Barry Harris about Bill Evans and jazz pianists

[@hikesteepfishhigh]

I've learned a lot from Barry but Bill Evans is not only my favorite piano player, but one of my favorite jazz musicians.

[@mrgoodnight7387]

And that's fine. There's no law to prohibit anyone to say what their favorite jazz artist is. All of it is art and should all be appreciated

[@alighieroalighieri404]

@@mrgoodnight7387 I agree with you. However, Barry Harris doesn't seem to be accepting of this basic rule, he'd rather say that Bill Evans music is like manure.He also fails to acknowledge that Evans himself admitted that he learned bebop phrasing from Bud Powell. Barry Harris was a good bebop pianist, but not the most innovative for sure.

[@trombonemunroe]

@@alighieroalighieri404 All that goes to show is that very educated people can also be very opinionated, that it's not just the province of the uneducated person.

[@rontomkins6727]

I met Barry. I went to a lot of his Masterclasses and of course, I was exposed to his rantings. He comes from a line of musicians who are very conservative about the style of music they are teaching. Just like my Classical piano teacher, who loved Bach, Beethoven and Chopin but couldn't stand music by Bartok or Prokofiev. And that's fine, as I learned a lot from her too. When you get to meet these amazing teachers, you take whatever wisdom you can from them, and incorporate it in your life. You don't have to agree with them on everything (And I even think it's healthier not to, otherwise you turn them into Cult Leaders) Barry has every right to dismiss Bill Evans as a total fool. And I have every right to find Evans one of the most influential pianists ever to exist. When it comes to music learning, it's just like with everything else music-related, as Miles used to say when defining music: "You take what you need and you leave out the rest". I learned a lot from Barry in regards to voicing, harmonization, and the application of the Diminished scale in tonal harmony, and I also loved him as a human being.

[@AlexVonCrank]

He’s not dead dude. Not yet...

[@rontomkins6727]

@@AlexVonCrank Yeah, I can see how it may have sounded like I implied he's no longer with us in my use of the "loved" but that was not my intention. If anything, I hope he lives for many many years.

[@Taylor-eg4ud]

@@rontomkins6727 damn…

[@mambojazz1]

@@AlexVonCrank R.I.P. Barry Harris😪

[@AlexVonCrank]

@@mambojazz1 RIP

[@michaelmullmusic]

Everyone jumping all over Barry Harris, I think you may be reading into his tone a little much. He's coming across as mad or bitter but I think it's frustration. Frustration that often students and younger musicians that he interacts with are unaware of some of the musicians that he feels are the most important musicians in jazz. It's his opinion on something that is his entire life's passion, so nobody should be surprised if he has strong opinions! As an educator I think he could have been a bit more diplomatic, or at least more specific. As a musician and person, let him talk some shit! Let him be frustrated! Musicians are humans and are emotional beings.

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

And why are so many worthy figures forgotten? Go into it!

[@michaelmullmusic]

@@georgemcfetridge8310 it seems to me a big reason many great figures are forgotten is simply that there are so many great musicians throughout history. Another major reason is the sway that critics, writers, magazines, and today KZbin, has over who gets "pushed" to the forefront. The musicians that are "pushed" may or may not be the most important/influential in everyone's view. Like it or not, this has always been the case and continues to be.

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

@@michaelmullmusic You and I are both talking about the publicity machine, brought to a fine art in the US, where PR was invented a century ago. When you say 'so many great musicians throughout history' you're using the discourse that the machine wants you to use. Actually, greatness in any field is quite rare. Anyone who buys into this manipulative state of affairs is a stooge. Particularly since 2020, there's a pervasive smothering of critical faculty in the world. NO to that dehumanization.

[@michaelmullmusic]

@@georgemcfetridge8310 I appreciate what you are saying. I would hope to humanize, rather than dehumanize, in that I believe the rare "greatness" you speak of is present in all musicians who sincerely and lovingly contribute their time to the music. And so, to me it isn't so much rare in general, but perhaps rare in a concentrated amount in an individual. What words would you choose in place of "so many great musicians throughout history"?

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

@@michaelmullmusic How about 'so much to listen to on recordings'? Which leads back to the commodification of art, which is the elephant in the room. If it's a record, it's not music, it's recorded music. We've lost the sense of the profound difference between the two.

[@ramazkhatiashvili5440]

Putting Bill Evans down like this is just ridiculous. You don't need to do that in order to emphasize the greatness of Bud or Hank. They are great anyway, as well as Bill. And no, they don't sound alike.

I too am SICK of people always talking about Bill Evans. I suggest you listen to some Barry Harris, Bud Powell and Wynton Kelly before you even start with praising how great he was. I was in a room once where Barry Harris spoke about the six diminished scale, and it was an experience to remember. Barry Harris is the most underrated jazz pianist there was. Far greater player than Bill.

[@WELCOME2PATSPLACE]

fuck outta here. Bill Evans was amazing!

[@ScottlandShaffner0423]

Bud Powell was rivited by Bill's early playing, and once asked in an interview about Bill in 1963 said: "He's nice. He can play."

[@ScottlandShaffner0423]

@ read the bio 'Dance of the Infidels' by Francis Paudras, Bud's caretaker in Paris ?? It's in there. Francis used to play Bill's early records for Bud and he sat there, listened intently, and asked "Who is that? What's his name?". Bud was known for putting few pianists above himself, except for Tatum, his idol. So words from coming from Bud re Bill are high praise, since he usually talked little. Francis wanted to introduce Bud and Bill to each other in NYC 1964, sadly never happened..

[@ScottlandShaffner0423]

@ go to kzbin.info/www/bejne/emi3fnZvhst0pcU at 4:30 ...

[@vova47]

Bill Evans presented a problem for that part of black jazz community who insists that jazz is black music only. He was an innovator, totally original with solid roots in swing and bebop. He was one of the few white jazz musicians whose concept influenced nearly every pianist of his generation and younger of every race and nationality. As good as Barry is or has been, his whole concept is not original but coming directly from Bud Powell, whereas Bill has learned from Bud but came up with his own style.

[@fullViewJay]

vova47 i thought he was a classical musician

[@vova47]

Bill Evans was classically educated but a true jazz musician.

[@robpate1226]

There’s a big difference between Bill and Barry.

[@charlesperforms]

if you listen to Bill Evans' early records, a lot of it came from Bud Powell. but Bill eventually evolved into his own style

[@ScottlandShaffner0423]

Yes, AND Bill brought all that wonderful Classical training from his college days at Southeastern Lousiana U.

[@tiffsaver]

I can easily see how this man would have gotten sick of constantly hearing about Bill Evans. But on the other hand, he is a TEACHER, and supposed to be a little more even handed when he speaks to young minds. Listening to this kind of talk makes me terribly sad.

[@carlomorena6728]

Listening to a bunch of young laughing students is even more sad.

[@carlomorena6728]

@@Marie-qv6on nobody of us has the right to laugh about Bill Evans. No Jazz Master does it.

[@carlomorena6728]

@@edwardgibbon2557 ​ what you say about industry may have sense. Bill may have been 'the new guy' (instead of Paul Bley, for example, that was probably almost as important as him, but not for the piano trio revolution...Bill was the first one ever). Do you love 'some' Evans tracks? Her left us a big heritage, a world of poetry, of silences, of tensions and relax. His voicings were the first amazing modern voicings (they have NO passion??? they are welcome!!) Nobody can play ballads in a previous way, after Bill. And...nobody killed the older but evergreen piano music...nobody will forget stride piano, nobody will ever ignore Eubie Blake, Earl Hines, Art Tatum, the young Basie, Teddy Wilson and their sons...Dick Hyman, Dave McKenna and so on.Bill was, and still is, just something else. One of the most influential pianists ever. Jazz piano simply changed after him.

[@chrish12345]

nonsense, its called character and honesty, we need more of both!

