Author Topic: Piano Instrumentals (Read 3510 times)

Johnm · « **on:** August 26, 2020, 09:23:44 AM »

Hi all,
I thought to start a thread where we can post piano instrumentals. To get the ball rolling, here is one from the St. Louis pianist Wesley Wallace, "Fanny Lee Blues", splitting the difference between the keys of E and F :

and from Blind Leroy Garnett, working out in Db, on "Louisiana Glide"--wow!:

All best,
Johnm

Blues Vintage · « **Reply #1 on:** August 26, 2020, 11:06:03 AM »

Great Topic. There are so many but the one below is still one of my favorites.
Absolutely brilliant playing in the key of Eb.

Montana Taylor - Indiana Avenue Stomp

jpeters609 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 26, 2020, 12:04:00 PM »

And here's the flip side of Freezone's "Indian Squaw Blues": the equally unknown Raymond Barrow with "Walking Blues"...

rein · « **Reply #3 on:** August 26, 2020, 12:50:03 PM »

I think this is about THE blues Piano Instrumental, Cow cow blues by Cow Cow Davenport.

Blues Vintage · « **Reply #4 on:** August 26, 2020, 01:15:48 PM »

Cow Cow Blues is one of the first I heard cause it's on every blues piano compilation out there. Yes it's a classic.

Cow Cow Blues is in Bb
Walking Blues is in Bb
Fanny Lee Blues is in F

banjochris · « **Reply #5 on:** August 26, 2020, 01:27:19 PM »

One of my all-time favorites. Crazy time (how would you count that, 6/8? 6/4?) and no V chord.

jharris · « **Reply #6 on:** August 26, 2020, 01:46:47 PM »

Turner Parrish's "The Trenches" is one of my favs ever since I heard it years ago on a Magpie Compilation:

Thomas8 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 26, 2020, 02:00:32 PM »

Indiana Avenue Stomp is just so good.

This one swings A LOT even though it's called a drag, Key of Bb

This is also a drag, Key of Gb

Johnm · « **Reply #8 on:** August 26, 2020, 02:15:20 PM »

Hi all,
Here is Henry Brown, working in G, so suavely, on the eponymous "Henry Brown Blues":

All best,
Johnm

Old Man Ned · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2020, 02:26:43 PM »

How Long Blues as by Jimmy Yancey. At the end, after 4 mins, you'll be feeling a lot better than you were at the start

Prof Scratchy · « **Reply #10 on:** August 26, 2020, 03:06:12 PM »

Jimmy Yancey can do no wrong. Here”S State Street Special:

btasoundsradio · « **Reply #11 on:** August 26, 2020, 04:14:18 PM »

eric · « **Reply #12 on:** August 26, 2020, 04:19:50 PM »

jostber · « **Reply #13 on:** August 27, 2020, 03:46:07 AM »

Love the early Piano Blues so this thread is already a favorite.

Herve Duerson - Naptown Special

Charles Avery - Dearborn Street Breakdown

Sugar Underwood - Dew Drop Alley Stomp

btasoundsradio · « **Reply #14 on:** August 27, 2020, 04:02:41 AM »

George W Thomas - The Rocks

Arnold Wiley Rag

Arnold Wiley - Windy City (1929)

Whistlin' Alex Moores Blues

Will Ezell - Heifer Dust

Blind Leroy Garnet - Chain Em Down

Thomas8 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 27, 2020, 05:27:38 AM »

Wow Arnold Wiley was a MONSTER player! here's one unexpectedly from Walter Davis, sounds as if he couldn't be bothered singing and just played the accompaniment, Key of Ab

Johnm · « **Reply #16 on:** August 27, 2020, 06:05:39 AM »

Hi all,
Thanks for all of the piano instrumentals that have been posted. If we limit ourselves to no more than two tunes per post, it will leave more tunes for other people to post. Thanks for your consideration.
All best,
Johnm

Blues Vintage · « **Reply #17 on:** August 27, 2020, 06:12:02 AM »

Yes, and please note the key of the tune if you know it. Thanks you, Harry.

Blues Vintage · « **Reply #18 on:** August 27, 2020, 06:15:18 AM »

Pete Johnson - Dive Bomber, Key of C

Johnm · « **Reply #19 on:** August 27, 2020, 06:32:09 AM »

Hi Thomas,
I reckon that Walter Davis cut is from a much later Walter Davis than the one who recorded with Big Joe Williams and Henry Townsend. It looks like it's taken from a tribute album to the earlier Walter Davis. This one recorded for Blue Note, with an album in 1960, and was a Jazz pianist, specializing in Bop and Hard Bop. This player is often identified as Walter Davis, Jr. He died in 1990.
All best,
Johnm

Blues Vintage · « **Reply #20 on:** August 27, 2020, 07:23:59 AM »

Quote from: Johnm on August 27, 2020, 06:32:09 AM

Hi Thomas,
I reckon that Walter Davis cut is from a much later Walter Davis than the one who recorded with Big Joe Williams and Henry Townsend. It looks like it's taken from a tribute album to the earlier Walter Davis. This one recorded for Blue Note, with an album in 1960, and was a Jazz pianist, specializing in Bop and Hard Bop. This player is often identified as Walter Davis, Jr. He died in 1990.
All best,
Johnm

Youtube video just has the wrong picture on the screen. I think this is Walter Davis (1911-1963). You can find the song on Document Vol. 6.

