You'll Hear It: Full Album Deep Dives with Jazz Musicians - 7 Beast Mode Memories

Episode Date: March 30, 2020

No, this isn't a Marshawn Lynch highlight reel - today, Peter and Adam list their top moments they witnessed superhuman jazz strength.7 Beast Mode MemoriesBobby Hutcherson - Vanguard 1996Cyrus Chestnut - Bistro 2017Clark Terry - Majestic Hotel 1984Joey Calderazzo - SIUe 1997Oscar Peterson/Joe Pass/Count Basie/Ella FitzgeraldDavid Kikoski - every showHerbie Hancock (Trio) - Newport Jazz Festival 2019 (also, check the YouTube video Peter mentioned in this segment)In light of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, we understand that money is tight for a lot of people right now. That's why we've decided that for the duration of this crisis, we'll be running a Choose What You Pay campaign at Open Studio. Choose whichever course you want and then let us know how much you're willing to pay - that's it. For more info, click this link.There's a brand new course from Open Studio: Jazz Chords for Beginners. Learn from YHI's own Adam Maness as he teaches you the important chords you need to know to play jazz. You can also follow along with Adam thanks to our Guided Practice Sessions™, where he'll teach you exactly how to practice the concepts of each lesson. And as a response to the tough times many of us are going through these days, we've decided to launch this course at several different price points. For more info, follow this link.Interested in more music advice? Go here to browse our catalog of jazz lessons and courses available for purchase. And be sure to check out our All Access Pass - every course from Open Studio on every instrument.Let us know what you think by leaving a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review, or head over to our YouTube channel.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Seven beast mode memories Like the way Kikoski plays Saras chestnut bistro lays Those were the days Ugh Yuck I'm Adamannis And I'm Peter Martin

And you're listening to the you'll hear it podcast Daily music advice coming at you Hey Peter what the hell was that Well I don't know That was very impromptu I like that. I did not think that you were up on all in the family. I thought that predated you a little bit.

Don't sleep on Nick at night, my friend. Oh, that's right. You caught it in reruns. I caught it, you know, O'Natural as we say. Norman Lear, right? Norman Lear, absolutely. Meathead,

Archie. Rob Ryder. Yeah, the whole gang. You know where they were. You know where they lived? Brooklyn, right? No. Queens or Staten Island?

I think it's Queens. I think it's Queens. Yeah. That's why I said Brooklyn. Yeah, same thing. Cool. So today we are brought to you, as always, by Open Studio. Go to Open StudioJazz.com and do what? Well, I was hoping you would say go to Open Studio, jazz.com for all you. Oh, for all you jazz needs. Yeah, absolutely.

We got some fun stuff over there. I'm just so proud of the community of great players. We're having some folks. If you check out on the Instagram this month, we got our little challenge going on in January. This is if you go to the Open Studio, Hey Open Studio, Instagram channel. Is that correct? That's correct. to your official Instagram channel. You just concluded your February drop two challenge. My locked hand dropped two challenge. So it's so funny.

Yesterday we had my parents over. Yeah. It was my daughter's 10th birthday. And so, you know, we had our birthday dinner. And my mother, who I never really hear from my mom. And I'm going to say hi to her now because I realize she apparently watches and listens to everything. Yeah. But she was like, we have been loving your lock hands challenge.

But you love mothers. My dad goes, yeah, we have no idea what I'm. means. But they listen to it. They listen to it. They check it out every day. Only a parent. That's a parent. And I'm sure like all their friends are like, well, you should hear Adams drop two challenge. And their friends are like, what? But if you know what that is, you know, go check it out. Yeah, check it out. And that was a lot of fun. You had some great folks following you there. And you didn't miss a day, man. Very proud of you. I mean, I barely got

some of those days in. Like, I was on gigs at 1145 p.m. I'm like, got to get this in. Did you have one where you had like a whiskey in one hand and you're like, at Thomas Midnight? I had several. Several like that. The last one was actually about 11.30 p.m. Right, right. Well, you snuck it in there. So that was cool.