[@WyattLite-n-inn]

@@carlomorena6728 oh for sure

[@titchner211c]

I think many of you who have posted here are missing the point. This isn't an attack on Bill Evans, but this is an attack on anything called Jazz that comes after Be Bop! Barry has said Miles Davis's modal music is not jazz. To Barry, anything post post-BeBop is not Jazz. It was just on this day, he was talking about Bill Evans. On other days, he would talk badly about Miles Davis or Coltrane.. Barry has condemned modal Jazz before. "Kind of Blue" by Miles Davis is known probably as the best Jazz album of all time (if there is such a thing). All Jazz aficionados consider "Kind of Blue," if not the greatest Jazz album of all time, at least on the top five greatest jazz albums of all time. I've heard Barry Harris say modal music is not jazz, and "Kind Of Blue" mostly modal. So, what many consider the best Jazz album (or one of the best) of all time, Barry would not even consider it Jazz.I've heard Barry Harris condemn Coltrane's "Giant Steps!" So, what you are hearing here is not bitterness, but musical dogma. Nevertheless, Barry can opine about Bill Evans, and on other days Miles Davis and Coltrane; however, Barry is a musical genius. He's not bitter. Bitterness is for losers, but Barry is a winner. He is around 90 years old, and still going strong. Among Jazz musicians, he is viewed like a God when he visits Europe and does his workshops. He has nothing to be bitter about. What you are hearing is not bitterness, but the teacher in him. All teachers are dogmatic to a certain extent, and he no exception.

[@TheLazyClips]

I could not have said it better.

[@justiceisnow3162]

I agree. Coltrane, Davis, Giant Steps and the like all contributed to the ruination of Jazz and Jazz musicians … especially saxophonists. In order to play like Coltrane you need a loose setup so everyone sounds like they are playing a kazoo now and its all histrionics. Nobody has the guts to play slow and find a melodic line and develop it … Max Ionata and Scott Hamilton being the exceptions. All these musicians destroying themselves to learn a tune they will never play on a gig and if they do you can be certain the audience doesn’t have a clue what they are hearing.

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

The greatest album? Armstrong's 1927-28 work surpasses everything since for freshness, invention, deep excitement, meaning, joy. Second to that is Bird's 'Koko' session of 1945. I'm sure not one commenter here will go with this.

[@Alic4444]

Perfect.

[@hypecleffon2655]

@@georgemcfetridge8310 Maybe not commentors here, but live, in the real world, a high quality band playing 1920's Armstrong (with some occasional early Bird and Dizzy bebop) reliably appeals to listening and dancing folks. Even the roots music-deprived jazz crowds will go with it surprisingly well!

[@jonathansmith3262]

With all due respect to Jon Raney (who plays better than I ever will) and the other excellent folks here, I don’t think this is primarily about jealousy or sour grapes. I think it’s primarily that Barry is sad and angry that, in his view, jazz took a wrong turn and the wrong people became the main influences. I don’t think he’s trying to cut Bill Evans or Dave Brubeck or anyone, per se, so much as he’s angry that most piano students will be taught that playing like Bill Evans is the right, modern way to play. (At least I was.) And as to it being lame for him to say this, I think what a teacher says in class to his students should reflect his actual thinking. This isn’t like Michael Jordan cutting people in a public speech. I love Barry and have always found him warm (especially after he’s criticized someone). Sorry to see the anger here - I think if you listen to him enough you’d hear that it’s mostly about his frustration about the way the music went. Not his personal jealousy/pettiness. (FWIW, I love Bill Evans.)

[@Caravaggio44]

Nah, it's sour grapes and jealousy. There may also be a racial component.

[@marcusstoica]

Barry loves Bill too. He was making a very specific point. Great post.

[@citynocomment4685]

I was there and I completely agree.

[@GrumpyStormtrooper]

Conservatories teach to play jazz like Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, I want to distance myself from that to have my own voice with my own influences.

[@ComradeGiru]

@@Caravaggio44 i always felt that there was sort of an unconscious racial component when people talked about bill evans like he was the epitome of jazz piano.

[@digsjazzalot]

Great older cats like this always have opinions about other players. It’s entertaining. To be taken with a grain of salt. He’s a treasure. Just like who you like.

[@paxwallacejazz]

Yeah sure ok

[@digsjazzalot]

@@paxwallacejazz well it sounds like you could use a little more Barry in your playing, that is, solid bebop language. I’m not hearing it so maybe Barry has a point.

[@therealrussellsmyth]

Bingo

[@shaolin1derpalm]

So this guy doesn't sound as good as Barry, therefore Bill Evans is nothing?

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

What complacency!

[@iampetergriffin]

1) I'm Black American (Or "African American") and can see misunderstandings in the comments here. People are critical of his tone but he really has no malice behind his words. In our culture this is just how we speak, he's being chill, laid back, and just shooting the shit with these people as if they were his family or if he were at the barber shop. As I'm listening to him it's like I'm listening to my dad, my mother, my uncle, and just having a good time. Not all cultures will understand this, but thankfully we live in a society where we accept cultural differences, no? 2) He is a competitor. He is no different than an athlete on the field or court. You may not always hear your favorite athlete or musician talk their shit - not everyone has the testicular fortitude to say what they really feel on camera for all to hear - but you better believe that they do. 3) Lastly, he is being honest and true, what you see is what you get; unlike others who smile in your face and talk behind your back.

[@matthewnewton2753]

Barry Harris is a good pianist but definitely second tier compared to Bill. Not in the same league.

[@iampetergriffin]

@@matthewnewton2753 I wholeheartedly disagree. When you use the term "pianist" you are speaking in terms of having greater "piano technique" - which he did not. Bill Evans is far, far more known for his musical works/compositions than he is for being a great "pianist." He most certainly is *not* above Barry Harris in music theory it's most probably the other way around.

[@matthewnewton2753]

@@iampetergriffin ok sure pal

[@iampetergriffin]

@@matthewnewton2753 Alright, buddy.

[@brothercaleb]

@@iampetergriffin amazing take down 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@sunnysaxman]

Art Tatum, Hank Jones, Bill Evans, George Cables, Barry Harris. All different flavours of genius. And I do love hearing the old school cats talking about it all. But I do owe a huge debt to Barry. His classes turned my musical world around when I was a young musician.

[@murrayr7703]

Except the rest of those guys did spend their lives criticizing other artists. This man has a sever case of Insecurity. Mommy must not have hugged him.

[@bronzewand]

@@murrayr7703 Criticism can be a great thing.. it all depends on how you respond to it.

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

It's easy to say pleasantly hip things instead of digging into the serious issues that BH touches on.

[@Alic4444]

@@bronzewand Probably criticizing a dead person has less ability to get a response.

[@MarkTarmannPianoCheck_it_out]

"didn't" @@murrayr7703

[@calichav]

Lol! Bill Evans is an artist first and a pianist second. His art is so damn beautiful. Harris is a pianist first. I take his remarks from that point of view

[@robl9523]

Smart comment.

[@BirdBop]

Wtf does this even mean.

[@AntonStruzik]

Zenit D learn and grow maybe you’ll figure

[@BirdBop]

@@AntonStruzik stop getting too romantic. Every is an artist at some level. Expression is nothing special, as even bill Evans says. I would say it takes a lot of piano training before any level of art exists. I'd even say some musicians are not artists. What was said was frankly ridiculous and can't be quantified in any way except naively

[@vova47]

Bill was a Great artist and a GREAT pianist. As great as anybody in jazz.

[@akmuk7]

I dig Barry, but Bill Evans style is timeless in my opinion. He was amongst that core group of musicians ushering in that modern sound, and has contributed greatly to the musical literature. Truly gifted in his own right.

[@rodterrell304]

Sure he was..love Bill Evans piano . Berry had an opinion and that’s fine. .

[@stephenbellotti2036]

Bill Evans is a musical genius and a pioneer. But Barry Harris is an excellent music teacher too.

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

BE lacks guts or body-groundedness, good a musician as he was. This is obvious if he's heard back to back with Horace Silver, his contemporary. Can't hear the difference? Your loss.

[@peterandreadakis3851]

Barry was another jealous, limited black musician who simply lacked the musical imagination to match his narcissism and, truth be told, was a supreme racist. (Cecil Taylor was another one.) In this video Barry excels at name dropping and shooting off his mouth with an impressionable youthful audience.

