To hear Oscar Peterson (a legend) talk about Thelonious Monk (another legend) in such high regard, truly speaks about not only the character of Oscar Peterson but also of the talent and skill of Thelonious Monk. Really a blessing to have both of them make such complex and beautiful music.
As Maestro Oscar Peterson said, the complexity of Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk) is so gigantic, complex and colorful that it takes an outstanding pianist to even dare to improvise on such a tune: I remember as a music student, sweating just studying the chord progression, trying to figure out what scales this genius mixed together to get such a jazz tapestry of chord development! Here again the brilliant and surprising treatment of Maestro Peterson's both magical hands and unique touch...
Monk was a raw and unpolished genius, Oscar a technical high skilled and polished one. Two different worlds; interesting to hear one world play the music of the other.
+tuney toons Interesting point here. To do Monk justice, the piece needs a more "messy" kind of rendition. An analogy that comes to mind is certain actors giving fine yet "clean" performances and as such not really so imaginative and spontaneous because they're not "messy" or chaotic enough.
Monk was not 'raw and unpolished'. He stylistically chose his disjointed style of playing. He was a student of the piano who advanced quickly. And he played like Art Tatum when he first came on the scene. One of Monk's teachers was James P. Johnson, who lived in the same area of New York when Monk was young. And Monk was well versed in stride piano because of that. People like Willie the Lion Smith and Mary Lou Williams encouraged him when they heard his unusual way of playing. The Lion even chastised him when he heard him go into Tatum-esque type playing and say, "do your thing that you play. I like that. We already have a Tatum. Play your thing".
@@saag111 Yes. Read Robin Kelly's biography of Monk, "Life and Times of an AmericanOriginal". Kelly goes in depth into his life, and interviewed relatives, colleagues, etc. But its always been known also, that Billie Taylor and Willie the Lion Smith said Monk played like Tatum initially. Taylor has mentioned it in interviews. Monk was an educated musician. He studied classical repertoire had a background playing church music as well. What's great is Robin Kelly's book goes further in dispelling the myth that he was uneducated as a musician. The whole 'intuitive genius' thing is a pop culture construct to make armchair experts (a.k.a. : music critics) who write about music but don't play it, feel better about not knowing what they're writing about. But Robin Kelly digs in deep to the reality of this music and looks at Monk in a 3 dimensional way, not the cliché of "gee what a mysterious and simple guy" monochromatic fluff that's usually written. The book is great. I highly recommend it. (By the way the ballad Ruby my Dear, was named for his first love from youth. She was Jamaican. She criticized him for not sounding like pop music of the day. I always was amused by that! Lol).
It's hard not to like this, Peterson is great. But now I'm filled with an urge to listen to Monk playing it. No one can beat the original and I don't care about no speed, dexterity or whatever. There's no shredding, every note has it's exact place and purpose, resonating with the everlasting universal power of creation around us.
And, though Monk's technique is not nearly as expansive as Peterson's, the technique he does use is crystal clean, the rhythmic placement always effective, and his phrasing is astoundingly original and influential. Peterson continued the tradition from Tatum a bit forward, but Monk takes it to completely new place, not only with his compositions, but with his playing. "every note has it's place and purpose". Exactly. No fluff and fill. Every note very much in the rhythm pocket.
Oscar's technique is all about melodic flow and sweetness. The Monk's playing represents the genious and chaos of his life. (I kept hoping Oscar would throw in at least one elbow shot)
A phenomenal Oscar Peterson's " Round Midnight" rendition played with a pensive, opulent, splendid, jazzy style precision with lots of 🎹 piano technical twists and turns. What a ravishing 🎹 piano opus! I immensely enjoyed!
You can hear out the respect he shows to Thelonious Monk. He contributed his playing to the tune, he connected Thelonious' harmony. But he didn't change the tune, he didn't add his own ideas that directly. He demonstrated Round Midnight and explained it in his playing.
My Dad was a Jazz pianist for many years in the UK and Europe, his main influences were Oscar and George Shearing, Art Tatum. This video exemplifies why, Oscar is majestic, such beautiful virtuosity, harmonically, melodically, everything. Wow, just wow.
When I was a young boy in the early 1960s my father played the piano. His mentors were Fats Waller....probably one of the finest entertainers on piano ever.....he loved Honeysuckle Rose and played the alligator crawl to death on the old upright Chappel piano we had. I loved it. His favourite was Errol Garner for style and entertainment and not so much Peterson who was technically brilliant. It was Garner's rythmn that got dad going.
