SLIM GAILLARD

[@ianson3]

Freakishly talented. Came here from David Hamburger's Fretboard Confidential, and until this day I had never heard of Slim Gaillard.

[@Michael_Malice_Music]

samething for me

[@olben58]

Me too

[@mdyerlrb]

Me too.

[@vze2gsgr]

Same.

[@tamjammy4461]

Yip. I had heard his name before but that's it. Truly fantastic!!!

[@billwillock7245]

Hands like gigantic spiders. Huge spiders that are badass piano players! Is there anything he couldn’t do??

[@carmendemetrio7685]

Síííííí…! 😅

[@cellpat7392]

Wow he had big pianist's hands. And a good sense of humour. (1916 - 1991)

[@robertward9780]

Pure talent gone forever. I wish we had nowadays musicians with that Pure talent.

[@turienlammers1739]

Youre living in the Past man, listen to Corey Henry with Snarky Puppie !

[@machinecode1388]

There still some talent around, but thanks to the digital age, I'd have to agree in large part.

[@unclvinny]

I’m pretty old and I’ve seen a lot in the piano world, but never have I seen anyone play piano with their hands upside down.

[@benascg-ll7sq]

That's something Nasa teaches just in case the piano turns upside down while travelling to Mars

[@carmendemetrio7685]

@@benascg-ll7sq 😆 Buena❗️

[@gkiahu6589]

😂​@@benascg-ll7sq

[@jimbrown1559]

Great talent, both musically and as an entertainer. Slim had a long partnership with the legendary jazz bassist Slam Stewart.

[@def6849]

Because my dear friend Johnny G said "You gotta hear this guy!", I had the great pleasure of seeing, hearing, and experiencing Slim live here in Toronto, must be 30 years ago and more, at a little jazz club called Top of the Senator. What a privilege ♥

[@schoop]

A master at work and the largest hands in captivity.

[@Adriatico90]

That’s what you call a artist. A real ARTIST.

[@nemesisguy]

Met Slim at a gig in Truro Cornwall UK. He indented an autograph in a small gold foil ashtray as we didn't have any paper. A treasured memento of a treasure of a man

[@aaronservice86]

His timing is perfect

[@jerryjohns7358]

Big hands. Huge talent.

[@fabioloffchagas8347]

THIS IS SLIM GAILLARD, THANK YOU LORD

[@rajsuss]

To Neal Cassady, Slim Gaillard was "God." "God! Yes! Slim knows time, he knows time." Jack Kerouac's description in his classic, culture-altering 'On The Road' of his and Cassady's visit to a San Francisco nightclub where Slim was playing (in reality occurred in NYC) made an impression on me when I read the book for the first time, during my first term of college, in October of 1976, having "borrowed" my copy from the packed office shelf of a debonair 40-ish English professor who was schtupping some of the girls in class (my freshman logic was that if he was stealing potential girlfriends I'd steal his 'On The Road'). Five years later, in October of 1981, I hitchhiked from Portland, Oregon to Olympia, Washington to visit a friend for the weekend. After settling in and relaxing for a while at my friend's little house, I noticed a copy of the previous night's newspaper and upon browsing through it discovered that Slim Gaillard was going to be playing that very night at The Rainbow Tavern, downtown. Oh, my God! Slim was playing that night downtown! The friend I was visiting also was a fan of 'On The Road,' Kerouac in general, Neal Cassady, The Merry Pranksters, The Grateful Dead, and related culture. Upon arriving at the humble tavern downtown, we found an open table close to the stage where Slim would be performing, and as it worked out, Slim was very pleased to join us for each of his breaks between sets. I bought him glasses of bourbon-orooni aplenty-avuati throughout the evening, and a very good time was had by all, to say the least. Slim was 70 at the time, living with his daughter in nearby Seattle. www.litkicks.com/Texts/RoadJazz.html

[@yakovhadash]

DOPE STORY

[@mtdavis9568]

Daaaamn! That means I was living in Seattle at the same time & could have run into him at some time & never known it! Aughh! You are so fortunate to get to visit with him! Kudos & envy-roonies!

[@MadeleineBettina]

what a great story!! how lucky you were.

[@normanleach5427]

...and as if it matters how high the moooon..here's 10,000 more upticks 'n finger-clicks!

[@violinimpulse]

Amazing

[@viewwithice4500]

The most attractive thing in this world is music

[@marcialdelgadofernandez2389]

Thanks to Jack Kerouac and On the road I have discovered such an artist!

[@msorg16]

Dig him man! He knows TIME!

[@cs0oti]

MeeToo!!

[@norasautter3265]

do u know, if he´s from greek

[@marcialdelgadofernandez2389]

He was born in Detroit.

[@BlantonDelbert]

I can't find the "Lampshade" Jazz musician that Kerouac mentions on page 177 of OTR.