[@MarkTarmannPianoCheck_it_out]

Give it a rest home wipe. Your preferences, and what you think of as your amazingly perceptive ears don't mean shite to nobody no how. Blakey needed hard bopping funkster Silver, and Miles preferred Evans touch and chord colorings, like on Stella, where he also plays a pretty gutsy, Red Garland style block chord solo, but with the Evans upper structures, which apparently were stolen from Hank Jones, according to Harris. "hmmm really? ...?? to that claim.... But, probably, not "gutsy and grounded enough" for you. YEs, of course we can hear the difference, McFelcher. Night and Day difference. But I'll take Les McCann over Silver any day, for "guts and grounded" bluesy, rootsy, funky piano playing. "Can you hear the difference" ? between McCann and Silver? And Evans. Yes, we can. what an arrogant and dumbass thing to ask, on a jazz posting. Of course of we hear the difference(s), Evans with qualities that Silver lacked, other than your abstract and vaguely named qualities. Subtler dynamic touch, enormous and far deeper and wider (and original) harmonic palette. Oh, sorry, not original. He stole his whole sound from Hank Jones, I forgot. pshhh Of course we hear the differences Georgy boy. We just don't set ourselves up as a superior judge of pianistic qualities like you sho nuff did. Trying to do it all sly and ironic and clever, too. And failed. Go practice your licks and stfu. Of course the difference is OBVIOUS. That's why you didn't even need to point it out. . @@georgemcfetridge8310

[@eliaslapia6987]

Great piano player, great musical teacher... But those statements about Bill Evans, George Cables and in other videos Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock are dangerous; teach students music non what they should like. Music is bigger than an opinion

[@carlomorena9759]

MUCH bigger.

[@fulldonates7685]

You said it best

[@BobWijnen]

I wasn't the biggest fan of Chick either, although his skills and legacy are undeniable. But since he has his Facebook Live thing going on every single night... You've got to admit that this guy is giving, and giving, and giving so much! I just put his, in my opinion, ridiculous church aside, just as I put Dr Barry's dissing aside. I've got no time for that, only for their music and the positive things I can learn from them.

@@BobWijnen George Cables? Get the hell on out of here... And why do people always harp on Bill being the greatest. Get out of here with that BULL. You ever hear Hank Jones my friend? Or Barry for that matter? Barry play like no other... Ain't no competition even.

[@BobWijnen]

@ music is no competition at that level. And oh yeah, I just bought Tiptoe Tapdance by Hank Jones and even met him backstage at North Sea Jazz, years ago. I also was invited by Dr Barry Harris to his house, where I played on Monk's piano next to Barry. You know what we played? Isn't she lovely, by Stevie Wonder. Thank you very much!

[@baileyayyy5085]

I feel bad for the funk kiddies who never understood Barry and missed out on all his wisdom. All my jazz friends think of him as stuck up but he's just honest about his own taste. People cant handle other peoples opinions for some reason.

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

People here on this thread don't even understand what he's really getting at! But that's youtube 'culture' for you.

[@peterandreadakis3851]

Harris was a limited pianist lacking a singular voice and a exceedingly jealous man. Maybe even a little racist that a white cat was so great playing and writing jazz. To his credit Miles always knew the greatness of Bill Evans, from day one.

[@baileyayyy5085]

@@peterandreadakis3851 Sounds like barry wasn't the jealous one lmao. Stay mad that real cats will never respect funk

[@lol-ui9bt]

Ironically Bill Evans said his single greatest influence was Bud Powell LOL why is he so salty

[@eanico5551]

Yeah, I don't think Barry Harris is educated on Bill Evans in my opinion. He is just talking his mouth off.

[@guidemeChrist]

Too bad you can't hear it in his playing though. It's like he just listed a great whose name he knew but never really listened to

[@zu0832]

@@guidemeChrist No way... that is so insulting.... have you listened to Bill's early stuff? You can definitely hear Bud's influence. Stop with the disrespect...

[@davidpellow4877]

@@zu0832 Right and isn't the idea to find your own voice? Take what came before and develop your own approach. Bill took Beethoven and Bud (many more) and made his own voice. I love BH but his vibe is extremely negative and not a good influence.

[@afonsosousa2684]

@@guidemeChrist If you can't hear it in his playing, you should probably invest in some ears.

[@aravartanian7578]

First, let me say I don't begrudge artists having strong opinions about other artists. The thing about Bill Evans, for me, is: there may not be any one thing Bill Evans did better than anyone else. But he did so many things so well and he did a huge diversity of things. There's a lot of great early swing. His My Funny Valentine with Jim Hall is very bop, right down to the shell voicings. He has enormous diversity and complexity in his ballad arrangements. His solos feel much less like solos and more like fully realized compositions. People are obsessed with him, but if you're honest, not a lot of people sound like him. That kind of improvisation through motive development is very hard to teach, very hard to imitate.

[@didon8460]

nobody sounds like bill evans.

[@zdogg8]

Insightful comments. I think MANY try to sound like Bill, but as you suggest, easier said than done. Still, his voicings (no one can claim a particular voicing, but his overall harmonic approach) are his legacy, if there is such a thing, and I'd say yes to that.

[@matthewnewton2753]

well said sir

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

Bud Powell did all those things with more artistic force. It's obvious.

[@peterandreadakis3851]

The last two lines in this review are brilliant and true.

[@JerryAttric42]

i just made a discovery while on Amazon looking for info on Bud Powell. there is a paperback memoir about Powell called "Dance of the Infidels." i will give you 3 guesses who wrote the forward to this book - none other than Bill Evans! a direct quote from Evans: “If I had to choose one single musician for his artistic integrity, for the incomparable originality of his creation and the grandeur of his work, it would be Bud Powell.” those words could have easily been written by Harris himself, but perhaps the fact that Evans was chosen to write the forward only increased his resentment.

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

Easy for him to say. He had the machine behind him; unlike Powell.

[@rupertlay1887]

@@georgemcfetridge8310 On point!!!! say that again and again. Poor Bud Powell, he suffered most of his short life. Bill Evans never faced a fraction of what Bud endured.

[@jengzarate9087]

Keith Jarrett doesnt like art Tatum plays too much notes according to jarret ...vice versa as Harris to Evans..i guess we all are diffrent in views and tastes..I respect both of them ..Bill Evans is my influence his music is expressiive and sophisticated.

[@TheDubChronicles]

Jarrett is full of it. He doesn't have the mental capacity to understand the nuances of what Tatum was doing. This no doubt contributes to Jarrett's fruity sound.

[@vova47]

@@TheDubChronicles You are so right! I couldn't express it better myself.

[@afairbien]

Respect to you Broth ... Well Said

[@BirdBop]

Anyone who disrespects what came before is naive.

[@adamhenry98]

keith never said anything like that haha

[@HarrisonFerlauto]

As a tremendous Barry Harris fan, I think he is mistaken for one reason or another. Listen to Bill Evans on the album "Alone (Again)" and tell me Evans doesn't swing. The bebop on there is of the highest caliber.

[@TreBeL1000]

Bill Evans is good at what he does. But there are levels. That album proves to me he can’t do bop.

[@joshklamka834]

@@TreBeL1000 check out modern art by art farmer if you wanna hear bill really swing playing bop. he sounds a lot like sonny clark or red garland, plus everybody else is really swingin too

[@daniel67797]

This is fucking hilarious. Classic Barry; stubborn, savage and still legendary at the ripe old age of 90 something.

[@paxwallacejazz]

Sure ok

[@MrRickywallace]

Racist,too!

[@MrRickywallace]

Yeah, racist--up North in Yankee Land, it's okay to be a Black racist or drool over Black racists. Down here, he wouldn't last 10 minutes.

[@daniel67797]

@@MrRickywallace lmao you are so fragile

[@MrRickywallace]

@@daniel67797 No, I am tough. I come back when I see Whites racially attacked.

[@redvine1105]

Barry is a world class teacher and I have learned so much from him. But I confess, I play chords with the left hand sometimes ;)

[@brothercaleb]

He never said not to play them. But he objected to playing them “all the time”. Check some videos where he plays them himself when improvising.

[@paxwallacejazz]

EVEN After Miles Evans encountered huge rejection by club owners and sadly some some blacks (listen to his last interview taped in his car) many on the scene black musicians were up for being in his trio but didn't need the political rejection. So here's some more from Barry Harris. Oh well.

[@kasperbolding18]

Like crabs in a bucket.

[@FreddieMaguire]

Barry Harris is a fine Bop pianist, Bill Evans is a genius innovator. That is why he talks like that.

[@therealrussellsmyth]

Possibly !!

[@brothercaleb]

Opinion

[@kasperbolding18]

Exactly.