Personally I enjoy OP's rendition of this - so smooth and polished. Certainly a contrast with the original in those respects, and I understand that Monk was one-of-a-kind, no doubt, but this is really more my thing. I think it's a stunningly beautiful take.
Oscar is Great, Monk is Great... what a perfect combination! I can't stop listening it. Anyaway i see that there are even 10 that doesn't like this.. how the world is different... sincerely i cannot think of one thing wrong in this... but ten yes... Anyway Thanks Oscar Thanks Monks i love play piano due to Great guys like You.
Why so surprised that some people don't like it - so what? Different people have different tastes and inclinations - do you really imagine that everyone, with no exceptions, will like everything - without exception - that you like?! Do you really live in such a narrow world?!
+lsbrother It's not about living in a narrow world, it's also about recognizing talent and appreciating it, regardless of whether one likes it or not. Otherwise, it's everyone else who's living in a narrow world. As the saying goes, respect must be given where respect is due....
They are two different worlds. Peterson weaves around his notes, and he does it beautifully. Monk has been inventing and re-inventing the piano all the time
Love Oscar technique and almost perfection playing, and this was actually beautifuly played. But i also love Monk just the way he plays, no more no less, he is perfect in his style.
Oscar Peterson's sensitive touch gives a special tenderness to this wonderful composition. "ROUND MIDNIGHT has been a favorite of mine since I was young - thank you UA-cam . . .
The likes of we will never see again this side of eternity.I do hope he is in heaven and I get to play with him.Perhaps he would let me play his"Easter Suite"and maybe NHOP on bass. Pete Law x Royal Marines Corps of Drums/jazz drummer.
There certainly is some good stuff posted here. .You guys should make your way to Santa Barbara and inform some of those "critics" there how they're missing the point of great piano playing and just who's who in that realm.
Holy God. Altogether different sadness emerged near the end with one particular chord. Did Peterson understand Monk more than most? Better than, say, Miles Davis. Harmonic whatever, sheesh, I felt some odd painful beauty.
@@Santosificationable True, Peterson being a giant always played incredibly heavily and forcefully, more like Fats Waller, Earl Hines or Claude Bolling. But style-wise he comes straight from Tatum in my opinion.
For a second there I was trying to figure out what he meant by "digital dexterity".. Then I remembered that our fingers are sometimes known as "digits".... (for a split second I imagined he was saying that he didn't consider Monk a computer genius!)
@@XplusX12345678 Monk's technique wasn't awful. It was a perfectly deliberate choice to be subversive and innovative, and he knew full well what he was doing. Every once in a while you'll hear him slip into conventional, swinging bop lines before reverting to his usual messy style or throw in a complicated line almost as a wink. Barry Harris notes that when he spent with Monk, he'd sometimes play lines that Harris--considered to have greater technique--was unable to duplicate.
Good stuff. You should've said more. It's good to read/listen to people who understand the in's and out's of the idiom. What do you think of Nat Cole's rendition of "Rose Room"? Or Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose"?
Someone should pour water on that piano.....Its on fire. Oscar Peterson plays the ivory off of the keys and interprets this one just like a world class musician should!!!!
I can't believe some of the comments that are posted here in regards to OP's statements about Monk. Truer words could not have been spoken by OP. Monk's genius lies in his innovations of chord clusters as a compl
The late Keith Droste, jazz pianist and lifelong friend, took piano lessons from Oscar Peterson for three years. I asked him what it was like and he replied "intimidating."
Funny thing is. Both peterson and monk cite art tatum as their number one influence. They both took something different from him. Peterson obviously took arts tremendous technique and evolved on that. Monk tool Art's reharmonization and innovative harmonic ideas.
To hear Oscar Peterson (a legend) talk about Thelonious Monk (another legend) in such high regard, truly speaks about not only the character of Oscar Peterson but also of the talent and skill of Thelonious Monk. Really a blessing to have both of them make such complex and beautiful music.
Oops, I heard "the loneliest monk". 😅
a legend playing a legend; so classy.
how awesome for oscar to speak directly to us. We are so lucky.
Yes, so clear, concise, rich, flowing, earthy and listenable. Like his playing. Whereas Monk: spiky, weird, unique, enigmatic, alien.
As Maestro Oscar Peterson said, the complexity of Round Midnight (Thelonious Monk) is so gigantic, complex and colorful that it takes an outstanding pianist to even dare to improvise on such a tune: I remember as a music student, sweating just studying the chord progression, trying to figure out what scales this genius mixed together to get such a jazz tapestry of chord development! Here again the brilliant and surprising treatment of Maestro Peterson's both magical hands and unique touch...