Johnm · « **Reply #21 on:** August 27, 2020, 07:59:01 AM »

Good catch, Harry. That video won't play here, so I couldn't listen to it.

Thomas8 · « **Reply #22 on:** August 27, 2020, 10:35:32 AM »

I'm sad you underestimate my ears that much John, I know what WD sounds like.

Prof Scratchy · « **Reply #23 on:** August 27, 2020, 11:26:09 AM »

Biddle Street Blues certainly sounds like the original Walter Davis to me! I didn’t know there was another, later one. One lives and learns!

Johnm · « **Reply #24 on:** August 27, 2020, 12:21:04 PM »

I'm sorry, Thomas. I couldn't listen myself, so I made an incorrect assumption based on the photo that accompanied the video, which won't play here in the States. And if I thought more about it, I'd have realized it was a pretty implausible project for Walter Davis, Jr. to have undertaken. Mea culpa.

Stuart · « **Reply #25 on:** August 27, 2020, 05:19:59 PM »

This one appears to be accessible here in the U.S.:

Johnm · « **Reply #26 on:** August 27, 2020, 05:51:05 PM »

Thanks, Stuart, and the picture's not misleading!
All best,
Johnm

eric · « **Reply #27 on:** August 28, 2020, 12:47:31 PM »

Here's another Montana Taylor

Thomas8 · « **Reply #28 on:** August 28, 2020, 05:11:29 PM »

"ere's a 'nother one from the be-bop maestro, key of G this time. I find this one much more compelling personally. Sounds more like a instrumental and less like an accompaniment, and the left hand moves along nicely.

Johnm · « **Reply #29 on:** August 29, 2020, 03:32:27 PM »

Hi all,
Here's another one from the St. Louis pianist Henry Brown--"Deep Morgan Blues", in F. I love how relaxed his time was.

All best,
Johnm

Blues Vintage · « **Reply #30 on:** August 30, 2020, 11:56:02 AM »

Albert Ammons. A left hand like god. Father of saxophonist Gene Ammons.
Both in the key of G.

Albert Ammons - Suitcase Blues

Albert Ammons - Bass Goin' Crazy

btasoundsradio · « **Reply #31 on:** August 31, 2020, 09:53:16 AM »

Piano Kid Edwards - Piano Kid Special (Key of G, 1930)
and Give Us Another Jug (D Sharp, 1930)

MarkC · « **Reply #32 on:** September 02, 2020, 12:56:02 PM »

Jelly Roll Morton - The Pearls

James P. Johnson - Crying for the Carolines

I was glad to see Pete Johnson’s Dive Bomber and some Albert Ammons. Lots of good stuff posted I’d never heard before.

Johnm · « **Reply #33 on:** September 06, 2020, 01:11:50 PM »

Hi all,
Here is "31 Blues", from Bob Call, in the key of F:

All best,
Johnm

Thomas8 · « **Reply #34 on:** September 07, 2020, 04:12:07 AM »

That never gets old!

banjochris · « **Reply #35 on:** September 16, 2020, 02:46:41 PM »

Morton's The Pearls starts in G and goes to C, by the way.

Johnm · « **Reply #36 on:** September 16, 2020, 05:13:58 PM »

Yes, a number of these instrumentals that might be more aptly termed Jazz than Blues modulate a couple of times.

Blues Vintage · « **Reply #37 on:** October 08, 2020, 12:14:16 PM »

James P. Johnson - Snowy Morning Blues

Art Hodes discussing the first 1927 version “...As old as I’ve become, and as far as I’ve traveled, there’s something that Jimmy did on that recording that I’d still like to arrive at.” John Hammond named this recording as one of his favorites.

Key of G

1927

1943

Johnm · « **Reply #38 on:** October 08, 2020, 05:37:56 PM »

Thanks so much for posting that, Harry--what a perfectly beautiful tune! What a treat!
All best,
Johnm

Blues Vintage · « **Reply #39 on:** October 14, 2020, 04:58:19 PM »

Little Brother Montgomery - Farish Street Jive

Key of F

Johnm · « **Reply #40 on:** October 15, 2020, 06:19:14 AM »

Thanks for posting that, Harry. I never heard Little Brother Montgomery sound so uptown. That's some lively rhythm!
All best,
Johnm

Johnm · « **Reply #41 on:** September 05, 2022, 12:49:48 PM »

Hi all,
Here is Eddie Heywood, with "Mixed Up Blues", in F. Boy, he covers a lot of ground here--enough material for about four tunes.
all best,
Johnm

Blues Vintage · « **Reply #42 on:** December 22, 2022, 07:13:21 PM »

Here's another one to keep this thread alive.
I wished they skipped that spoken intermezzo 'cause they had lots of tricks up their sleeves.

Jimmy Blythe & W.E. Burton - Block and Tackle Blues (Key of C)

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Author Topic: Piano Instrumentals (Read 3510 times)