[@ltravail]

The man's enormous dedication and contribution to jazz, especially to jazz education and promotion, entitles him to be a bit cranky in his old age...not that he wasn't always strongly opinionated to begin with. I'm sure Bill Evans would have understood it was just old Barry being the same old Barry. Another point of light leaves this world when souls like Barry Harris and Bill Evans cross over to "death's other kingdom", as the TS Eliot poem goes. Interesting to hear Barry bring up Art Tatum..."he was too much for all of us"! Seems like any time I pull up a video of an older jazz guy talking about jazz Art Tatum somehow always comes up. As Tatum is so little known to the general public these days, it's hard for most people to get their heads around how stunningly phenomenal he really was, and why so many other great jazz (and classical) musicians put him in a class of his own and talk of him with authentic reverence. They weren't joking when they use to say about Tatum "God is in the house"!

[@KevinBrightman]

This is a great discussion. I studied with Walter Bishop Jr., Jaki Byard and took Masterclass with Barry Haŕris. I remember hearing a tape Jaki Byard played for me from someone who recorded him in 1949 and it was amazing. Even before Bill Evans Jaki Byard was using that style of playing. All pianist have something different to offer far as technique, phrasing and harmony. Everyone is influenced by someone. That’s how you develop your style.

[@jimkost2002]

Jaki was a genius ahead of his time. I was honored to study with him for a brief time and it changed me forever.

[@martin75r]

It’s quite sad to see such a great master so bitter. What never changes is that those people are always surrounded by aslickers .

[@Jayel805]

The asslicking is what stood out to me the most. Jesus... have some fucking dignity.

I too am SICK of people always talking about Bill Evans. I suggest you listen to some Barry Harris, Bud Powell and Wynton Kelly before you even start with praising how great he was. I was in a room once where Barry Harris spoke about the six diminished scale, and it was an experience to remember. Barry Harris is the most underrated jazz pianist there was. Far greater player than Bill.

[@martin75r]

宇宙愛 Barry Harris is a great player, so was Bill Evans. Dodo Marmarosa is maybe even more underrated ( or Hampton Hawes), and in this video are som bloody asslickers .

[@martin75r]

宇宙愛 All great players as Elmo Hope, Andrew Hill, Herbie Nichols, Harold Mabern, Al Haig and so on and on. I simply find all those dogmatic discussions about “what id real jazz” ridicoulous. It reminds me some stupid and unproductif discussions in the early music world. Imagine, Duke Ellington would have thought like that, all we would remember ( if we would) were the “Soda fountain rag”. Of course, Barry Harris teaching is marvelous when he speaks about what he likes ( small chords vs big chords, the 6th diminueshed etc.) . He is a unbelievebly precious witness and ambassador of the great art of Bebop (piano)playing. Yet I’m glad there is also other music out there. PS. You can be sure that Bill Evans was able to appreciate and admire all hes great predecessors, as great artists normally are, which doesn’t keeps them away frm moving on.

@@martin75r How about some Dave Brubeck? Probably.

[@timmo491]

Miles Davis said Bill Evans was the greatest pianist and taught him a lot. Bill was a genius he didnt take anyones stuff. You surprise me Barry.

[@sitarnut]

Not only that, but Bill invented an entirely new way to play jazz, especially standards.

[@timmo491]

@@sitarnut i agree jim. Also miles davis never commented on anyone really so to pick out Bill is something interesting.

[@maxwesmont]

@@timmo491 Miles said good things about Ahmad Jamal as well, I think.

[@timmo491]

@@maxwesmont totally yes

[@garrettsmth]

Barry doesn’t buy the hype on Miles either which is wild

[@hansmagnusmalcolmsen9354]

I read all the comments and most of them has nothing or very little to do with what Barry Harris said in the video.

[@daartiz01]

Telling Bill Evans sounds like Hank Jones is ridiculus! And Bill’s artistry is not only about “jazz”. His sonority is up to par with Horowitz or Rubinstein... you name it, his pianism is in that league. Then his compositions? BarryHarris’s orthodoxy and tribalism just get out of the way time to time, it is not new to me!

[@daveandrewvideos]

Barry is the man. I don't understand why he would put Evans down.

[@wastrel09]

Bitter man. Barry was good, but Bill was far more talented

[@johnvalentine3456]

Because as great as Bill was, he didn't have the fire, the swinging drive of the cats Barry mentioned. It's a feel thing Barry maybe doesn't dig about Bill, more than a harmonic thing I am guessing. And I am a Bill Evans fanatic. Doesn't bother me a bit the Barry doesn't like Evans. Barry's feel as a player speaks for itself. The closest thing we'll get to hearing Bud Powell live folks.

[@carlomorena6728]

@@johnvalentine3456 no 'fire' and no 'drive' here?...kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGPMo2pue9lmqq8

[@evelyncharlottejoe4238]

we learn about bill before barry before terry pollard before mary lou because of white supremacist patriarchy. im sure hes bitter. he watched people he knew personally suffer from poverty and inhumane conditions while others became complict and collaborative with the destruction of the tradition to favour white big money and white academia by pushing their individual career. i still like bills playing, but it seems immature to ignore that political context. and it seems ridiculous to me to say he was inventive. he had privilege and full access to indigenous and black music. ill give him credit for not using it go settle for mediocrity. if we can learn anything from bill as white people engaging with this tradition, its that. i get why hes bitter. whats happened to this tradition is horrible and has been incredibly violent, and figures like bill are used in the current berklee pedagogy to represent things that are so far from the traditional roots.

[@themidger1]

@@evelyncharlottejoe4238 when I listen to this I don’t hear him trashing Bill or his playing. He’s specifically bemoaning the fact that Bill has been put up on a pedestal in mainstream music culture as the greatest jazz pianist of all time. Aside from the hostility he feels as a prominent black musician watching a slow gentrification of “street music” (his term), I doubt he appreciates being overshadowed in his educational efforts by the sainthood bestowed to Bill’s teaching through his early death. Barry is old school to the core, even in The Hague videos you hear him take shots at the academic approach to jazz theory. Bill The Legend represents more than himself in this respect, and I think Barry is projecting a lot of that animosity onto his fame and canonization in the music world

[@breakfastplan4518]

What's really sad is that an old black man who has done more for music( than every commenter here combined )can't have an opinion about the very environment he helped to shape. That's what's really sad.

[@alighieroalighieri404]

Barry Harris, an excellent pianist, but his assessment on Bill Evans is unfair just as much as when he stated that classical musicians cannot figure out chord progressions. He had a big mouth and often talked nonsense !

[@bla8859]

i can listen to bill evans for ever, so some like apples, some like rhubarb, i used love raw onions and cheese, everybody is different, thank goodness, and bud and bill are totally different, also to our great fortune

[@vidrojas31]

bud used to listen to Bill Evans recordings in France with Francis Paudras and considered him like a promising talent

[@mdb7478]

Unfortunately taking into account the beauty of someone else’s beauty and developed voice is absent in this segment.

[@leojbramble]

Not cool to have this up on KZbin. Barry allows one and all to sit in on his weekly informal, intimate workshops for a modest fee, and even allows the students to record him and their own instruction for their own future reference, but it seems like a bit of a violation to post these informal comments publicly; he doesn't even allow his dedicated, longtime students to publish written recaps of his weekly sessions on facebook, so I'm fairly certain he wouldn't be cool with this. Bad form.

[@kasperbolding18]

Almost as bad form as trash talking Bill Evans when hes clearly a superior musician to Barry. Can't say i feel sorry.

[@liquidmotion09]

Bill Evans changed music, neo-soul, modern RnB, even some hip-hop, still use his voicings. Blue in Green

[@jw_bird]

You’re exactly right, Bill Evans changed music forever, and that’s the problem. He’s easily the most copied jazz pianist in history, and Dr. Harris thinks that his popularity did a lot to extinguish the legacy of earlier, greater piano players (like Art Tatum and Bud Powell). Personally I agree, but it also happens that Bill Evans’ style is much more digestible to the average casual listener than Powell or Tatum. Whether you see that as dumbing down or not is up to you.

[@regaerock98]

STOP

[@TehWinnerz]

you just whitewashed all that music. Its all black. That you think this is evidence that all the Black musicians who already did what Evans did don't get the props because they weren't white

[@liquidmotion09]

@@TehWinnerz it's all American

[@TehWinnerz]

@@liquidmotion09 well that we can agree on :)

[@skineyemin4276]

Barry did like John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" and Bill Evans. Basically anybody who played with Miles in the late 1950s and the "Hard Bop" era.

[@paxwallacejazz]

Man listen to Barry at his best and Evans at his worst... I rest my case. Evans would've never presumed to make these kind of sweeping negative disempowering statements because he was actually a man possessed of great humility. Wow.