O.P. playing a T. Monk classic, it don't get much better than this.
Croozer lol yeah dude, I'm totally with you
With the exception of Keith Jarrett who has an amazing rendition of this also on YT.
Who are the ones who disliked it..? :|
Kenny Barrons is great too!
He had the most beautiful technique I saw in a pianist. Like Rubinstein, smooth, relax and full of color. Amazing.
I swear, no one's sound travels up and out of the piano like Oscar's. It's lovely, never stuck but always free.
Monk was a raw and unpolished genius, Oscar a technical high skilled and polished one. Two different worlds; interesting to hear one world play the music of the other.
+tuney toons Interesting point here. To do Monk justice, the piece needs a more "messy" kind of rendition. An analogy that comes to mind is certain actors giving fine yet "clean" performances and as such not really so imaginative and spontaneous because they're not "messy" or chaotic enough.
Monk was not 'raw and unpolished'. He stylistically chose his disjointed style of playing. He was a student of the piano who advanced quickly. And he played like Art Tatum when he first came on the scene. One of Monk's teachers was James P. Johnson, who lived in the same area of New York when Monk was young. And Monk was well versed in stride piano because of that. People like Willie the Lion Smith and Mary Lou Williams encouraged him when they heard his unusual way of playing. The Lion even chastised him when he heard him go into Tatum-esque type playing and say, "do your thing that you play. I like that. We already have a Tatum. Play your thing".
@@kwixotic You're right, but it's okay for Peterson to play it in his own way. It may be Monk's, but this is Peterson's interpretation.
@@mboyanicholsonjazz Very interesting. I would like to read about Monk, have you read that in a book? Any recomendation?
@@saag111 Yes. Read Robin Kelly's biography of Monk, "Life and Times of an AmericanOriginal". Kelly goes in depth into his life, and interviewed relatives, colleagues, etc. But its always been known also, that Billie Taylor and Willie the Lion Smith said Monk played like Tatum initially. Taylor has mentioned it in interviews. Monk was an educated musician. He studied classical repertoire had a background playing church music as well. What's great is Robin Kelly's book goes further in dispelling the myth that he was uneducated as a musician. The whole 'intuitive genius' thing is a pop culture construct to make armchair experts (a.k.a. : music critics) who write about music but don't play it, feel better about not knowing what they're writing about. But Robin Kelly digs in deep to the reality of this music and looks at Monk in a 3 dimensional way, not the cliché of "gee what a mysterious and simple guy" monochromatic fluff that's usually written. The book is great. I highly recommend it. (By the way the ballad Ruby my Dear, was named for his first love from youth. She was Jamaican. She criticized him for not sounding like pop music of the day. I always was amused by that! Lol).
It's hard not to like this, Peterson is great. But now I'm filled with an urge to listen to Monk playing it. No one can beat the original and I don't care about no speed, dexterity or whatever. There's no shredding, every note has it's exact place and purpose, resonating with the everlasting universal power of creation around us.
And, though Monk's technique is not nearly as expansive as Peterson's, the technique he does use is crystal clean, the rhythmic placement always effective, and his phrasing is astoundingly original and influential. Peterson continued the tradition from Tatum a bit forward, but Monk takes it to completely new place, not only with his compositions, but with his playing. "every note has it's place and purpose". Exactly. No fluff and fill. Every note very much in the rhythm pocket.
Great analysis! This is why Peterson used the term pensive.
Im speechless....This is the single best version of Round Midnight I have heard....No on compares to Oscar...no one...
Per Christensen seems like you haven’t heard any of Monk’s recordings.
Keith jarret for ever
@@beastl8rsk8r02
Monk could barely play the piano.
Theolonious Monk was a jazz legend. Oscar showed that in his own light, and I think he did it quite well.
Oscar's technique is all about melodic flow and sweetness. The Monk's playing represents the genious and chaos of his life. (I kept hoping Oscar would throw in at least one elbow shot)
A phenomenal Oscar Peterson's " Round Midnight" rendition played with a pensive, opulent, splendid, jazzy style precision with lots of 🎹 piano technical twists and turns. What a ravishing 🎹 piano opus! I immensely enjoyed!