January. I did the 12 key challenge. So for March, we're doing a weekly challenge. So we just put up the other one. The first one a couple days ago, it's just like a little phrase. And we're inviting folks to send in, or really just a post on OS Spotlight, hashtag OS Spotlight, their versions of the little challenge. And I did an nice little bebop line. It's interesting because I think it's challenging.

but I really went in depth to sort of describe it. So I'm looking forward to seeing what folks have to say about that. We're going to try to get a different open studio artist every week. Yeah, we're going to have some heavy hitters for sure. I might do a couple. You're going to do next weeks. Am I doing next weeks? Yeah.

I've got to think about it. All right, cool. And this is like we're recording, like, we're pre-recorded now because we've got a lot of stuff going on. So who knows when this will come out. That's right. So what do we mean by the seven beast mode memories? That's what we're talking about today. Well, are we talking about beast mode, like the, who's the running back for the Marshaun Lynch?

Like that kind of beast love? Like they're running over everybody? Yeah, but we'll do an interview. Well, no, what I was thinking with this, and I'm probably misusing the term because I know it's like five times Michael Breaker went beast load. You've seen the YouTube video. Benny's bootlegs are good friends. Oh, good friend. Shout out to Benny.

But it's just Bernie Sanders, right? Right. Bernie's beast mode. No, but so I'm probably changing this up a little bit. But what I thought would be fun just to talk about memories that we each had. Yeah. When those transcendental live music moments, not ones that we were involved in necessary

if that happens every night, of course. But no, stuff that we were in attendance at where it's like you'll always remember it for just the high level of either somebody or everybody. And these are mostly based around individuals, but usually there was a high level of playing going on in the band's name. And I think it's something that just really highlights one of the big joys and attributes of jazz music

that people really connect with, musicians and listeners in much the same way when it's just like, whoa, you know. And it's not always like, beast mode so fast and crazy, but I mean, it can be just an incredibly emotional thing. But these are all things that we,

experiences we were all personally at, right? Yeah. You know, it's fun too when these happen to you personally, like when you're playing and you feel yourself so connected to the room and the music and the band. Yeah. But it's almost more fun to be in an audience for this. I think so.

You know what I mean? Because there's no, Like you just get to be a part of it and get swept up in it. You don't know what's coming next. Whereas if you're the beast going beast mode, it's like, I mean, that is really cool. But there's something about just being taken somewhere you're not expecting. It's really fun. Absolutely.

Someone else is doing the work. You go on for the ride. That's right. All right. We're going to start with number one. And this, I mean, if you were to just to ask me at any time, what was the greatest, you know, musical event you were ever at, a lot of things would come to mind. But if I had to probably focus it into one just most exhilarating moment, and that would be bottom. and that would be Bobby Hutcherson with his quartet at the Vanguard

and I think it was actually, I have 1995, but it was actually, I'm going to correct that, it's 1996. And this was such a fun thing because he was playing all week and I was playing with Joshua Redmond Quartet over at the Blue Note, which is just a couple blocks away in New York City, of course. And I went over, I mean, all of us went over there, you know, Joshua, Brian Blade, Chris Thomas, and Nicholas Payton was playing.

somewhere in town. I remember he was there. There's a bunch of musicians there, but I, whatever day, maybe Wednesday or something, Thursday that I went over in between our sets or after our sets to see Bobby Hutcherson, it was such an amazing experience. He was playing at such a high level. He had a marimba and the vibes both set up on that little vanguard stage and was playing across both of them in a line. And it was just one of those things. People were just like yelling at, like we're like high-fiving each other like somebody won the Super Bowl. but so we started going over every set every time in between our sets

because they were kind of staggered we could go over in here for like 20 minutes and for like five days straight we went over, popped our heads in and it was almost like Bobby Hutcherson was just stayed there the whole week and just was playing incredibly the level never went down

five nights in a row I mean it was I still can remember what it felt like you know that's so awesome yeah it was good by the way my the first one that came to mind actually just happened a couple years ago it was either 2017 or 2018 it was here

at Jazz St. Louis at the Jazz Bistro. And this was, do you remember this show? It was Christian McBride and Hutch and it was Cyrus Chestnut on piano. Yeah. And I think it was Ron Blake maybe. Maybe so, yeah, I actually wasn't in town for this. I remember it happening, but it was like some kind of all

star band that the Bistro just put together and like, but all friends, you know. Or as my mother calls it, the bistro. The bistro. She's very European. I guess. But, you know, they're all, these are all bad mofos, right? Just all, the whole weekend was killing. everybody, you know, every musician in town

was going every night of the week, every set that could make because it was such a great vibe. But there was this one solo where Cyrus pulled out his, you know, his like block chord, octaves. Oh, there he go. Churchy.

