fasstrack Posted January 28, 2012 Report Posted January 28, 2012 Decided to use the blog to write short, to-the-point sketches of musicians I've know and what made them special as people and players. I'll try to add more about Chris once I figure out how to edit the damn thing. Meanwhile, enjoy. http://thereflectingmusician.blogspot.com/2012/01/chris-anderson-remembered.html Quote
alocispepraluger102 Posted January 28, 2012 Report Posted January 28, 2012 (edited) thank you, thank you, thank you. you nailed it!!!!!! chris is a personal favorite Edited January 28, 2012 by alocispepraluger102 Quote
fasstrack Posted January 28, 2012 Author Report Posted January 28, 2012 thank you, thank you, thank you. you nailed it!!!!!! chris is a personal favorite I wanted to write more, but was in the library on their PC and the hourglass ran out. But it wasn't for nothing that Shakespeare wrote that brevity is the soul of wit. Or maybe I read it on a can of roach spray (OK, I stole that from the once-popular comic London Lee) Quote
fasstrack Posted January 28, 2012 Author Report Posted January 28, 2012 I remember London Lee. That cover's almost as funny as the one for Jackie Vernon's The Day my Rocking Horse Died. Dig that one up, Jim..... Quote
fasstrack Posted January 28, 2012 Author Report Posted January 28, 2012 You are truly demented! Thanks. I used to have that. Funnnyyyy shizzle! Quote
alocispepraluger102 Posted January 30, 2012 Report Posted January 30, 2012 thank you, thank you, thank you. you nailed it!!!!!! chris is a personal favorite I wanted to write more, but was in the library on their PC and the hourglass ran out. But it wasn't for nothing that Shakespeare wrote that brevity is the soul of wit. Or maybe I read it on a can of roach spray (OK, I stole that from the once-popular comic London Lee) may we, then, call you 'quicky'? Quote
fasstrack Posted January 30, 2012 Author Report Posted January 30, 2012 thank you, thank you, thank you. you nailed it!!!!!! chris is a personal favorite I wanted to write more, but was in the library on their PC and the hourglass ran out. But it wasn't for nothing that Shakespeare wrote that brevity is the soul of wit. Or maybe I read it on a can of roach spray (OK, I stole that from the once-popular comic London Lee) may we, then, call you 'quicky'? You may call me any name the bank deems valid to cash a check with, sir. Whence the check?...... Quote
fasstrack Posted February 7, 2012 Author Report Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) I'm happy with the feedback I got from several who read the piece---but especially from Chris's best friend, a great guy named Al Sutton. Al is a NY-based actor who really looked after Chris and even created a shoestring label (AlSut) to record and distribute Chris's music. I hope this isn't taken the wrong way, but I think in time Chris will get the credit he deserves for his unique playing and not have being 'Herbie Hancock's teacher' the first thing seemingly always uttered about him (in those rare instances when anything is uttered). Herbie is a great musician and a trend-setter on piano himself, but to my ears I never heard even a remote resemblance to Chris's playing. They are totally different and Chris should be respected on his own merits. Having said that I'm glad Herbie spoke up for Chris the way he did---claiming to have begged to study with him--- in interviews. Edited February 7, 2012 by fasstrack Quote
AllenLowe Posted February 7, 2012 Report Posted February 7, 2012 I was actually at Barry's very first Symphony Space concert when, IIRC, they had Chris on stage. Quote
fasstrack Posted February 7, 2012 Author Report Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) I was actually at Barry's very first Symphony Space concert when, IIRC, they had Chris on stage. He was on every concert Barry had thereafter. The memory is so vivid: Chris sitting at the grand piano amid a sea of faces belonging to the choir. They would sing something like A Time For Love with Chris commenting like a one-man greek chorus---then going off for a long solo excursion. Those moments were pretty special. It also shows what kind of man Barry is---what a good heart he has and how secure he is in himself to feature a pianist he loved on his own concert. And many of those concerts were recorded. Someone out there has some precious documents. Edited February 7, 2012 by fasstrack Quote
fasstrack Posted February 8, 2012 Author Report Posted February 8, 2012 I was actually at Barry's very first Symphony Space concert when, IIRC, they had Chris on stage. What year was that? I got to know Barry in the '80s and the first concert I remember was in '83 b/c he asked me to come out to Weehawken and help out. I remember Charles MacPherson being on it and Harold Vick. I don't remember Chris, which doesn't mean he didn't play. But I figure he started concerts in the '70s b/c I remember him passing a donation jar around at Bradley's around '76. Quote
AllenLowe Posted February 8, 2012 Report Posted February 8, 2012 (edited) somewhere I have a note from Barry thanking me - and it might have a date - coulda been '79. Edited February 8, 2012 by AllenLowe Quote
AllenLowe Posted February 8, 2012 Report Posted February 8, 2012 (edited) here's the note - no date: T Edited February 8, 2012 by AllenLowe Quote
AllenLowe Posted February 8, 2012 Report Posted February 8, 2012 I have very fond memories of those days - I got to know Barry from hanging out at a weird bar he was working near 52nd street (with Wilbur Little, I think it was; but it was a famous place, can't remember the name; Barry said it was the only gig he got unemployment for afterwards) then at Bradley's when he was the Sunday pianist; as a matter of face, I wrote the first article Downbeat ever printed about him. just remembered - the bar was Jimmy's, I think - musta been '75 or so - Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted February 8, 2012 Report Posted February 8, 2012 Heard Barry at Jimmy's too. Remember great gin and tonics on a hot afternoon. It was near "Black Rock" iirc. Quote
AllenLowe Posted February 8, 2012 Report Posted February 8, 2012 the great thing is that the waiters didn't really care if we ordered anything - I may even have been under age at one point - would get a glass of water and sit there. those were the days - I was in piano heaven. In the space of a month or two I got to see Barry, Al Haig, Tommy Flanagan, Duke Jordan, Jaki Byard, and Sir Charles Thompson. Yow. Quote
fasstrack Posted February 9, 2012 Author Report Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) the great thing is that the waiters didn't really care if we ordered anything - I may even have been under age at one point - would get a glass of water and sit there. those were the days - I was in piano heaven. In the space of a month or two I got to see Barry, Al Haig, Tommy Flanagan, Duke Jordan, Jaki Byard, and Sir Charles Thompson. Yow. The waitresses a trip in that joint. When I was a kid and broke I left what I had. The waitress followed me out the door to the street ragging me out that it was a shitty tip. Another one, Mary, was mixing drinks in a machine so loud Jimmy Raney stopped and said 'Hey Mary, you wanna come over and sit in---on hammer? Edited February 9, 2012 by fasstrack Quote
alocispepraluger102 Posted February 10, 2012 Report Posted February 10, 2012 the blog description of chris as 'pure beauty' is as apt as any. i can count on the fingers of one hand, if that, pianists about whom i would make a similar description. Quote
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