The thing i love about Dave . To me he ingnored all the other players and went his own way . Which refined his greatness . Wonderful player left hand and right hand . God bless him
I used to hear him play 6 nights in Seattle around 1980. Love that guy! Once you show up, there's some magic at work and you end up staying the whole night!
Many, many thanks to Corte Swearingen. Dave McKenna was unique, as is every great artist. To my ear, his brilliances includes allegiance to the melody, an endless variety of "grooves"--he could move from the most sublime ballad to the most hard-driving left-hand-string-bass excitement---his vast experience, his left hand, his third hand (which is subtle, and almost inexplicable), and his evident love for the music, which his self-deprecating manner can make us forget. Every great artist is unique. Tatum was nothing like Evans, who was nothing like McKenna. Thus, he is unsurpassed and unsurpassable. Corte, you've done the world a great service.
One of my favourites pianist of all times,along with George Shearing,Hank Jones,Ray Bryant ----and all this guys.Incredible left hand and warm swing.Highly recomended his Capitol records as a sideman of Bobby Hackett.
One of the most under-rated creative musical geniuses of all time; not self-effacing but matter-of-fact about it. Simply "Here's how I feel it right now -tomorrow may be totally different". Sometimes feels like he has a "Third hand" so rich is the phrasing. Enjoy these moments: they're treasures. And note, however fast or slow he plays, there's ALWAYS a strong SWING to it all.
Me too. I agree 100% Eileen. His Green Dolphin Street became my favorite song to play on keyboards. Huge influence. One of the nicest gentleman ever to come along, and my all time favorite pianist.
If you haven't seen it already, I created a Dave McKenna website where you can listen to hundreds of hours of McKenna music free of charge. It's at www.davemckennapiano.com. Enjoy!
Just quick thank you, Mr. Swearingen, for uploading these Dave McKenna videos! I am really enjoying getting to know the playing of Dave McKenna thanks to you! What a fabulous musician he was!
Came across McKenna maybe around 2003. I can't remember how; maybe listening to a channel that used to play Jazz; here in London UK called Jazz FM back then; they used to play a lot of solo piano and trio piano stuff on weekday evenings on a slot called 'Dinner Jazz'. Anyway, I ended up buying a McKenna CD published by the Chiaroscuro label. And since hearing that album I referred to him as the man with 3 hands, because, listening to him it always sounded to me as if there was an extra hand in there doing stuff that having only two hands you could not achieve. Funnily I didn't realize other people described him as having 3 hands as well.
1 : Easy street 3:29 2: 42 th street 5:09 3 : On the green dolphin street 6:48 4 : Basin street Blues 10:22 5 : Don’t forget the 127th Street 13:01 6 : Street of the dreams 15:07 7 : On the street where you live 19:15
Lovely to see this master at work on camera, particularly playing one of his great medleys - so many beautiful musical ideas and all played in the service of the song - wonderful stuff!
The great jazz player Dave McKenna playing a medley of "Street" songs; Easy Street, 42nd Street, On Green Dolphin Street, Basin Street Blues, Don't Forget 127th Street, Street of Dreams and On the Street Where You live...
The thing i love about Dave . To me he ingnored all the other players and went his own way . Which refined his greatness . Wonderful player left hand and right hand . God bless him
I used to hear him play 6 nights in Seattle around 1980. Love that guy! Once you show up, there's some magic at work and you end up staying the whole night!
and later that decade, I heard him for 5 or 6 nights in Boston at the Copley Plaza....my god, what a great memory.
Recorded Dave live .. great Album.. great guy .. Rik Tinory
Heavenly. The Greatest saloon player, and left hand in history.
Nothing else to say.
as marvelous as I wished for on my wife’s birthday 10 years ago ))Rich Lwe
I really miss him. Street of Dreams is so beautiful. Loved to hear him at the Copley Plaza -- thank you Dave! Your music lives on.
Brilliant. I wish I were on Green Dolphin Street, or Basin Street, or on any street in heaven where I could finally hear Dave in person.