And it just got, the whole place was like, like a tea kettle about to just erupt. I mean, it was just the, it was one of those moments where just like what you're talking about, where people are shouting. Oh, I love it. And the energy is just so high. And it's just like only something that jazz can do.

I think so. I think so. You know what I mean? And it's not guaranteed every night. Not only is he not guaranteed. It's like you can be at that kind of 10, 9 level all the time. But this is, I think we're talking 11 here, right? We're going 11, beast mode.

Awesome. Okay. Number three. So this was, we were talking just the other day about the great Clark Terry, master trumpeter from right here in St. Louis. And that reminded me of the first time I heard him play was it was one of my early sort of jazz gigs. Actually, I'm changing the date again. I'm not exactly sure.

but I think it was 1984. Could have been 83. But anyway, Clark Terry at the Majestic Hotel downtown, which is now called something else. They used to have a club on like the, I don't know, third or fourth floor or something. It was kind of a funny thing. You went up and cool little room.

And my dad took me to the show. And Clark Terry, I remember I was sitting like two tables away and from the stage. And Clark Terry was just killing it. I mean, like I never heard him. I didn't know much about jazz at that time, but I was starting to kind of get into it a little bit. My dad's like, let's go out of the show.

That was a great room, too. That was a cool room. To see any music. That was a cool room. And, yeah, so that was just like, I remember just the precision with which he played in the swing and the sound. And then he did the sing-in and the whole thing. And, yeah.

I mean, Clark Terry, he kind of stayed there. Awesome. Okay, so my, another memory that came to mind right away when you were talking about Beast Modes was the first time I saw Branford's group with Tain. and I forget who was playing bass at this time in the late 90s. It's probably late, it might have been Eric Revis already?

It could have been actually, yeah. But on piano, of course, was Joy Calderazo. And it was the first time I'd seen him live. And I fancied myself to be a pretty decent pianist at that time. And I was surely kicked in the ass by Joy Caldera. Did you think about quitting? No, but I was like, like, oh, I got to go wherever that guy is.

So that's when I decided to move to New York. It was 1997 maybe. Wow. And I was like, I just got to be around people that are doing that. And it was because of how much he just was crushing. It was a nice piano over there at S-I-U-E in the late 90s, actually, the Steinway that was on stage. And

it might be the same one. Anyway, but he was just, I mean, it was like, I mean, you know, it's Joey Calderazzo. He has such energy and plays with like he's going to destroy whatever keyboard he's facing at all times. It was amazing.

It was amazing. Yeah, he was kind of, I mean, he stays at kind of at that level. Yeah. I'm trying to think, plus he's kind of like, if there's some musicians around, he's ready to turn it up to 11.

Well, yeah, Reggie Thomas was around, right? And so I think he was like ready to be like, yeah, I can see that. Nice. Okay, so that's four. Here's number five. Okay, this is a little combo pack for you. This is another early memory for me.

So this was like 1983, I believe. No, this was actually this was 84. I think. I was 13 and cool jazz festival at the Fox Theater just a couple blocks from here. Not but a block from here.

Cool like the cigarette. Cool like the cigarette. Come on now. That's how we did it. The green menthol. Menthal, what you know about that? Cigarettes. Yeah, this is pre-lung cancer.

Well, it probably wasn't. But yeah, so the concert was it opened up with Joe Pass solo guitar. Okay. Then you had the Oscar Peterson Trio with Ray Brown and Ed Thickpan. And then Joe Pass played with the Oscar Peterson Trio.

And then you had the Count Basie Orchestra. And then you had Ella Fitzgerald with the Oscar Piers and Trio. And then L.Fitzgerald with the Count Basie Orchestra. Come on. That was the lineup. Come on. And it was just like the whole – this is one of those. It wasn't even like an individual moment.

