The Jazz Life featuring Richie Cole at the Village Vanguard - 1981

[@GuitarGangsta]

Thank you!! The video and audio quality is top notch into 2024! The gear for 1981 to get this timeless level of A/V must have been exorbitant and also cumbersome

[@edmundcg]

The virtuosity of these musicians transcends time.

[@Qoo3sto-g]

リッチーコールの演奏は、とてもハッピーな気持ちさせてくれる。 大好きな演奏者です。

[@Thewrizzers]

These gentlemen were creative artists in the own right and none sounded like the other.own style , technique, feel. Masters that what the were and still are. I had a book which tells they had to show their skill to prove what the had and were rated by peers

[@jamescote4342]

Bobby & Richie R.I. P. in the eternal light of forever jam session! You showed us how to get it done! never forget you...never!

[@sleepingdog929]

RIP Richie Cole, Alto saxophonist par excellence.

[@Rickriquinho]

It was a sad day when he's died.

[@artompkins7958]

I know tenor is cool, but when an alto is mastered like this, there's just nothing like it!

[@TheFunkyKingston]

Rest in eternal light Richie Cole!!

[@mikeos1]

I saw and recorded the band at the Nice jazz festival. Great evening.

[@stpd1957]

I saw this band in Ronnie Scott's club in 1981, they were fabulous

[@dannyhughes9874]

One of the best sets I have ever heard in all my 71 years. Thanks to the forces that decided to record this almost 40 year old classic - they must have know something special was about to go down !!! How much great unrecorded Jazz has been played once and heard no more? Such is life.

[@hshlom]

Great jazz shows live on in the memories or the people who got out to see the masters while they were there to be seen. I saw Richie Cole once and I remember how he had a great relationship and had fun with the audience. After seeing a video of Richie and Eddie Jefferson live, I know now that he learned this lesson from Eddie Jefferson.

[@beboppinnow]

@@hshlom 3 things Richie was about, music, fun and helping other musicians succeed. Miss him madly.

[@paulcanton9827]

What a brilliant band, musicians to the core. Always make me feel life is great after listening to this.

[@michaelsilver8527]

How I missed listening to these monsters after following Jazz for so long I can't explain. Just happy to be playing catch up. The combination of blazing talent and personality is stunning.

[@rkrzyzanski1]

Holy shit.... Sometimes I feel like I'm an excellent saxophonist...... and then I listen to stuff like this. Amazing.

[@drychaf]

Reliving my youth via YT! I saw Richie at a sunny Capitol Jazz Festival in 1981 and he created an impression. On the same bill were Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry and the very great Ella Fitzgerald.

[@tedmackenzie5728]

I first met/played with Richie at Berklee in the Dues Band and then way later upstate NY in a couple jazz casuals. Richie was just the same on the gig as on stage, swing’n’ brilliantly hip and a great guy.

[@arthorvonblomberg1624]

Thanks for sharing this Ben, Richie was a wonderful, great ,person talented and selfless. His Alto Madness Orchestra was a joy to work with as I did with Richie in Berlin, Madrid ,Barcelona Trenton and San Diego My Life was enriched by the experience.. Never to forget Richie Cole.

[@fairweatherbird]

Bobby Enriquez with a block chord quote from "Laura" at 4:10. Nice.

[@boyetsison]

the late Bobby Enriquez proving why is was one of the world's best !

[@tombroughton6757]

Um, this hitting the keys thing ... is silly. Oscar Peterson never did that; and OP was a much better player.

[@daveremillard]

@@tombroughton6757 I thought it was cool. Just emphasizing the percussive aspect of the piano. Viva la difference!

[@tombroughton6757]

@@daveremillard Um, no!

[@jrcwwl]

@@tombroughton6757 Maybe you forgot, the piano is a percussion instrument. Whether you like it or not is irrelevant, as your is just that, an opinion, based on nothing more than your personal taste. Trying to claim it is anymore than that...is "silly." And starting each of your statements with "um" tells me you've taken the concept of economy of words to an extreme.

[@tombroughton6757]

@@jrcwwl Wrong! All instruments that produce a musical tone are meant to imitate the human voice. Beating on the keyboard does not do that.