[@yohenson]

that's actually true. but barry is more offended by putting evans as the end goal of piano players. people just enjoy it as music. not necessarily as learning the way barry is trying to promote. he is an advocate of bop. not of music. and that's his problem

[@TehWinnerz]

Bill Evans is the most overrated pianist in all of Jazz and its because he is white

[@JohnsonSmithson]

@@TehWinnerz he's just good, deal with it

[@TehWinnerz]

@@JohnsonSmithson yeah he's pretty good at times but so many white jazz fans talk about him like he's the GOAT and its just laughable. Not even top 50.

[@zu0832]

Goat of all time? Are you confusing sports with music?

[@Weily_Alcequiez]

RIP master Barry! you will always be remembered with love!

[@murrayr7703]

Yes as opposed to the way he lived his life with vitriol, envy, resentment. I hope he RIP cause he certainly was not at peace in his life.

[@Weily_Alcequiez]

@@murrayr7703 I didn't see that in your classes. if you met him personally then ok. But even reflecting on that after someone's death says more about you than about him.

[@murrayr7703]

@@Weily_Alcequiez Your are welcome to your opinion as I am to mine. And my opinion is he was obviously a bitter envious man and talking smack about Bill Evans is quite childish especially when you are 90 year old. If he were alive I'd just say to him - "Let it Go gramps.

[@brothercaleb]

@@Weily_Alcequiez very well said bro. Definitely Changed the way Many look at music-and that’s a fact. RIP the great Barry Harris

[@Weily_Alcequiez]

@@murrayr7703 he had his manners and strong opinions... That's it! And, with 90 years old You become less polite...

[@renatobuchert7879]

I like how he badmouths "In Your Own Sweet Way" but has enough respect for it to insist on getting the composer's name right.

[@joelparkes1833]

I studied with Barry in the 1980s, and he was genuinely offended at the idea that Bill Evans had supplanted Bud Powell as possibly the most influential jazz pianist around. For Barry, bebop was the entire jazz universe, and Bill Evans wasn't strictly a bopper. I'm sorry Barry trashes him here, though. To the best of my knowledge, Evans never said an unkind word about any other jazz pianist.

[@indieWellie]

iirc the worst thing that he possibly said was that OP's playing was a "responsibility" when pressed to say something. BE's influences extended well beyond what he wrote and performed; watching one of the last interviews (in denmark iirc) that he did within months of his death. you can tell that BE had a deeper philosophical take on music and performance than may otherwise be apparent.

[@Danilo8208SS]

It’s interesting that Bill Evans will almost always comes up in a conversation about great jazz piano player but no one ever mentions this guy beyond the diminished 6 concept. Not that he’s not a great player but he’s got no business talking about Bill Evans like this.

[@citynocomment4685]

We will all miss Barry Harris very much...

[@aqualili]

:((((

[@MrRickywallace]

He was a racist!

[@classicfilms8071]

Nope

[@murrayr7703]

Umm can you define "we and all." Miles, bill Evans yes I miss them, and Barry has FINALLY stopped whining.

[@vova47]

I love Barry but he shouldn't bad mouth Bill Evans, that's just ignorant...... Bill was great and no, he did not sound like Hank Jones, though I 'm sure he learnt from Hank just as Hank learned from Bill later on.

[@Chreeeis]

You’re too right, but I’d say that’s just how he feels. It's crazy to think that many jazz legends barely live half as long as Barry. Right or wrong, I still think it’s amazing to hear such an experienced man speak his mind.

[@farhad007]

Chris Tibits he’s a great musician and educator, but this is such an ego driven conversion. I have so much respect for all the names he talks about and he does too. Him living longer than the rest of them does not give him the permission to bash his colleagues. The problem I see everyday, especially jazz musicians, that they feel like they have to degrade one another because of ego, or money, or whatever because that’s how shit works these days in U.S, but it’s easy to forget all the beautiful music they create, by utilizing the knowledge they earned by hard work. Like many others, I have learned so much from Bill Evans playing. There’s an interview of him on KZbin. I suggest if you have not seen it, look for it. I love when he talks about “ keeping it real” while soloing ... remember as a general rule of thumb that it’s okay to be inspired by others and follow the lead of others and learn how to make beautiful music. Hank Jones doesn’t and Bill Evans have almost nothing in common stylistically, But Even if they did, it’s all the better. Let’s change this conversation. Let’s not get distracted by these remarks!

[@gmgroucho77]

I'm not sure it's so much about ego, moreover it's the passion these great jazz players have for what they believe to be the "right" jazz. Armstrong was the same way about the new be boppers as Barry is about the modal Evans and his like. Jazz is a broad church and there is brilliance in every field.

[@raefblack7906]

Hank learned from Evans lol. What, how not to swing?

[@sega62s]

He is just a fuckin racist musician like a few out there, Bill was no god but he was good enough to shout his fucking mouth, you kniw right away he is tormented and is losing his marbles....

[@rjpimprov]

Funny thing is, Bill Evans I'm SURE would have had nothing but nice things to say about Barry's playing...

[@WyattLite-n-inn]

Very sad to see him denigrate Bill Evans

[@dylanmcgaharn5676]

Barry harris really is salty that no one thinks of him as one of the greats. Bill evans is a genius and impossible to replicate and i bet that scares Barry

[@themidger1]

Bill is very easy to replicate. Just play high clusters on 9ths and #11ths very softly 🙄

[@dylanmcgaharn5676]

@@themidger1 that is such a watered down simple way to put his playing. You also just highlighted one of the many techniques he uses to craft solos and arrangements. I consider oscar to be the best but bill evans has a much more distinct and recognizeable sound than Barry harris and that's just a fact that most people would agree with. I like barry's playing but it is downright disrespectful to insult one of the greats in a manner like that.

[@themidger1]

@@dylanmcgaharn5676 he doesn’t really insult or disrespect Bill himself. I mentioned on another comment he sees all the modern academic berklee jazz as not-jazz and his comments here extend through that lens. He has consistently said this, even in the old videos of him there’s clips of him saying he doesn’t like that style. Also, to continue the “how to ape BE” tips - quick glissando at the peak of a run, pentatonic 3 on 4, and modal block chord runs really help mimic his sound. To my ears Barry is more distinct, no one else can melt chords together like him. Stuff like That Secret Place is the peak of beauty to me but it’s all subjective

[@TehWinnerz]

impossible to replicate? LOL its the easiest Jazz Piano to replicate. There's a reason why theres a thousand of white pianists at music college learning 'his' rootless voicings and playing saggy-ass 'Jazz Piano'.

[@92ninersboy]

Barry Harris is all about Bud Powell, that's his major influence, along with Monk. Bud is a seminal influence in jazz - the ultimate bebop pianist. Bill Evans represents the next great modern jazz piano influence. Evans was also influenced by Bud but he developed jazz piano, on every level, to the next stage (not to mention the interaction and roles within the piano trio). Both Bud and Bill are giants - they are two of my greatest piano icons. I would say Bud translated Birds ideas onto the piano (he also was a wonderful composer, as was Bill). Evans brought in very advanced harmony (shades of Ravel and Debussy and beyond). I think Evans has had a longer more far reaching influence on music but they are both of inestimable value to jazz and to creative musicians everywhere..

[@brothercaleb]

Agree but just have to point out, Bill was never on the level of Bud... let’s get it right first. Both are great but anybody will tell you there’s clear daylight between the two. Bud was the bigger and a consummate jazzer. Listen to the genius of Bud Powell -tunes like dust in Sandi, Paris thoroughfare etc... the harmony and movement is insane. And we haven’t even talked about melodic interpretation- albums like piano interpretations and the earlier ones illustrate this. Dude was insane. But I submit that Bill made great contributions to jazz too-harmony etc. That’s my take on the two 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@philipfederici2947]

When Bill died in 1980 Miles said , "I learned more about music from Bill Evans than from anybody."

[@shaolin1derpalm]

I don't care who he is or what he had accomplished, Bill Evans was awesome. I'm sure the sycophantic "the master is speaking" comments will come but whatever. People from before his time could say "I don't understand" about him and could be valid.

[@jimbrown1559]

Barry is one of my very favorite pianists, second only to Bill Evans. I've recorded close to 40 hours of his music, listened to much more. I've shared meals with him, he played for our wedding reception. love him dearly. But I don't share his assessment of Bill Evans.

[@jazzjeffjazzjeff]

“Art Tatum was too much for all of us”. Indeed he was!