It's just the whole thing was Beast Mode. That's crazy. Yeah. That's crazy. All right. Next I have just one word, Kikowsky. Who? Kakowski.

Is that two – sounds like three words, man. One word, Kakowsky. First name Dave. Okay. That's every show. If Calderazzo is always at 11, Kakowsky's at about a million. Every show I've ever seen this guy,

mostly in grungy New York jazz clubs. Alleyways. No, no. Yeah. Or streaming online is ridiculous. Yeah. I mean, he is like, he's just an atomic fireball. Yeah, he'll go.

He'll go beast mode Literally if a hat drops Like and sometimes he throws his own hat down It goes He just shoves it That's awesome man If you haven't checked out Kikowski like just go

Just YouTube him right now Yeah Dave Kikowsky Yeah Okay so for our number seven Of our seven Beast mode memories I'm pulling out a recent memory Because a lot of these are a little bit A little bit in the past

You know Living the present man Be in the now Be in the now So this is 2019 Is that close enough for you? Yeah Okay

So this was Newport Jazz Festival 2019, just, you know, six months ago, seven months ago, as it were. Herbie Hancock Trio, Herbie was like the featured artist in residence this year. So he played in several different situations. I unfortunately only got to hear the first tune of one of his trio said because we were playing on the other stage like 15 minutes after he started. And I saw him walk up. We were standing back and everybody was backstage and everyone was in the audience and it was just packed and the energies there. He came out and it was with Christian McBride and, man, who's on drums?

Somebody awesome that I can't even remember right now. But Herbie kind of came over and just like walked up and was like, you know, like, all right, what about footprint? Like he literally said to like the guys, how about footprints as they walked up and there's like cameras there and people are cheering? And they walked up and he sat down at the piano and he like smiled and then just like went into this beast mode intro on footprints that I know he's never played before. It was Vinny Calyude on drums. Vinny Calyute, of course. Yeah, how could I forget him? He's such an amateur, you know, he was like sitting.

Yeah, Vinny was killing it. Beesmod himself, right? He was beast mode himself, although, because I only heard like the first, I didn't even hear the whole tune of Footprints, I had to go to the other stage to play, but just the intro that he played. Yeah. And it was like the most creative thing. It had nothing to do with footprints until it did, and then he queued in the

baseline. I mean, it was just, it was something that, you know, if you've seen Herbie a lot, he's probably done it thousands of times. So in a way, it wasn't like the most unique thing. but it was like it just shows how memorable how he can pull something out at any time unplanned and just bam now question when they got into the tune

yeah did he did he f up footprints or did he play it the right way he turns out he had been watching my video which was out around the whole time link below to stop effing up my famous stop effing up footprints two minute jazz where I explain the correct changes

and no herbie was I mean yeah he effed up the whole thing in the greatest beast mode of ways of course. Amazing. Yeah. Well, that's our list of

seven beast mode memories. Yeah, maybe we can invite the listeners if you'd like to share a beast mode memory that you might have. Yeah, go to you'll hear it.com and leave us to speak pipe.

Tell us your, you'll hear it story too. If anything you've heard on this podcast has made you go beast mode, good or bad. Yeah. Or anytime you thought we've gone beast mode.

Yeah. Yeah. We do want to collect our, you'll hear it stories. We've had a great time hearing from all of our listeners about how they practice

yes, this music, so please let us know. Let us know, you know, things that have been helpful, and let us know things that have not been helpful. Because we're not going to release the things that aren't helpful. Don't worry. No one will ever hear them. Those seven times Peter and Adam went butterfly mode. Woo!

Like a flame to a moth. Like a floating butterfly. Stink and jab! Stink and jab! Also, how about leave us a rating or review? We haven't... You grab your glass and thought you're going to be like, leave us a bottle of old grandad. Yeah, we do need a bottle of granddad. It's gone.

But yeah, leave us a rating or review wherever you're listening to this podcast because our ego needs it. No, it helps spread the word. No, you know what? We're rolling. We're over a million downloads. We're like 1.2 million downloads of this bad boy. Don't be greedy, Pete. Come on, man.

I want a million more. Give me a million more. It only took us two years to get there. Awesome. Awesome. Until tomorrow. You'll hear it.