[@mrt7954]

Legendary Concert! Bobby Enriquez WoooW Men

[@spellerlittlewing]

The birth of cool JAZZ

[@desmondnazombe5922]

I was just went on Google and discovered that Ritchie Cole passed on and I came across this video. I watched this in 1982 and never again and all the years I have been wondering wht happened to the pianist the guy blew me away back then. Ritchie was my main man but the pianist wow

[@YYC403NOYP]

Bobby Enriques a Filipino had passed away also. He was called The Wildman in the circuit.

[@spellerlittlewing]

First heard of him on jazz 88 WBGO in Newark NJ on a show called”Bebop city “

[@georgebuendia3491]

One of the best opening jams followed by velvety ballad then a nicety blues!

[@jakefeinbergshow]

Awesome RIP Richie!

[@juliorobertoaparicio9991]

Definetly Bobby Enriquez was a Hell of a Pianist ! Amazing Solos Spectacular Chords, as I read he was in Honolulu for a while playing with Don Ho s Band! I m gonna miss his playing and Charisma!!I had the opportunity to listen Bruce Forman in Carmel Ca, playing an evening at a sessión sponsored by KRML sharing charts with Charlie Shoemake, former George Shearing vibe player, was such a wonderful Jamming night !! Best Regards from Guatemala!! Tks for posting!!

[@spacebuffalo]

The Wild Man! Bobby Enriquez.

[@steve3439]

Richie Cole is still playing in Vegas where I live going to have to check out one of his shows. Legend.

[@beboppinnow]

HOLY CRAP!!! Man, I gotta play this AGAIN! The energy is outasight! I think I dropped 3 lbs. just watching and listening. . .

[@Pela305]

Bobby Enriquez..., WOW!

[@rcj196]

Awesome quintet!

[@Irmapfeffer]

Burning group! All hot traveling to the ultimate in jazz

[@narinari9187]

最高。文句なし良い。冒頭のギターがはっきり捉えられる。

[@rlrosete]

Bobby, you’re music live on...

[@cristinasenna5693]

um dos meu videos favoritos

[@EliaGaitau]

Great players, but I have to make special mention about the pianist. He is a really FUN player to listen to! Crazy skills :D Thank you so much for this upload!

[@andyrosenthal1015]

Great set. Thanks Ben.

[@markhenryabello2193]

Thank you, Mr. Ben Sidran for posting this. Bobby Enriquez is a friend of my dad.

[@logos7logos7]

Super!

[@joebeeber8693]

WOW wow an more WOW!!!

[@pine-village]

Bruce Forman!

[@themarienthal]

crack! crack!! De lo mejor.

[@alfredoremus4409]

Richie Cole un grande del saxo alto en el Jazz.

[@MuriloOspmPMMG]

Valeu cada centavo do ingresso.

[@sai2129]

Bobby hitting keys like it's percussion

[@tombroughton6757]

I know. It is ridiculous.

[@YoungWilliamO]

I have been listening to jazz my entire life and am somehow stumbling into Richie Cole. I hear a TON of Bobby Watson in his playing, or perhaps it is the other way around. Any connection between the two?

[@LaloRojasSax]

18:58, esa sonrisa vale oro! 🤜🤛🏽

[@ynari4128]

ライブ版のアライブとは別のテイクですね。アルトマッドネス最高。

[@MrBongoagogo]

Is.that.bruce.foreman.on.guitar.lve.seen.him.play.years.latter.new.zealand.ive.meet.him.nice.dude

[@caponsacchi9979]

Richie could play anything, as I discovered when he played a live set with scorching guitar wizard George Pritchett. He was a brilliant musician and a showman unafraid to match ideas and technique with other alto giants--incl. Sonny Stitt (impressively close); Phil Woods (high speed race--more smoke than fire); Art Pepper (an easy win for Richie). With the uniquely gifted Enriquez, this Vanguard session is a mismatch of styles but Richie makes it work (except for overly serious bebop purists).

[@JACQUILLO2]

please name of the first piece ? name of the bass player ? drummer ?

