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Bill Kirchner...


Ted O'Reilly

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On 4/6/2018 at 5:24 PM, Ted O'Reilly said:

The multi-talented and determined Bill Kirchner is getting some due appreciation, and my friend -- bassist and blogger Steve Wallace -- is in the lead.

http://wallacebass.com/a-portrait-of-bill-kirchner-part-one/

I look forward to Part 2, whenever it shows up...

 

It was sad to hear about BK's battle with partial paralysis. I played some jazz gigs in the late 1980s with him in a 'little big band', and he was an outstanding soloist and reader on alto.

I'm glad that he's managed to find a way around his difficulties using the soprano.

BTW Ted, did you ever get a chance to ask Ed Bickert about the gauge of strings he used on that relic'd Fender Telecaster of his? The entire jazz guitar world is waiting with baited breath!

 

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"Bated" breath, surely...:huh:

I've not talked to Ed since then, so...  I think that string gauges may be Ed's secret weapon, so he may not pass it along.  One of his 'musical sons' in Toronto, the excellent Reg Schwager once said something like (I'm sure I'm paraphrasing) "I just buy a set...Ed sure doesn't..."

 

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On 4/10/2018 at 0:23 AM, Ted O'Reilly said:

"Bated" breath, surely...:huh:

I've not talked to Ed since then, so...  I think that string gauges may be Ed's secret weapon, so he may not pass it along.  One of his 'musical sons' in Toronto, the excellent Reg Schwager once said something like (I'm sure I'm paraphrasing) "I just buy a set...Ed sure doesn't..."

 

Now you've got me even more desperate to find out what gauge strings Ed used! 

Reg is another great Canadian player, along with Lorne Lofsky, although Lorne made the mistake of making a recording with Ed, the Master. This is always a mistake, because no matter how good you are, Ed will make you sound like a, well, not as good as you would normally sound. Witness fine guitarists like Jack Wilkins and Cal Collins playing with Jimmy Raney...

Edited by sgcim
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Ed made TWO recordings with Ed, and I produced the first one.  (I think you only know of the Concord release.)

I don't think either man thinks it was a mistake, and I'd like to know why you think that's so.  They're different, not better/worse,  nor does either see the other as a competitor.  It's certainly true that Lorne adores Ed, but come on...it ain't a challenge.  Ed's a master, so's Lorne, and if you don't think so, you've not paid close enough attention.

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If you read what I wrote, I said I think Lorne and the other guys I mentioned are fine guitar players, but when they play with someone like Ed or Jimmy Raney, they tend to sound stiffer, less melodic/more mechanical, pattern players, when compared to the unforced, more rhythmically swinging and melodic phrasing of Ed and JR.

'This Is New' was not a "mistake"; it's a great album. This is a subjective observation I made after listening to the album many times, 

This is not a put down of Lorne; he's one of the world's greatest players, and I never would've made this observation if I was listening to one of LL's records without EB to compare him to.

Another example of this happening was Richie Cole's album 'Side By Side', with Phil Woods. I'm not saying it's a competition, but some players are so strong, they make you look weak in comparison.

Another, more glaring example of this was the duo piano recording(plus bass) of John Mehegan and Eddie Costa.

BTW, I think you meant to say "Lorne" with Ed in your first sentence, but you forgave my "baited", so now we're even.

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