Two Incredible Short Piano Solos You Haven't Seen Yet

John Lewis on "A Night In Tunisia" at  2'50."

Jimmy Rowles on "Limehouse Blues" at 12'25."

Recently I criticized contemporary conservative jazz.  These two solos exlempify the kind of thing I miss today.  More young musicians without a natural experimental bent should cop this vibe. 

There's no Bud Powell, no McCoy Tyner, no Bill Evans, no Herbie Hancock, no Brad Mehldau, no avant-garde, and no "going for house" here.  But there is pure improvisation in both hands -- you can see Lewis and Rowles surprise themselves -- a magnificent instrumental technique, and a placement of swinging phrases in the deepest part of the beat.  They also only need a chorus or two to make their point.

12/05/2011

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