[@TomTheDrummer]

www.discogs.com/Richie-Cole-Alive-At-The-Village-Vanguard/release/1240543

[@JACQUILLO2]

the first piece is HI FLY (randy weston)

[@ShartimusPrime]

The drummer is Scott Morris, my former instructor of 3 years. Passed away in 2003. Still miss you Scott, RIP.

[@cashglobe]

Bass player is the great Marshall Hawkins, my first jazz mentor! He is the kindest soul and most authentic person you’ll ever meet!

[@markscountlessbarks]

@@ShartimusPrime He is burnin'!

[@bconigliaro]

What, no 'Island Breeze'?

[@KKUUBBAA189]

Wikipedia says that Max Gordon died in 1978 :/ Either the title or the wiki is wrong.

[@joshuaklein2859]

I love the open-mindedness shown in the comments below.

[@TylerRix]

That line at 14:07... wahhhhh!!!

[@lightspeed417]

Disrespectful, Ben, to credit yourself as "producer" and not credit the musicians: Marshall Hawkins and Scott Morris.

[@fredyoung3739]

Marshall Hawkins on Bass

[@shock0059]

21:22 yardbird suite

[@jiyujizai]

🙂🌳

[@waynebij]

yeah yeah

[@susmr3126]

what is last song name？

[@ukeleles_menthor]

the name of list please my friend

[@Rickriquinho]

The difference between Bobby Enriquez and Cecil Taylor is, first of all, that Enriquez is a real jazzman and Taylor is not; and that Bobby’s effects have a communicative purpose and Cecil’s are just effects with no meaning at all.

[@jonl1034]

I think this is a particularly short-sighted (or eared) comment. It's like saying Bach was a great classical composer and Mozart wasn't because you prefer Baroque music (which I'm sure many short-eared people said at the time). Certainly Enriquez plays in a more "accessible" manner when it comes to tone and rhythm, but if you have expanded your listening to the point of allowing atonal, dissonant, and freer rhythm to enter into your vocabulary, you'll find that Cecil Taylor was absolutely brilliant at jazz expression.

[@jacksonburris5179]

To say that Cecil’s effects have any less “meaning” than what Bobby’s doing here is among the most foolish things I’ve heard. You can just as easily argue that Bobby is mindlessly regurgitating a (granted a very technically advanced) bank of bebop vocabulary. A critical point of any form of improvisation is to acknowledge the meaning that the improviser imbues, and the beauty of it all is how that raw expression either conflicts or aligns with how the audiences feels. You might feel uncomfortable listening to Taylor, but you should. Just as you might feel comfortable. This is not to say that I don’t thing Bobby is a bad dude, but I think it’s very strange to see so many people trying to assign their own definition of what “meaning” is in the context of any form of art. The point of art is to expand the definition of meaning, not put it in a box

[@Rickriquinho]

@@jonl1034 Whatever you say, dear amateur.

[@Rickriquinho]

@@jacksonburris5179 LOL Amateurs always say the same gibberish...

[@caponsacchi]