You can hear out the respect he shows to Thelonious Monk. He contributed his playing to the tune, he connected Thelonious' harmony. But he didn't change the tune, he didn't add his own ideas that directly. He demonstrated Round Midnight and explained it in his playing.
oscar always told a beautiful story with his playing.
My Dad was a Jazz pianist for many years in the UK and Europe, his main influences were Oscar and George Shearing, Art Tatum. This video exemplifies why, Oscar is majestic, such beautiful virtuosity, harmonically, melodically, everything. Wow, just wow.
What a treat to hear him play this. My goodness.
MissMulatto you did not miss it :)
search Liszt Etude 6 on YT
paganini/Liszt etude 6
Alexander Lubyantsev
When I was a young boy in the early 1960s my father played the piano. His mentors were Fats Waller....probably one of the finest entertainers on piano ever.....he loved Honeysuckle Rose and played the alligator crawl to death on the old upright Chappel piano we had. I loved it. His favourite was Errol Garner for style and entertainment and not so much Peterson who was technically brilliant. It was Garner's rythmn that got dad going.
Personally I enjoy OP's rendition of this - so smooth and polished. Certainly a contrast with the original in those respects, and I understand that Monk was one-of-a-kind, no doubt, but this is really more my thing. I think it's a stunningly beautiful take.
The best round midnight interpretation of all time !
Oscar is Great, Monk is Great... what a perfect combination!
I can't stop listening it.
Anyaway i see that there are even 10 that doesn't like this.. how the world is different... sincerely i cannot think of one thing wrong in this... but ten yes...
Anyway Thanks Oscar Thanks Monks i love play piano due to Great guys like You.
Fabbry, you are so right.
I Don't think that 10 dislikes are that much compared with all them who liked it. But you are right...we Don't understand why They Don't like it...
Why so surprised that some people don't like it - so what? Different people have different tastes and inclinations - do you really imagine that everyone, with no exceptions, will like everything - without exception - that you like?! Do you really live in such a narrow world?!
+lsbrother
It's not about living in a narrow world, it's also about recognizing talent and appreciating it, regardless of whether one likes it or not. Otherwise, it's everyone else who's living in a narrow world. As the saying goes, respect must be given where respect is due....
Some people are not capable of recognising talent. Surely, you must know that.
Absolutely Beautiful...
Beautiful....
Breathtaking.
What an incredible talent...
I wish I could have a third of his vocabulary
One tenth would be ok for me
Totally Awesome!
They are two different worlds. Peterson weaves around his notes, and he does it beautifully. Monk has been inventing and re-inventing the piano all the time
Beautiful music
No words . Listen to heaven music
Beautiful, and perfect, as only Oscar can ...
Thank you so much for posting the marvelous Oscar Peterson videos~
He is a favorite of mine.
Great pianist and a great song!
Masterfully executed! ❤🙏❤️
I was glued to this video till the very end. Just ... phenomenal.
His style is sweet and rich. Just like is phat bling!
Ingenious performance
Now that's a Real tribute! Just wow!
Went to his concert in Auckland NZ in the 60sm Brilliant.
Great! I hope I can play this in a few years. Thanks!
Both great in their on right.......this is what jazz is all about. Room for all!!!
Oscar points out the greatness of Thelonius, It takes greatness to play so masterfull...
Respect from one giant to another - and how we miss them
Brilliant
Lovely rendition. Beautiful pianist......you can see the Art Tatum influence on Peterson's style......wonderful.
amazing🎹🎵
Love Oscar technique and almost perfection playing, and this was actually beautifuly played. But i also love Monk just the way he plays, no more no less, he is perfect in his style.
Oscar Peterson's sensitive touch gives a special tenderness to this wonderful composition. "ROUND MIDNIGHT has been a favorite of mine since I was young - thank you UA-cam . . .
2 greatest.
chills!!!!
masterpiece
divine man
no one will ever be better
love it!
Genius
Agreed - it's the smooth arpeggios.
UA-cam is full of treasures ❤️
👏👏👏
Can’t find a dang thing wrong with it. Marvy!
Oscar Peterson plays any tune, best version ever! 🤣
Wicked licks
Them fuckin hands and the way the move is so elegant.
speechless
Respect
Don't forget to listen to Bill Evans marvelous interpretation of Round About Midnight!His wonderful chord and harmonic genius
@predoje: It is from a tv broadcast recorded about 25 years ago.
You're right!
Whoever hit unlike please enlighten me so that I can see what's wrong with this IMO outstanding performance.
