Walter Bishop, Jr's Master Class: Comping & Chord Voicings

Milestones: amzn.to/2R6aqNk
Jazz piano legend Walter Bishop, Jr. discusses and demonstrates comping and chord voicings, with the help of vocalist Kathy Farmer.
Walter Bishop, Jr. (April 10, 1927 January 24, 1998) was an American bop and hard bop jazz pianist.
He was the son of composer Walter Bishop, Sr..
In high school his friends included Kenny Drew, Sonny Rollins, and Art Taylor. He began his musical career after World War II, and played and recorded with Art Blakey, Charlie Parker, Oscar Pettiford, Kai Winding, Miles Davis, Jackie McLean, Curtis Fuller, Terry Gibbs, Clark Terry, Blue Mitchell, and Supersax. In the early 1960s he also led his own trio with Jimmy Garrison and G. T. Hogan. He continued performing into the 1990s.
Video: Bret Primack

[@IberianInteractive]

Now, I love the beginning (and the rest of it of course). Aint that rhythm changes??? That sounds so amazingly AWESOME

[@Modes9]

It's awesome to be able to watch and hear a guy slowly voice-lead the upper structures. Thanks for making this available!

[@marsalone]

Thank you for posting this. This Masterclass video is something that I'd only heard about but could never track down a copy. Very rare it must be. Thank Bret for filming this and taking the time to get the perfect angle of the piano keys. It makes it very clear to see what voicings Bish is playing during the Comping section and the Theory of 4th and Solo Piano portions of the vid and of course Bish breaking it down real slow and single note at a time during the Voicing section makes it perfect.

[@caponsacchi]

I saw Walter in concert at Carnegie for a "Newport in NY" concert and then in NYC for what turned out to be the last time I saw Sonny Stitt (there were only 2 other people in the club--not unusual, sad to say). It was Walter who requested that Sonny play an old song (it's on Stitt's Verve studio date with Oscar Peterson): "The Gipsy." This is an interesting clip of Walter as teacher and theorist, so the poorly recorded piano (almost distorted) doesn't distract that much. As is the case with trying to play Brubeck's harmonies, Walter's can at times be humbling to some of us because of his above average "stretch" (Brubeck's was enormous). Take Walter's voicing in the right hand with the L.H. playing an Eb octave on "On Green Dolphin St." Many (most?) pianists can not play (bottom to top), C, F, Bb, Eb in their right hand alone, at least not without breaking ("rolling") the chord. (I'm going to look for Walter's book. It would be worth it if only to learn that pattern that he uses in the break of "Night in Tunisia."

[@davidlopez-white3185]

This is incredible, I would love to see more of this instructional video

[@jasononezeroonezero9351]

Thanks for posting this! This is exactly what I needed.

[@johnnynoirman]

Nice to see this video.. I studied with Walter in Jazzmobile. A music program in NYC in the early 80's.

[@BobMazzo]

Yeah thank you for this ! I just love how he breaks down Green Dolphin Street in Eb - first using fourths, then a tighter voicing using thirds.

[@vayabro1]

Thanks for post it! Very nice!!!

[@sharon4brasil]

I agree with marsalone--this is an invaluable look into comping and chord voicings.

[@ivak4eto]

Thank you!

[@javijazztazz]

Very nice thank you

[@UkuleleAversion]

Reaching those stacked fourths in one hand is no joke. I mean, I can do it but it hurts to do it even once. My maximum span is major 10ths in 8/12 keys (I find Ab, Bb, Db, and Eb major 10ths much harder).

[@JazzVideoGuy]

Try

[@FelixScottJr]

There is a lot of ringing and sympathetic vibrations going on here. I could clearly see and hear how he voices. I use similar techniques. SATB in the RH using a rule of thumb where I seldom put my thumb above or below the MIddle C ocatve. Very educational video.

[@kaachichan6996]

awesome :)

[@mikedavino2400]

In the practice rooms at NYU on W4th st downtown NYC. I see those Piano's are still out of tune. I bought his exercise books at Manny's music store on 48th st The 2-5 -1 progression books in the early to mid 1970's. Very helpful thanks Jazz Video Guy better late than never i made it here 10 yrs later

[@JazzGuitar420]

Rhythm Changes

[@J4zzpiano]

He has got some big hands.....

[@WilliamSlaght]

I know. It's sure hard to play the most open voicings possible when you're left with small hands.

[@hudsondumont5233]

😃🙏🎶🎶🎶🎶

[@IberianInteractive]

@bemaniac2 need to hear it again

[@ZazenFlyin]

Very hip comping.

[@JazzVideoGuy]

totally

[@bemaniac2]

@RexLancer well yes.

[@Dazzer1234567]

damn, he's got big hands, i could never reach some of those chords with surgery!

[@dominicsoon]

Sorry if this is a noob question but what are the chords for what he is playing and is this a standard?

[@caponsacchi]

Alas, Walter's book is no longer in print and seems unavailable. I'll try eBay and Jamey Aebersold before despairing of finding it.

[@frankpiccinini1652]

contact me, I have it on pdf! [e-mail]

[@markbra]

Will you PLEASE !! send a PDF to me !!????

[@markbra]

[e-mail]

[@naldinhosilva4162]

send me too [e-mail]

[@magentuspriest]

Francesco Piccinini same here brother. [e-mail]

[@hnncanon4452]

That piano was undertuned but it seems to be a great piano which saw better times I guess!

[@djalkaline]

@Dazzer1234567 giant reach 4 fourths!

[@drewnice]

@bemaniac2 lol

[@bemaniac2]

hot mess. they are NOT listening to each other