Orrin Keepnews Interview by Monk Rowe - 8/7/2002 - San Francisco, CA

[@najponkjazz9111]

Great Man!!!! Without him Bill Evans trio (Bill,Scotty and Motian) wouldn't be recorded at all....Riverside records Forever 🗽🇺🇸

[@n.larson5994]

Thanks Monk, again, for this most important interview. Your restraint and sensitivity as interviewer are appreciated, as always. But Orrin really is a well spoken man, and as important a jazz producer as we can name. RIverside and Milestone, Monk, Cannon and Wes? Damn!!!!!

[@n.larson5994]

And I forgot Bill Evans. - Major omission!!!!

[@filliusjazzarchive]

I appreciate the supportive comment, thanks.. Monk

[@jibsmokestack1]

Really enjoyed this!

[@sammyscellojourney3851]

I like this Interview, Monk as a couple of questions only, the old guy was up and running!!!!

[@ber334]

Thanks

[@alansenzaki4148]

My favorite label. Yeah i know blue note...but riverside had great engineering and natural sound and great artists.

[@jeanhodgson8623]

I have always felt that Riverside's engineering was mediocre. They had some great albums, but Rudy van Gelder, for Blue Note, was way better, and the best of all jazz engineers. Columbia had some excellent ones in the late 50s and early 50s: Frank Laico and some others. Rudy was great because, early on, he used the Neumann U-47 microphone. He had it modified to permit close-miking. The closer the mike to the player, the clearer the sound. Riverside had a mediocre piano and Bill Evans didn't like it, and was allowed to record elsewhere with a better piano. I think the main reason for Riverside's importance is that they had some of the best players: Wes Montgomery, Monk, Bill Evans and others.

[@sportsmediaamerica]

This guy is a jazz legend. 1,584 views??

[@RanBlakePiano]

Monk I have a question for you feel free to erase this It concerns a panel I did with cannonball Gunther asked me to sub For him I have more to say but don’t want to take much space. I’m wondering if I t. was recorded. Ofcourse I forget where butbthink NJ This is a fantastic video I studied with Bill for two weeks summer 1958 At Lenox. I wonder how he was feeling I met Perri and his brother riverside such an important label randy Weston on Cole porter ,three abbey Lincoln records ,Bobby Timmons ,cannonball Budd Johnson ,jelly roll talking ,I think blind Blake Jefferson ,Evans snd MONK Duke ,unique etc. chris Albertsons ran the frontbdesk and helped me get discount I hope I can reach Peter Keepnews and ask questions These interviews are fantastic

[@beerybill]

Interesting interview. Apparently, Keepnews wasn't too happy with Monk leaving the Riverside label for Columbia. This receives brief mention in the book Straight, No Chaser by Leslie Gourse. She writes that Harry Colomby, Monk's manager, had wanted a more lucrative contract than the Riverside one. Long story short, Monk went to Columbia. Gourse writes that Columbia gave "...Monk's career it's greatest commercial boost on records...."

[@RanBlakePiano]

I remember how wonderful Lucy was This guy here is a legend he put Monk ,Evans on nap and there were blues records. He reluctantly released my .blue Potatoe ...

[@jeanhodgson8623]

There was no way, obviously, that Riverside could compete with Columbia. It was a good career move for Thelonious. I wish that Columbia had featured him with other players, rather than just the quartet with Charlie Rouse. That was great, but Riverside did some more interesting sessions.

[@RanBlakePiano]

Didn t riverside have a small label Battle Records .wonder if material is still available.c L Franklin and real early sides by ?Aretha before joining . Columbia

[@sulevisydanmaa9981]

AFFIRMATIVE. Had the Aretha record once $125 paid 4 it. Ducked it to a major NW mail order man, early 90s. He was bitchin me on receipt on "soliciting uncontracted material w/o prearranged approval" ...What a dope. Credited me $75 or sth next purchase. Wuz purty broke @ the time having overspent @ the Austin fall show where I had bought it without listening. Pretty dullish gospel contentwise, but not valuewise ; bet it s now $500 on ebay systems I don t go in 4 @ all. Viva the 3 Franklin sisters, anyhow ... ! 2 of em underrappreciated still.

[@tomjenz]

14 straight minutes of rambling talk, and I still wasn't sure what Orrin did as a producer. Still, the guy is interesting.

[@halnms62]

“Miles was a ‘agent provocateur ‘ of the first order.” ...I’ve told people as much for years. It wasn’t about what he said, it was about how you reacted to him.

[@enikoepuli5272]

Miles was a agent provocateur, not his own provocateur as underlined was written