[@stephenkenny1647]

When you find out his recording of Over the Rainbow was made only a week after the film came out 🤯🤯🤯

[@johndimartino4468]

Emerson wrote, "envy is ignorance; imitation is suicide."

[@vegetathe4th376]

Maybe he is sick and tired of Bill Evans popularity among jazz pianists.

[@Ayo.Ajisafe]

Barry might sound salty and to understand that might be difficult for you. The pattern since he was a kid was this: African Americans start doing something great. Receive no mainstream appreciation. White people do it receive all the plaudits. White audiences seemingly needed music that was relatable to them. Can't really knock that. But they are the economically dominant group. Before you think of arguing it happened with the blues. All those legendary bands like the rolling stones and the beetles started out playing the blues. The black artists they covered played to/on segregated audiences/ radio stations. People often don't know they wrote or recorded the original versions or originators of a style. Remember many African American jazz greats (including Miles) were received more warmly in Europe. Paris specifically. It happened with hip hop and Eminem. I see it happening with John Mayer too. Even in Afrobeat. This is the pattern. Now i love Bill Evans. And i enjoy all the greats of Jazz black or white but if I was literally a living breathing legend of Bebop and had hardly any recognition, i might be a bit salty too. It's great that white people get involved in Black music but because they are the economically dominant group its THEIR favourites that suddenly become the defacto standards. Eminem becomes the best rapper of all time. Bill Evans the greatest jazz pianist. (For many) Elvis Presley the king of rock n roll. And Eric Clapton THE blues guitarist.

[@BobWijnen]

Makes sense, but then again why would he diss George Cables? Although, on a closer listen he says "he's an alright player", but he definitely disses Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett repeatedly in his class. It's got to do with recognition as well. Who gets the credits and who doesn't but should have gotten them instead.

[@Ayo.Ajisafe]

@@BobWijnen Absolutely...he doesn't only diss white artists. I think there's a small percentage of it. A lot is also his artistic ego. It's funny because people don't want to see how hip hop is in sooo many ways a continuation of original Jazz culture but to me Barry is talking just like a rapper. Its actually hilarious the similarities.

[@guidemeChrist]

@@Ayo.Ajisafe i want barry to drop a proper diss track of bill

[@Ayo.Ajisafe]

@@guidemeChrist 😂😂😂

[@bronzewand]

I've heard Barry diss Miles Davis too. I think he's really just into bebop and what came before it. He just doesn't seem to like or care too much for what came after bebop, and that's totally fine

[@randomchannel-px6ho]

No one's opinion is gospel. Little needs to be said about Barry Harris and his great influence, but his opinion expressed here is frankly, trash. Not because of his feelings about Bill's music, but rather for the complete dismissal of any merit it has. Bill Evans isn't Art Tatum. Bill Evans isn't Bud Powell. Bill Evans is Bill Evans. Bill Evans was openly heavily influenced by many bop musicians and played bop himself quite well, but every genre has it's heyday and quite simply things become tired and the world moves on. Bill Evans took heavy inspiration from the harmonic exploration of the late romantics like Debussy, the new modal theory of George Russell, and his own mastery of the bop language to craft a unique style of playing that progressed Jazz forward. And that is something to be admired.

[@guitarmainly]

Competitive Jazz? Oxymoronic. A silly conversation.

[@BirdBop]

It's how Jazz was born

[@Ayo.Ajisafe]

@@BirdBop battling hip hop battles are just an extension of this mentality. I saw this in the film Cadillac records. Muddy Waters and co used to do it. But they don't get it.

[@zdogg8]

Seek out Oscar Peterson reflections on "cutting" contests......Jazz is VERY competitive, though we might consider it more "friendly" competition than outright cut-throat. Many have objected to 'contests' - same in classical field. But there's no getting around a certain competitiveness in a crowded field with less jobs than job seekers.

[@S728-u9x]

i dont get why so many people here seem to be upset at the fact that barry is expressing his personal opinion while also being a teacher as if there was something wrong with that. the students are adults and they obviously wont blindly follow everything the teacher says all the time, i bet most people in that room like bill evans and still liked him after what barry said. even though he is expressing an opinion that we dont necessarily agree with, there is still something valid in his reflection and we should respect his point of view. theres nothing wrong with this video at all

[@davidpellow4877]

If your opinions close the mind of your students, that is wrong.

[@S728-u9x]

@@davidpellow4877 thats exactly my point, his opinions do not "close the mind" of his students, he doesnt have that power. they are adults having a normal discussion

[@davidpellow4877]

@@S728-u9x That's your opinion. That they are literally laughing at a great artist suggests their minds are affected by Harris.

[@S728-u9x]

@@davidpellow4877 of course it is my opinion thats why im saying it, and the fact that they are laughing doesnt mean that they agree with what barry is saying. i laughed at the video and bill evans is one of my favorite jazz artists. i think they are most likely laughing because its unusual and unexpected to see someone opposing that vehemently to the hegemonic idea that bill evans is great rather than literally laughing at bill evans himself

[@afonsosousa2684]

Eh, the students don't seem to have anything of substance to say. The long-haired guy in particular is a clueless sycophant who makes an ass of himself in a desperate bid for Barry's approval - claiming Bill Evans was copying Hank Jones, as if the two bear more than the most superficial resemblance and also mixing up Brubeck and Shearing, two men who also sound nothing like each other.

[@StamatisSeraphim]

Damn people are salty here. Barry is one of the greatest players and educators alive, and he never cared for fame or recognition - he just wants to teach and spread the word of Bebop. The reason he's not a household name like Bud or Evans is because he's spent his life teaching others behind the scenes (but he's also worked on some incredible records). All those comments criticising him really seem uninformed and quick to judge, and it's easy to take this video out of context. He's not saying Bill wasn't a good player or that he's better than Bill, he's saying Bill ain't the only piano player in the world, and I understand why he would get tired of hearing of him. Bebop was created to take jazz back to the Black community, and Barry's always felt a certain disappointment to those who "sold out" and went on a more commercial route. He's a humble man but strong in his opinions, and he helped shape the music that players like Bill or Herbie later adapted and took in a different direction. People here need to be more respectful of a man like that, who has every right to have an opinion on a genre he helped curate.

[@brothercaleb]

Thanks for putting a perspective to this. Especially now that Barry (peace be upon him) just passed, it’s easy for people to take his words out of context. Most of whom did not know him personally. There’s a video where he’s teaching students harmony on Bill Evans song: waltz for Debby. He clearly did not hate bill…

[@haroldpierre1726]

Funny how he doesn't like Bill Evans, but there is a video of him playing Waltz for Debby. To me, that's a great way of honoring another musician by playing his music.

[@stephenpopovichl122]

Bad comment to young students-how can you minimize the genius of Bill Evans-Jealous??

[@thomassimmons8041]

I don't think he's jealous.. he's a bad cat himself. He's a disciple of Bud Powell

[@TehWinnerz]

Whilst I think BH should have more tact to talk like this to *students* (who you should always try to encourage), (conversations about race, on the other hand, should be had with as much honesty and frankness as possible) that's exactly the point. In no way was Bill Evans a genius. Other, black, musicians were but they don't anywhere near the stature that Bill Evans enjoys amongst white folk. Bill Evans is fine, good even. I'm ok with saying that - I'm just exhausted seeing the constant elevation of Evans above his black colleagues. Jaki Byard. Eroll Garner. Teddy Wilson. Duke Ellington. Andrew Hill. Geri Allen. Herbie Hancock (tho to be fair he is maybe tied with BE in terms of popularity). Keith Jarrett. Bud Powell. Cedar Walton. Thelonious Monk. McCoy Tyner. Chick Corea. Kenny Kirkland. Richard Muhal Abrahams.

[@kasperbolding18]

@@TehWinnerz Listen to me good race grifter. Bill Evans is superior to Barry Harris in EVERY metric known to man kind. Stop being bitter, just because a white man did better than a black man in jazz. You're an embarrassment & a disgrace to humanity.

[@production58]

I’m very disappointed in Barry.. Bill Evans was a groundbreaker.. Miles Davis knew that that’s why he’s kind of blue.. that’s why his influence on that album is just tremendous and can’t be denied and the influence that he had on other players.. I spent time with Miles . We talked about Bill Evans. Players didn’t like him because he was so original and came out of nowhere… listen to the album everybody digs Bill Evans you’ll see what the story is… Barry Harris shouldn’t have to go and pump anything up about anybody he has his place and he is a great pianist but the sit there and put down Bill Evans who touched so many people… is really a shame and to me an embarrassment..

