“My father urged Alan [Lomax] not to repeat the mistakes of the European folklorists who, a century ago, had collected these peasant songs and then arranged them for part choir and accompanied them on piano, and then told the young people of their country, "Don't change a note, this is our sacred heritage." Father said, whether it's a fiddle tune or a gospel song, learn it right off the record from the people who grew up with it. Don't just learn it from a piece of paper.” PeopleSaidCountryYoungSongFatherMistakeRecordsPiecesCenturyGrewPaperGrew UpSacredNotesPianoRepeatsTunesHeritagePeasantsDon't ChangeChoirFiddleGospel Songs Author:Pete Seeger
“My little brother and I took piano lessons at a young age and played music together later on in life just to play around at home until we decided to make a record. Eventually we started having more and more songs.” LittlesPlayHomeAgeTogetherYoungSongRecordsBrotherLessonsDecidedPianoYoung AgeLittle BrotherPiano LessonMy Little Brother Author:Josephine de La Baume
“The one thing I do have is good ears. I don't mean perfect pitch, but ears for picking things up. I developed my ear through piano theory, but I never had a guitar lesson in my life, except from Eric Clapton off of records.” MeanPerfectRecordsOne ThingTheoryLessonsEarsGuitarPianoEric Author:Eddie Van Halen
“My parents had a love for music. There were so many records, so much music constantly being played. My mother played piano, my father sang, and we were always surrounded in music.” MotherFatherParentRecordsPianoBeing Played Author:Lauryn Hill
“Usually, I make a simple beat, throw in the acapella, and then I just improvise on the piano. Whatever comes up, I record the result, and I rework on it. Sometimes it takes a while to come with an idea, but mostly it comes naturally because I already have a connection with the song.” IdeasSometimesSongSimpleResultsRecordsBeatsConnectionsCome UpPianoRework Author:Shook
“Whenever I record something, I always believe that it's worthy of inclusion in the pantheon, and I would certainly like pianists to pay more attention to it. I think it's ridiculous now, because the range of repertoire - or what's considered 'safe' - is so narrow, even though there are pianists who are really trying to push the envelope. There is still a lack of attention, and there's no reason for it. The piano repertoire is so rich, with so many wonderful things that still are not given their due.” ThinkingTryingBelieveStillsReasonGivenPayAttentionRichRecordsWonderfulSafeWorthyDuesRidiculousRangePianoNo ReasonInclusionWonderful ThingsAlways BelievePianistEnvelopesPantheon Author:Marc-Andre Hamelin
“Playboys' was an authentic junkie record. Art Pepper was just out of jail, Chet was arrested a week after the session, and piano player Carl Perkins would die two years later. When the record was recorded I was behind bars myself. In 1955 I was caught with narcotics and had to serve almost five years. Luckily, I was allowed to keep my saxophone in the cell, and I composed a lot during the time. They had to come fetch the music for Playboys from jail.” YearsArtTwoDiesBehindsRecordsFivePlayerWeekCaughtBarsCellsPianoFive YearsTwo YearsJailSessionArrestedJunkiePlayboyPeppersSaxophoneNarcoticsFetch Author:Jimmy Heath
“My father had played cornet, although I never saw him play it. I found his mouthpiece when I was a kid. I used to buzz it. And my mother played piano and sang in the church choir for different functions. So there was always music in the house, jazz, gospel, or whatever. Especially jazz records.” DifferentPlayKidsUsedMotherFoundFatherHouseChurchRecordsSawsFunctionJazzPianoChoirBuzzMouthpieceChurch ChoirJazz Records Author:Johnny Griffin
“It's like I'll sit down and put my hands on the piano or the guitar, and then I'll hear a sound or I'll feel a chord that will resonate and then I'll get something happening in my voice. My voice is like a car that I get into and drive but I don't know where I'm going. And I record everything. And often, I sort of get into a state, a creative state that is, where I'm just feeling around melodically, and playing things off the top of my head. Then I go back and listen to it and for the first time, hear what I just did. It's like Elvis has left the building while the thing is happening.” KnowsFeelsFirstsStatesFeelingsHandsLeftSoundVoiceCreativeRecordsCarBuildingHappeningsFirst TimeDown AndGuitarThings HappenPianoChords Author:Beth Nielsen Chapman