Bobby Enriquez was a "lounge musician" discovered by Richie in Hawaii. He went on to receive much praise from followers and critics. Not the most subtle pianist (he'll never make you throw away your Bill Evans' Vanguard sides), but he's a show unto himself. Combination pianist and karrate artist. Yikes. I like Bobby's pianistic athleticism, but he's got to learn how to cool down and be supportive when he's not soloing. It simply doesn't work if he's soloing behind everyone else's solo. This band would go from "Hi Fly" to "Peg of My Heart," and Richie saw nothing unusual about the shift (or about his making a record with Boots "Yakety Sax" Randolph). But when Richie programs arguably Bird's best composition, "Confirmation," as a "carnival showpiece" for his "unusual" piano player, he's taking a huge risk. I hope that Max or Lorraine Gordon asked him back to the Village Vanguard (the Shrine in which Bill Evans and Scottie LaFaro recorded the rightly revered sessions of June 25, 1961). It doesn't take a "purist" or a "snob" (W. Marsalis is often characterized as such--unfairly, imo)--to have respect for the "jazz tradition," without which there would be no indigenous American art form. It would all be random "entertainment," played by guys scattered on any available bandstand or stage and having no relation to each other let alone a body of creative work. The tradition isn't "sacred": it's necessary! Without the Great American Songbook (Berlin, Kern, Gershwin, Ellington, Strayhorn, Arlen, Rodgers, Van Heusen) and without the geniuses who have worked primarily with that repertoire (the reason that authentic jazz musicians from all corners of the world can get together and play an impromptu, coherent session with no rehearsals--perhaps not even introductions), the music would have no shape, structure, history or "meaning." Miles always pretended to be indifferent to the past--part of the allure of his persona as the ever-elusive "Prince of Darkness"--but as we found out at the end, he was fully aware of the tradition and his place in it. In the last years of his life, he returned to revisit and reprise some of the material he had recorded with Gil Evans in the 1950s (without an electric pick-up drilled into the horn, or wah wah pedals, or funny clothing and outsized sunglasses), and he was responsible for the late fame that came to Shirley Horn, the Washington D. C. pianist who had worked the Songbook for decades, but quietly and locally. The result was "Here's to Life," perhaps the most glorious, profoundly beautiful album of ballads to follow the Sinatra-Riddle collaborations on Capitol and the Hartman-Coltrane album on Impulse. As sung and played by Horn in the context of a large orchestra arranged by Johnny Mandel, these old chestuts took on new life while erasing from memory the disco-frenzied 1970s. Miles was the one who called Shirley to NYC, just as it was Miles who would make the jazz world aware of the beauty of the playing of Bill Evans and Ahmad Jamal (both had been dismissed as "cocktail pianists" before acquiring the Miles' seal of approval). And you had better believe that, with every note that he played, Miles was fully conscious of his indebtedness to Louis, the father of this late, original music that sprung to life from Louis' horn beginning in the latter half of the 1920s. These players all came out of the tradition of Louis, then Hawk, then Prez, then Bird and Bud Powell, then Coltrane and Bill Evans. Some players (e.g. Ornette) were so counter to the music that they were "suspect" as frauds until they first proved their respect for the tradition whose rules they had consciously and purposefully set out to change. But I'm afraid that Enriquez' performance of Charlie Parker's "Confirmation" doesn't represent an "advance" or even a "break" from the tradition. It's little more than an "off-the-walls" oddity: a pianist who "karate chops" the keys while showing how "Confirmation" might have sounded if played by a fast and loose, maybe inebriated, barrel-house piano player. It's an anamoly, a musical freak show. That sort of performance of a truly classic jazz standard composed by an indisputable genius (Charlie Parker) could easily have offended many "more experienced" ears, including the owners of the world's oldest jazz club. Notice how tense the rhythm section is while trying to "locate", and then keep up with, Bobby's wild beat. It's neither free jazz nor straightahead 4/4 walking bass "swing." It's strictly "Bobby's thing"--which is not to take anything away from him as a supremely unorthodox talent. But on this tune especially, that talent seems as ill-fitted as assigning Sidney Bechet or John Coltrane to the double-reed solo in Tchaikowsky's "Swan Lake." It's usually unwise to attempt to "jazz up" any music--be it classical or pop--and nothing is more ill-advised than to jazz up jazz. The result inevitably comes off as parody--not as individual expression or creativity. After hearing everyone from Bird and Miles to Max and Clifford to Tony Williams and Hank Jones play "Confirmation," each finding original melodies and chord voicings, Enriquez' rampaging on the tune isn't even "inventive" (being "original" requires a "standard" of measurement). It might be perceived as funny only to someone who had a grudge against Bird personally (he borrowed money and equipment often; he repaid only through his music) or bebop in general (initially, the masters of Swing hated this new music, but that animosity was ended in 1959, when Miles invited Bill Evans back to play modal jazz on an album called "Kind of Blue"--it opened a new door, and more than 60 years later it still appears as the best-selling jazz album--primarily because it represented the resilience and vibrancy of an artistic tradition that, while historic in its development, is timeless in its playing and replaying.

[@edpolk1262]

caponsacchi Holy Shit! People could use you as a fucking sleep aid. Your long-winded comments, gave you away, as a very needy person.

[@thedandydan3187]

Pm

[@patricktiglao]

Caponacchi. What jazz legends have you played with?