[@Beyondabsence]

It seems that Barry may lack the sensitivity required to truly appreciate Bill Evans. While Barry is undeniably a significant figure in the jazz piano tradition, there are certain limitations in his style. Bill, on the other hand, takes me to emotional depths that Barry simply cannot reach.

[@JulienJazz]

Bill Evans is awesome. You can't take that away from him. But I agree that he isn't the end all be all of Jazz piano.

[@johndimartino4468]

This is BULL SHIT! I am sorry that Barry spoke this way about Bill Evans! Bill was totally a disciple of Bud Powell. You can hear that in his early paying. Bill then went on to innovate his own style, and after Bud, Bill is chronologically the next most important influence in the development of Jazz Piano! I think the issue is that some may have envied Bill's commercial success and that clouds their judgment!

[@sallemjazz1]

Yes John. Agreed on all counts.

[@jamorains]

These sort of takes are commonplace among jazz practitioners. The continuous and rapid developments of the music often left many musicians stranded, artistically speaking, particularly in terms of their mainstream appeal. (Consider the fact that veterans like Duke Ellington lived long enough to witness every significant era IN jazz history, and that Louis Armstrong was still playing dixieland trumpet when Bitches Brew dropped). Bop was this man's art and his survival, so i don't begrudge him his opinions regarding what came later.

[@timechopper]

Hey, Barry being Barry and speaking his mind, is a treasure. Students come to learn from who the master is. To "moderate himself for young minds" would be to drop from a master class, to an ordinary class.

[@shaolin1derpalm]

So we can be us and speak our mind about him?

[@cocovi]

@@shaolin1derpalm the master remains the master and the students remain students. Everyone should stay in their place

[@shaolin1derpalm]

@@cocovi so the master was never the student? Speaking his mind against what came prior?

[@MarkTarmannPianoCheck_it_out]

blah blah blah let's all just stfu and goes practice on our instruments, make ourselves useful to the world and move the air around with music instead of blah fucking blah blah@@cocovi

[@kasperbolding18]

@@cocovi So Barry should have never talked bad about Bill Evans is what you're saying? Because Harris was never a master, Evans was.

[@jamesdeancav]

Bill Evans is the greatest jazz pianist of all time still to this day, those students laughing in agreement should try listening to Miles Davis before they blindly agree with such bullshit, Barry Harris yes he is an interesting educator but he can’t play anywhere near the level of Bill period. Just listen to all Bills albums and tell me he’s not the greatest. R.I P Bill

[@foodhead4677]

Barry is great, he's just expressing his opinion. At the end of the day they are all playing tunes written by the J's anyway.

[@jedivideo6203]

There are certain musicians, even masters like Barry Harris, who are very rigid in their views about who can play. Lou Donaldson is like that about saxophonists. Barry probably doesn't like any pop or rock and roll either. It's too bad, but the reality is that every great artist has their detractors. Fortunately we can all form our own opinions.

[@zu0832]

Bill hated rock

[@nhaezer5121]

Barry Harris has an opinion about everything and everyone. He is a critic, theorist and is very dogmatic. That's just him; and his input to jazz is appreciated.

[@johnvalentine3456]

Right, we could all benefit from being a little less thin skinned. And anyway, if I pick up Barry Harris in my car to take him somewhere, I play no music at all in the car, as a courtesy. Just assume that the silence will be appreciated by your likely road-weary guest/passenger.

[@sallemjazz1]

Never believe people who've become sour. Barry, who has done a tremendous lot for popularizing the bebop language through his teachings, is trying to force his opinions of others (mainly Bill Evans, a far more popular pianist than Barry), and doing so is sending a wrong message to the jazz piano community, helped by his crew of followers who act like a cult with the leader, a bit like a bunch of Jehovah's Witness... Make sure to listen to Barry's playing and Barry's teaching, which are beautiful and spot on when he knows what he is talking about (bebop piano). For the rest, when he talks about Coltrane, Cannonball, Bill Evans, classical pianists, and piano technique among other topics, I would recommended to avoid his rants and brain washing. Staying open-minded is the key for improving in a complex art form like Jazz.

[@rupertlay1887]

well said, but word of advice (2). Firstly; please do not use "popularity" as a measure to indicate : standard/value/level/significance when referring to JAZZ and its contributors like Bill Evans or Charlie Parker etc...that is wrong. Bill being more popular than Barry (so you say) says nothing about music or jazz piano or anything (and you owe the readers an explanation demographically). Second Jazz is NOT an artform, it is a WAY OF LIFE. Ask Bill Evans , he said so also. Truth be told. All that said, I am certain your popularity assertion was anecdotal (again, misleading).

[@sallemjazz1]

@@rupertlay1887 popularity....anecdotal.... you got my point, Bill Evans is and was one of the most important jazz pianist in history, who completely changed the way jazz piano was thought and executed. I am not a member of any Bill Evans cult (as there are people out there who are), but I gotta give him his due, and what Barry said here is either plain wrong or plain jealousy. And as far as jazz as an artform.... I don't see the relation to what I wrote. Both pianists however paid some serious dues to the "artform" if it is what you're implying.

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

He's not against Bill Evans, just fed up with the publicity machine that made him dominate music audiences to the exclusion of many other piano voices. This music can't be discussed without considering the forces that told people what to like via media dissemination. I too find Hank Jones's touch, thoughtfulness, harmonic imagination and pianism just as beautiful as Evans's.

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

@rxw5520 I'm not saying BE didn't deserve success. It's about falsely making music into a business. It just isn't, in its nature! Thus all the phoniness and injustice [particularly racial, as in the US machine]. As to pianists carrying out the Armstrong/Parker approach to music, no one, to this day, outplays Bud Powell, or earlier, Earl Hines - as to musical force and wonder, as embodied by 'West End Blues' and 'Koko'.

[@anthonybranco3327]

Bill Evans WAS all that. I saw him play nights on end at the Top of The Gate in the Village in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Barry Harris is a fine educator of his method. There is room for everyone, from Billy Taylor to Cecil Taylor. Barry needs to remember that when students flock at the master, no one appreciates the put down.

[@thomassimmons2769]

He’s right following Bud Powell’s departure for Europe, Bill Evans emerged. However, there were some other notorious cats on the New York scene like Kenny Drew, Tommy Flanagan, Sonny Clark, Wynton Kelly, Horace Silver, Barry Harris, and many more. Bill Evans was a remarkable player and a fantastic composer but he was not the only one. His work on Riverside records produced monumental albums which i do give him credit.

[@mezcaholico]

"Bill Evans, one of my favorite pianists of all time..." Miles Davis kzbin.info/www/bejne/jInLnqmFlpqLoNE

[@miguelherrera6762]

"Bud Powell was the best of all the bebop pianists" Miles Davis (and Barry would agree).

[@pauls4742]

I like Barry's comment at the end of the interview... learn how to sing a solo. That's where the music comes from ... deep down inside and it' got to be completely personal and authentic.... not just a bunch of notes.

[@orochimarukishimoto6509]

And can't do that very well either...

[@jazzpianousa]

The beauty of jazz is the cornucopia of players who have contributed to the music, whether Black, White, Brown, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, etc. You get my point. Some arguably may seemingly have had a greater impact than others on paper, or in the press among the general public. That unfortunately can play a role in how the music gets promoted or who gets selected to play a festival. For every recognizable player, how many get lost in the shuffle? People are so quick to name guys like Tatum, Powell, Peterson, The Duke, Basie, Evans, McCoy, Horace, Corea, etc. even Barry Harris. How many get forgotten like Norman Simmons, Dodo Mamarosa, Dick Hyman, Phineas Newborn,Jr., Ray Bryant, Fats Waller, Jimmy Rowles, Al Haig, Tommy Flanagan, Monty Alexander, Cedar Walton, Mary Lou Williams, etc. I think I've made my point. Barry maybe feels slighted or under appreciated. Ron Carter is known to harbor similar sentiments as far as his importance in the great Miles Davis Quintet to make possible the things Herbie and Tony did because he was anchoring everything as the pulse and foundation. It's a normal human desire to be recognized and appreciated. We have as a musical community a wealth of history and knowledge that is amazing and staggering. So many great musicians get lost in the shuffle because it's the way the music business works. Thete are great regional players who regular people may not know in another part of the country, but musicians know and they refer each other for gigs or have longtime musical relationships with them. This is how it has been for the guys who work and love to play. One of my mentors, the great bassist, George 'Buddy' Catlett, grew up in a thriving scene in Seattle playing with his friends Quincy Jones, Ernestine Anderson, Floyd Standifer, and Southern transplant, Ray Charles. Buddy would do some great things include play with Basie, Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong and play on some legendary recordings. But he moved back to Seattle in the early 1970's and spent the rest of his life there and had a nice musical career and kept on practicing and trying to get better. He didn't worry about this fame stuff and who was better or contributed what to the music. To Buddy it was all about THE MUSIC. Buddy said to me on a gig one time duringour break, "The key to this business is longevity. I've seen great players come and go. You keep practicing and playing and eventually you'll get your due.." Words of wisdom to live by.

