1954 to 1960 he led groups in New York that included newcomers Donald Byrd, Jackie McLean, and Phil Woods, recording as leader with these musicians for the Prestige and Atlantic labels. A Blue Note septet session from 1954 George Wallington Showcase is not included in this discography.
In 1960 Wallington stopped playing music and moved to Florida to work in the family air conditioning business, citing the stress of endless touring. He returned to music in 1984 and recorded three albums, Virtuoso in 1984, Symphony of a Jazz Piano in 1986 and Pleasure of a Jazz Inspiration in 1992. He also performed at the 1985 Kool Jazz Festival in New York.
Compositions
His best-known compositions are "Lemon Drop" (which gained attention when played by Woody Herman in the late 1940s), and "Godchild" (one of the pieces played for The Birth of the Cool recordings led by Miles Davis).
Ray Bryant • In the Cut
Artist Biography by Scott Yanow
Although he could always play bop, Ray Bryant's playing combined
together older elements (including blues, boogie-woogie, gospel, and
even stride) into a distinctive, soulful, and swinging style; no one
played "After Hours" quite like him. The younger brother of bassist
Tommy Bryant and the uncle of Kevin and Robin Eubanks (his sister is
their mother), Bryant started his career playing with Tiny Grimes in the
late '40s. He became the house pianist at The Blue Note in Philadelphia
in 1953, where he backed classic jazz greats (including Charlie Parker,
Miles Davis, and Lester Young) and made important contacts. He
accompanied Carmen McRae (1956-1957), recorded with Coleman Hawkins and
Roy Eldridge at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival (taking a brilliant solo
on an exciting version of "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with
Me"), and played with Jo Jones' trio (1958). Bryant settled in New York
in 1959; played with Sonny Rollins, Charlie Shavers, and Curtis Fuller;
and soon had his own trio. He had a few funky commercial hits (including
"Little Susie" and "Cubano Chant") that kept him working for decades.
Bryant recorded often throughout his career (most notably for Epic,
Prestige, Columbia, Sue, Cadet, Atlantic, Pablo, and Emarcy), and even
his dates on electric piano in the '70s are generally rewarding.
However, Bryant was heard at his best when playing the blues on
unaccompanied acoustic piano. After a lengthy illness, Ray Bryant died
in Queens, New York on June 2, 2011; he was 79 years old.
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Biografía del artista por Scott Yanow
Aunque siempre pudo tocar bop, Ray Bryant combinó elementos antiguos
(incluyendo blues, boogie-woogie, gospel, e incluso stride) en un estilo
distintivo, conmovedor y de swing; nadie tocó "After Hours" como él.
Hermano menor del bajista Tommy Bryant y tío de Kevin y Robin Eubanks
(su hermana es su madre), Bryant comenzó su carrera tocando con Tiny
Grimes a finales de los años 40. En 1953 se convirtió en el pianista de
casa de The Blue Note en Filadelfia, donde apoyó a los grandes del jazz
clásico (incluyendo a Charlie Parker, Miles Davis y Lester Young) e hizo
importantes contactos. Acompañó a Carmen McRae (1956-1957), grabó con
Coleman Hawkins y Roy Eldridge en el Festival de Jazz de Newport en 1957
(haciendo un brillante solo en una emocionante versión de "I Can't
Believe That You're in Love with Me"), y tocó con el trío de Jo Jones
(1958). Bryant se estableció en Nueva York en 1959; tocó con Sonny
Rollins, Charlie Shavers y Curtis Fuller; y pronto tuvo su propio trío.
Tuvo algunos éxitos comerciales funky (incluyendo "Little Susie" y
"Cubano Chant") que lo mantuvieron trabajando por décadas. Bryant grabó a
menudo a lo largo de su carrera (sobre todo para Epic, Prestige,
Columbia, Sue, Cadet, Atlantic, Pablo, y Emarcy), e incluso sus citas
con el piano eléctrico en los años 70 son generalmente gratificantes.
Sin embargo, Bryant fue escuchado en su mejor momento cuando tocaba el
blues en un piano acústico sin acompañamiento. Después de una larga
enfermedad, Ray Bryant falleció en Queens, Nueva York, el 2 de junio de
2011; tenía 79 años.
Colaborador / Contribuitor: Bob [boppinbob / https://fromthevaults-boppinbob.blogspot.com/]
Frode Kjekstad • New York Time
About Frode Kjekstad
Frode Kjekstad (born 23 November 1974 in Lier, Norway) is a Norwegian
jazz guitarist, married to jazz singer Aina Fridén, and known from
collaboration and recordings with jazz musicians Lonnie Smith, Eric
Alexander, Mike LeDonne, Joe Farnsworth, Byron Landham, Alberto
Marsico,Frank Foster, Johnny Griffin, Don Menza, Jim Morrison, Mark
Nightingale, Claire Martin, Deborah Brown, and Wendell Brunious.
He has performed at clubs like Ronnie Scott´s in London and Smoke in New York.
Kjekstad is known for a virtuoso way of playing the guitar, and has done
many projects in the guitar/organ/drums trio concept, but also solo,
duo, trio and all kind of combos. His style is influenced by different
hornplayers and pianoplayers, exemplified by counterpoint chord
melodies, and swinging basslines in his solo and duo work with singers
and hornplayers.
His own projects can be seen as “post-bop”, “hard-bop” or “neo-bop”,
based in the American Blue Note tradition, but also heavy influenced by
Italian and European music. He has also composed and arranged several
tunes and “jazz suites” for big band.
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Acerca de Frode Kjekstad
Frode Kjekstad (nacido el 23 de noviembre de 1974 en Lier, Noruega) es
un guitarrista de jazz noruego, casado con la cantante de jazz Aina
Fridén, y conocido por su colaboración y grabaciones con los músicos de
jazz Lonnie Smith, Eric Alexander, Mike LeDonne, Joe Farnsworth, Byron
Landham, Alberto Marsico,Frank Foster, Johnny Griffin, Don Menza, Jim
Morrison, Mark Nightingale, Claire Martin, Deborah Brown y Wendell
Brunious.
Ha actuado en clubes como Ronnie Scott's en Londres y Smoke en Nueva York.
Kjekstad es conocido por su virtuosa forma de tocar la guitarra, y ha
hecho muchos proyectos en el concepto de guitarra/órgano/trío de
batería, pero también en solitario, dúo, trío y todo tipo de combos. Su
estilo está influenciado por diferentes trompetistas y pianistas,
ejemplificado por melodías de acordes de contrapunto, y líneas de bajo
que se balancean en su trabajo en solitario y en dúo con cantantes y
trompetistas.
Sus propios proyectos pueden verse como "post-bop", "hard-bop" o
"neo-bop", basados en la tradición de la American Blue Note, pero
también muy influenciados por la música italiana y europea. También ha
compuesto y arreglado varias melodías y "suites de jazz" para big band.
https://www.frodekjekstad.com/Colaborador / Contribuitor: Michel
VA • Chillout Jazz Organ
Baby Face Willette, Hammond, James Brown, Jimmy Smith, Joey Defrancesco, Kenny Burrell, Larry Young, Lou Donaldson, Pat Martino, Shirley Scott, Stanley Turrentine, Walter Wanderley, Wes Montgomery ...
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