+Darwin Silva Hey those dislikes could have easily come from an Aerosmith troller
That was So Great & Awesome that the 5:21 minutes went by So Fast
I love him! what taste
ua-cam.com/video/2cZ4u9ZbC-4/v-deo.html
second that motion!
All I have from these broadcasts has been uploaded.
I got goose bump listening to this version. First time i hear it. Feels like going back in time.
When was this recorded ?
super!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOAT
My father's favorite
The likes of we will never see again this side of eternity.I do hope he is in heaven and I get to play with him.Perhaps he would let me play his"Easter Suite"and maybe NHOP on bass.
Pete Law x Royal Marines Corps of Drums/jazz drummer.
There certainly is some good stuff posted here. .You guys should make your way to Santa Barbara and inform some of those "critics" there how they're missing the point of great piano playing and just who's who in that realm.
Holy God. Altogether different sadness emerged near the end with one particular chord. Did Peterson understand Monk more than most? Better than, say, Miles Davis. Harmonic whatever, sheesh, I felt some odd painful beauty.
The sequence starting about 50 seconds from the end....wow
5:10 gives it so much
damn he play with a ring
He also don't need sheet music. really POG
2:32 - 2:44 what THE fuq the crunchiest shit I've ever heard. Goddamn
He may be playing Monk but he still sounds like Tatum.
Jacob Zimmermann He may be playing Monk but he still sounds like Peterson. And that's the essence of Jazz, isn't it? :D
:D Genau , so sesshaft Herr Zimmermann und zu hören. Vielleicht denken Sie an einen Haarschnitt.
I see how many people say they sound alike. To me however they play differently. Tatum clearly had a lighter touch/attack.
@@Santosificationable True, Peterson being a giant always played incredibly heavily and forcefully, more like Fats Waller, Earl Hines or Claude Bolling. But style-wise he comes straight from Tatum in my opinion.
Don't all decent jazz pianists sound a bit Tatum?
Omg. Lawrence lyles channel has a rendition of this called Oscar peterson
For a second there I was trying to figure out what he meant by "digital dexterity".. Then I remembered that our fingers are sometimes known as "digits".... (for a split second I imagined he was saying that he didn't consider Monk a computer genius!)
epf1961 listen to monks music. His technique was awful. however, he was definitely more of composure/song writer.
@@XplusX12345678 Monk's technique wasn't awful. It was a perfectly deliberate choice to be subversive and innovative, and he knew full well what he was doing. Every once in a while you'll hear him slip into conventional, swinging bop lines before reverting to his usual messy style or throw in a complicated line almost as a wink. Barry Harris notes that when he spent with Monk, he'd sometimes play lines that Harris--considered to have greater technique--was unable to duplicate.
@@XplusX12345678 Yes! I always thought others played Monk's compositions better than Monk. I think that's what OP was saying too.
Good stuff. You should've said more. It's good to read/listen to people who understand the in's and out's of the idiom. What do you think of Nat Cole's rendition of "Rose Room"? Or Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose"?
Someone should pour water on that piano.....Its on fire. Oscar Peterson plays the ivory off of the keys and interprets this one just like a world class musician should!!!!
Does anybody know when this telecast was recorded respectively broadcasted? It would be great if you could help me.
I can't believe some of the comments that are posted here in regards to OP's statements about Monk. Truer words could not have been spoken by OP. Monk's genius lies in his innovations of chord clusters as a compl
The late Keith Droste, jazz pianist and lifelong friend, took piano lessons from Oscar Peterson for three years. I asked him what it was like and he replied "intimidating."
Funny thing is. Both peterson and monk cite art tatum as their number one influence. They both took something different from him. Peterson obviously took arts tremendous technique and evolved on that. Monk tool Art's reharmonization and innovative harmonic ideas.
Man...
Those fingers move ungodly across the keyboard!
Does anyone else find this interpretation chopin-like ?
Jesus-Maria !!
1:07
Er schafft es immer wieder dass man schon nach 2 Takten erkennt, dass er spielt. Das Klavier klingt nicht nach Klavier, es klingt nach Peterson.
is this from Oscar's BBC series in the late 70s?
I always wonder what exactly these jazz pianists do, and how can you learn it? For example: what kind of scale does Oscar use at 2:38
+Bonjorno Duo Riffs common in soul and blues music based off of a dominant 7 chord (this scale would be Bb mixolydian with both major and minor 3rd).
+jonah wraith Thanks!
+Bonjorno Duo It's a straight blues scale.
thank you! awesome! And awesome recording! Did you record on a betamax!