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

You overlook the control exerted by the US publicity machine - utterly unjust.

[@ucopiedyibo1959]

Rest In Peace you wonderful jazzmaster

[@pickinstone]

I went to a couple of Barry Harris's masterclasses and I now study with one of his former bandmates--and a legendary bebop guitarist in his own right. At the danger of sounding "woke", I think that Mr. Harris is talking about race. I also love listening to Bill Evans, especially with Philly Jo on the drums. But I don't think that Bill Evans was the best there ever was and will be. Barry Harris talks A LOT about Art Tatum--every great jazz pianist worth their salt usually places Art Tatum at the top of the pantheon--for good reason. Calling Bill Evans the greatest erases the legacy that Art Tatum started by showing what was possible on the piano--that no one, even Eldar, has ever matched or surpassed. That's Black American Music history, to refer to Nicholas Payton. That doesn't mean you have to be Black to play this music authentically, or whatever that means. But that does mean that you respect the lineage. I think that even Keith Jarrett, who had a lot of issues around race with his own legacy, would say to respect that BAM legacy--and Keith Jarrett is among the top pianists in the business. Look at Barry Harris's legacy as a player, look the LONG list of other musicians he played with--and that will put his teaching into perspective. He's not another person on KZbin trying to teach "the simplest way to play jazz in 10 easy steps." His pedagogy comes from YEARS of refining his craft as a master, while he PLAYED with the masters.

[@joksal9108]

What is “the lineage”? What was the last day in history when only black people were playing jazz? Certainly it was more than a century ago. Jazz is American music, not “BAM”.

[@laminebaazi4376]

Evans gets a bad rep amongst certain circles cause he aint from a blues tradition rather french impressionism. i think evans alongside with trane are the first true aliens of the jazz genre. those that really made it expand onto a lot of other things. though here Barry is just being old school is all the kids dont get the energy in his statement. jazz was and is raw af

[@laminebaazi4376]

and Barry is a virtuoso in his own right.

[@jazzsecrets]

That's oral history, really interesting perspective.

[@spb7883]

To say that Barry Harris is entitled to his opinion is an understatement: he’s Barry Harris! What I can’t stand are the sycophants around him. He has his reasons for his opinions, while they don’t even have their own.

[@owejay7981]

I like when jazz musicians and fans have strong opinions. Most people in the jazz world just think everyone is a genius. It's boring and ends up being meaningless. I enjoyed this. He is wrong about Bill Evans (and George Cables) but there is a good lesson in honesty here.

[@golds04]

I think it must have been hard that Bill got so much recognition and so many talented pianists got so little financial support. I think he is bitter here about that and it’s understandable. That said- there is a reason Evans got the awards and recognition. It was well deserved. Barry is great. He did not change in any substantive way how one plays piano. Imo. Bill transformed the approach and his miles brought- him back- for a reason. .

[@TehWinnerz]

Evans has some good moments but his stature is massive over so many better black pianists. Imo its because Evans is white and white middle class folk got into his aesthetic.

[@golds04]

@@TehWinnerz didn’t know miles and cannonball were white. Thnxs. Who knew.

[@TehWinnerz]

@@golds04 my point is that so many Jazz fans think Evans is THE Jazz Pianist and don't give time to the black masters. Its a travesty.

[@golds04]

@@TehWinnerz that I would agree with 100%. Bill got so much from those who preceded him- especially Bud. Conversely- in the world of black musicians- lennie Tristan imo has not gotten the credit he deserves. Nor joe Albany. Your point is well taken.

[@TehWinnerz]

@@golds04 I think Lennie is pretty huge now among musicians. Warne Marsh too. I think they're more important than Evans tbh

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

Nobody here has thought about the US's publicity machine's effect on perception of this art. Barry Harris felt it.

[@percyvolnar8010]

Funny... Chick Corea went to go see Bill Evans play with miles and he was unimpressed. But to Chicks credit, he never dissed him. And to Bill Evans credit, he dissed the living hell out of Chet Baker. Bill Evans redeeming factor was his 'Black Awareness' which made his black peers comfortable around him. The only person that has ever spoken on it was Drummer Jimmy Cobb. Bill Evans was so much more than just a pianist.

[@martian-sunset]

I studied with Sophia Rosoff at the same time as Barry. Sometimes he would arrive early for his lesson after me and "sit in" on mine. He was a wonderful guy, very supportive although he was certainly opinionated. It was something to hear him go from a Chopin Etude into a Bud Powell tune!

[@davidbinkley5888]

To add to you dont disrespect these cats... Barry Harris is a great player. Wonderful sense of time. Recording with Lolita in it... amazing. Just no need to insult Bill Evans...

[@florestan88eusebius]

If you ever see an artist critique an artist, then there is only one artist and one critic.

[@N1CK_B]

Sounds like a personal beef with Bill Evans. I mean how could you fault his playing ?

[@jamesjazzy8040]

Ironically, I think every piano player that barry harris put down is better than barry harris... He's a simple pianist...that's all...

[@johnvalentine3456]

How in the hell does someone mix up Dave Brubeck and George Shearing? That dude piping up, basically interrupting Barry for no good reason, ruined the story...there was more coming from Barry that we'll never get to hear.

[@guidemeChrist]

Based Legend. Rest in peace

[@davidbinkley5888]

You shouldn't disrespect any of these cats. I heard Bill Evans at Keystone Korner in San Fran about 15 days before his death at 51. I was in Barry Harris workshops in NYC. I remember how sweet Tommy Flanagan was when we were talking at Knickerbockers. He just wanted to talk to me but was made to get up and play. I've talked to people who have won multiple grammy awards in jazz... very humble. Jazz is dominated and originates from black americans, but should help the racism in this country. I heard many players at Bradley's and sat in once. You don't disrespect any of these cats black or white. We have a repeat president coming back in who disrespects all art.. Christian Mc Bride was telling us about playing at the Obama White House. John Clayton and I hoped for a cabinet position filled with Quincy Jones during the Obama years. You just don't disrespect Bill Evans or any jazz player. Sonny Clark and Miles liked him.

[@TheJazzMemoir]

That way he repeats "get outta here" at :50 is priceless 🤣🤣🤣

[@bartlebob]

More flavors, more joy, more beauty.

[@playbackamusicloversjourne8620]

The real story behind why Bill's career rose successfully in the business was Helen Keane, his long time manager. She saw his talent and knew how to promote him.

[@georgemcfetridge8310]

Not only her. Consider the writers. And the word of mouth among jobbing musicians, who are never profound about the art.

[@dr.brianjudedelimaphd743]

The real deal -RIP Genius

[@breakfastplan4518]

He's speaking truthfully. Bill was great but overrated. When I was in school, my teacher raved about bill Evans playing, yet the albums he told me to listen to were.. Barry Harris at the jazz workshop ( this album single handedly pulled me away from bill Evans. You learn so much listening to that album). Dudley Moore jazz trio ( Dudley was a UK comedian and a serious monster on piano art Tatum influence ). Gene Harris, cedar walton, Phineas newborn. I studied classical piano and played much of the same french music that evans nods to in his music, so it was easier for me to pull away from bill and to understand the other players.

[@Beyondabsence]

It seems that Barry may lack the sensitivity required to truly appreciate Bill Evans. While Barry was somewhat a significant figure in the jazz piano tradition, there are certain limitations in his style. Bill, on the other hand, takes me to emotional depths that Barry simply cannot reach. Evans would never venture into the swinging bebop lines that defined Bud, while Bud could never approach the harmonic beauty and depth that Bill Evans mastered.