[@P1No1R]

that lady's and gentlemen and everybody in between and around, THAT is entertainment: watching, smiling, beeing amazed ... they don't make that today anymore

[@DawnMcGhee_Official]

Jan's extremely talented father... and Nona's grandfather... talent runs blood deep...

[@marcservais8314]

how is that possible that, as a music lover, very curious about musicians i did not know this talented chap.

[@Pikestnt]

Me neither and I have a particular interest in jazz pianists of this era. Still, it’s a nice surprise when you (re)discover someone as good as this

[@renesbbwi]

Man, I have literally just just discovered him on Facebook.

[@vincemacek681]

I only found out about Slim Gaillard seeing him in a retro-themed movie from the 80s "Absolute Beginners". It's always great to have a few decades worth of work to catch up on - guy knows how to put on a show!

[@claudelebel49]

Pure joy !!!!

[@stickypalmping]

Wow this man was a genius!🎉

[@gabrielmondragon1294]

what an absolute genius

[@MARKMANIATT]

There was a gent with frightening amounts talent.Saw him in the 80’s. What a privilege!

[@j.gairns]

I saw Slim at the Ottawa Jazz Festival many, many moons ago. Amazing!!

[@ignorecorporatenews]

Musical and Comedic Genius

[@auroratejerina8856]

This was on the Steve Allen Show, which was in the mid-60's. You catch a glimpse of Steve just at the beginning.

[@HopeIanHope]

I certainly didn't know he played piano so well.

[@TonyHislop]

A real entertainer🎉

[@misterfrugellhound]

Very mellow & vout. Slim&slam...legends...

[@PIANOBYMAURICE]

I just happen to find this, very impressive, a great, unique entertainer. First time I've heard of him, will never forget him.

[@CovertKeller]

Just discovered this guy, great fun, huge hands !

[@elizabethsnyder_baldonado39]

Another great example of Mr. Gaillard's fabulous talents!!!😀

[@Dggb2345]

OMG. True Birth of The Cool. Swinging insane

[@e.b.4872]

This man a genius and a virtuoso...

[@asteverino8569]

This man hears and knows musical sound! And dose hands 🙌🏼 😘

[@IndridCool54]

I first saw Slim on the television show Night Music on NBC in the late eighties. He was pretty advanced in age and I didn’t realize what a great musician he actually was. Thanks for posting this. 👍🏼👍🏼

[@ohgeezus]

Great to see Real Talent....

[@Robert-ts2ef]

Fantastic talent.

[@ghairraigh]

Slim Gaillard was more than a triple threat.

[@BestFitSquareChannel]

Thank you. Brilliant talent. 🤸🏾‍♂️🎶🌞

[@donmilland7606]

Good Lord! I read about him once. Had no idea!

[@aclifford652]

Huge unwieldy talent, obviously, which must have resisted any packaging. In the late eighties I watched on TV a recording of Memphis Slim at Ronnie Scott's. Slim Gaillard was in the audience and Memphis Slim persuaded him to come up on stage. They did a duo boogie number. Went looking for Slim Gaillard LPs or CDs everywhere afterwards, but here in Melbourne Australia, there was next to nothing to be found.

[@bluenational]

He reminds me of when I'm drunk playing my instruments ... excellent groove 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@jbuk4369]

This was what the term 'hipster' originally meant. Slim was hip as were all the old jazzers. Jazz doesn't swing like this anymore. The way Slim and the band laid down the groove makes your feet tap and want to dance. Listen to the crowd clapping along in pure joy. Ever since jazz took on 'chamber music' pretensions, with musicians vying to be as arcane and unmelodic as possible, with no care at all for their audience, this no longer happens.

[@marciamagnanii3326]

Fantástico, genial, maravilhoso, ficaria ouvindo horas seguidas. 👏🏼☺️

[@skykingimagery899]

Sensational. Wow, look at those digits.

[@TaboraMusic]

That man's hands were made for the piano! What a blessing to hear him play.

[@okartwork6176]

The King of swing, thx for sharing 👍

[@thomasmartinscott]

What a consumate entertainer! I could watch him all day!

[@mariuszpuchloski1663]

Super Slim!

[@WandaSueOQuinn]

Good times and Happy times! Thank you! HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025.❤😂SUZE'Q

[@boomerguy9935]

Is there anything he couldn't play? He was wonderful! 😊

[@sreekumarkakkad]

0.30 He invokes Music and it flows !! ❤

[@jenniebaker7180]

This is just terrific. Never heard anything to Touch it

[@pfkmsandiego]

dude is incredible.

[@Елена-ъ6ь4й]

Потрясающий!!! Просто, очуменный!!!

[@superjules]

Those Hands!!

