Guest:Frank:

I could go back and dig out my old Tal Farlow records and pick out a long line of an "improvisation" that is note for note identical to a line he used twenty five years later.

I did get a chance to hear and talk with Tal several years ago when he split an evening with George Shearing at the Blue Note in New York City. Tal came out early to set up his amplifier and run through some things, and I was sitting at the table right at the foot of the stage next to his amplifier. He was very friendly and modest, and seemed pleased to talk with me. When he did his set, it was obvious that his fingers no longer could keep up with his ideas, and he'd have to let the bass guitar or piano take little breaks while he shook his right hand to get the stiffness out of it. Even though he couldn't take those lighting fast breaks cleanly, I thoroughly enjoyed hearing him because I've never been a "notes per minute" man.
I'm more impressed with melodic ideas than speed.

When George Shearing did his set, I was really surprised. I loved his music in the fifties, but when I've gone back to listen to it, it seemed too tight and too worked out and I didn't enjoy it. But, in his eighties, George had really loosened up and was clearly enjoying the interplay with the young musicians in his group. There was very little of that Shearing "sound." that was so tightly worked out... just a lot fo joyful, free swinging jazz. I thought he was far, far better than he was in the fifties... a real testament and encouragement to all of us as we segue into old Fogeydom.

Jerry