One if not the best jazz piano players ever
Simply the Greatest. Love you and miss you, Dave McKenna.
Heard Dave McKenna in person at _Maybeck Recital Hall in BerKeley
Many, many thanks to Corte Swearingen. Dave McKenna was unique, as is every great artist. To my ear, his brilliances includes allegiance to the melody, an endless variety of "grooves"--he could move from the most sublime ballad to the most hard-driving left-hand-string-bass excitement---his vast experience, his left hand, his third hand (which is subtle, and almost inexplicable), and his evident love for the music, which his self-deprecating manner can make us forget. Every great artist is unique. Tatum was nothing like Evans, who was nothing like McKenna. Thus, he is unsurpassed and unsurpassable. Corte, you've done the world a great service.
One of my favourites pianist of all times,along with George Shearing,Hank Jones,Ray Bryant ----and all this guys.Incredible left hand and warm swing.Highly recomended his Capitol records as a sideman of Bobby Hackett.
One of the most under-rated creative musical geniuses of all time; not self-effacing but matter-of-fact about it. Simply "Here's how I feel it right now -tomorrow may be totally different".
Sometimes feels like he has a "Third hand" so rich is the phrasing.
Enjoy these moments: they're treasures.
And note, however fast or slow he plays, there's ALWAYS a strong SWING to it all.
One of my favorites, esp on Green Dolphin St & Last Dance. Miss him
Me too. I agree 100% Eileen. His Green Dolphin Street became my favorite song to play on keyboards. Huge influence. One of the nicest gentleman ever to come along, and my all time favorite pianist.
Thank you... SIR, 🌀🌀
Thank you for posting this! Underrated, Mr. McKenna
A true Great Thank You
If you haven't seen it already, I created a Dave McKenna website where you can listen to hundreds of hours of McKenna music free of charge. It's at www.davemckennapiano.com. Enjoy!
THANK YOU CORTE!
I love Dave!
Thank you!!!!
Just quick thank you, Mr. Swearingen, for uploading these Dave McKenna videos! I am really enjoying getting to know the playing of Dave McKenna thanks to you! What a fabulous musician he was!
Came across McKenna maybe around 2003. I can't remember how; maybe listening to a channel that used to play Jazz; here in London UK called Jazz FM back then; they used to play a lot of solo piano and trio piano stuff on weekday evenings on a slot called 'Dinner Jazz'.
Anyway, I ended up buying a McKenna CD published by the Chiaroscuro label. And since hearing that album I referred to him as the man with 3 hands, because, listening to him it always sounded to me as if there was an extra hand in there doing stuff that having only two hands you could not achieve. Funnily I didn't realize other people described him as having 3 hands as well.
I love Dave's lines - so much feeling and he epitomizes the swing feel. Mr. 3 hands indeed! Thanks so much for posting- will check out the website!
1 : Easy street 3:29
2: 42 th street 5:09
3 : On the green dolphin street 6:48
4 : Basin street Blues 10:22
5 : Don’t forget the 127th Street 13:01
6 : Street of the dreams 15:07
7 : On the street where you live 19:15
Lovely to see this master at work on camera, particularly playing one of his great medleys - so many beautiful musical ideas and all played in the service of the song - wonderful stuff!
I loved that -- thank you. I love Dave's ability to put together a medley just based on one word in a song title. Cannot even imagine how he did that.
Thanks for the posting... breathtaking.
Thanks for posting. Just a great medley played beautifully by the master.
So wonderful.
Master
I C O N
10.24.......begins BASIN STREET BLUES....
And FAR-WEST... whit YOU.... IT'S SO NEAR..... 🌵🐡🐠🦈🐙👉
When was this taped - 1990s?
Does anyone have the names of the songs?
1. ...
2. ...
3. ...
...
The great jazz player Dave McKenna playing a medley of "Street" songs; Easy Street, 42nd Street, On Green Dolphin Street, Basin Street Blues, Don't Forget 127th Street, Street of Dreams and On the Street Where You live...
Until... 13.oo.....
.