[@nelsonpenaranda2745]

Genio inspirador para todos los que amamos la música ❤

[@dominiccrocker2155]

I've loved Slim Gaillard for a long time and far be it for me to suggest he could add anthing to his routine (and his talents extend so far beyond those displayed in this video) he should have put minIature passports at the 3rd and 5th frets of his guitar. He plays so good that the first through third frets cover Spanish Flamenco technique, third through fifth cover the subtle rhythms of Cuban guitar (my personal favourite). I'm saying his fretboard mastery could qualify as international travel, ok?Once upon a time in the past that would be a pretty neat brag.

[@shangrila73eldorado]

I heard the Beats liked him a lot

[@richardelliott8352]

had to type something to trigger the payment algorithms to support this wonderful video. I can't add to that talent with my words.

[@robinmacquarrie4625]

what a showman..

[@leonardodalongisland]

Little known fact, Slim was Marvin Gaye's father-in-law-and my ex-girlfriend-Jan Gaye 's-father

[@leonardodalongisland]

My pleasure. You're a fan?

[@smallie210]

​@@leonardodalongislandwhen did you date Janis?

[@leonardothefabulous3490]

Yes.

[@leonardothefabulous3490]

Late '89-'90. Why do you ask?

[@monilaninetynine3811]

She looked A LOT like him

[@songsongsy]

왠지 디즈니 같은 느낌 ㅋㅋㅋㅋ 즐거우면서도 놀랍습니다!!! 물론 아름답기도 하고요✨

[@megeek727]

Before my time but, his talent transcends time. I Googled part of his bio and this guy is obviously of genius intelligence. He can learn anything instantly including multiple languages. I would love to have known him.

[@dennispreszler3528]

Wow! Awesome! Just read about this guy in a Kerouac novel.

[@JimmyBlues99]

This is one talented & funny guy !

[@kayc6770]

😂😂😂bro ...Oscar Peterson I know, and here is Gaillard😅.. beautiful 😊

[@EnricoMarasea]

Meraviglioso

[@BeCrazy_]

What playfulness throughtout 1:52!

[@AndersTornqvistsvedbergh]

Saw him at Pori festival (Finland) -85. He was sort of MC and started a sing along rain go away song and it worked!

[@billifair]

He spent some time in UK in his later years--He had lots & lots of children.

[@richtraube2241]

¡Olé! 😊

[@matrox]

I understand he plays horn and vibraphone too. And speaks 5 languages.

[@elquebi]

Slim comes out after the intro and say, "Thank you. I'd like to play my second number here. It's a special arrangement. I'm gonna arrange it now"

[@jlucguitar]

Un artiste doté d'une musicalité .........j'aime

[@davidval7188]

so much talent out there O have never even heard of

[@ergbudster3333]

A genius.

[@ralphups7782]

I know Slim Gaillard, from his song "Flat Foot Flugie" I bet that I spelt it wrong but I sure do love that song. Looking back at it now I am guessing pop hung out with cats like Nat king cole , you can hear it in his music he tips his hat on some songs.

[@gessimargomes7274]

Nossa, esse cara tocava demais. Nunca vi alguém tocar piano com as palmas das mãos para cima. É fantástico ! Adorei.

[@jeanfarre1874]

Très fort je ne sais pas combien il mesure il doit être très grand en plus avec c’est grand main bravo

[@rehobothwell]

Gifted Man.

[@jerryday9838]

What a talented man.,May GOD bless him

[@jsmall10671]

Too late

[@Alffovinni]

amazing feel!

[@stephanleo]

Those are some big ass hands!

[@mottahead6464]

5:25 is proof that this guy invented rock n roll.

[@normanleach5427]

The actual lyrics "rock and roll" were sung by Trixie Smith in 1922 (fact check my old memory).

[@panizshakeri]

Legendary 🌅

[@anamusicaycine]

Wonderful!

[@arybrandaopereirafilho979]

SENSACIONAL, agradeço ao Jo as citações sobre ele em sua biografia, que recomendo, com ênfase.

[@markeddeckmusic7202]

Hero !

[@danielemalinconico2819]

Genio musicale

[@CandiceJoergan]

AMAZING!!!!!!

[@ignorecorporatenews]

The great Slim G. presented by the great Stece Allen

[@ПрофспілкаПасічниківУкраїни]

Виртуоз мастер.

[@danielstoddart]

Oh wow, Slim Gaillard! He knows time! And I know most of the bits of songs he performs here, but what is that last one he plays on guitar? "Round and round???" What is the name of that?

[@ralphups7782]

Just listening to the great man speak, I thought I could hear some Portuguese or Brazilian in his voice.

[@Mihail-passenger57]

Foarte frumos 🎉🎉🎉

[@sherrykephart5913]

Thank you for posting this I bought his 78 record CAVORTS today wow

[@FY1234]

🎶上手い！凄く上手い。🎶本物だ。