This Jazz Pianist Destroyed Autumn Leaves

Music contains all kinds of elegant symmetries and patterns but, if these are used too mechanically, they can become bland or clichéd. This video looks at the famous ‘circle of 5ths’ progression in the song, 'Autumn Leaves' ('Les Feuilles Mortes'), originally composed by Joseph Kosma in 1945, and enduringly popular with singers and Jazz improvisers ever since. The second half of the video shows how it is possible to improvise a solo, using the basic structure of the original song as a template, in order to create music of wonderful spontaneity. The extract is a transcription from an improvised solo by the legendary Jazz pianist, Michel Petrucciani, during which he seems to take wing, over the predictable steps of the original song, with a dazzling display of surprising harmonic shifts and syncopated rhythmic displacements. Michel Petrucciani died in 1999 at the age of 36. He was buried in le Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, beside the tomb of Frédéric Chopin.
Michel Petrucciani’s complete solo on Autumn Leaves can be heard here:
• Michel Petrucciani - A...
MUSICAL EXCERPTS USED IN THIS VIDEO
Transcriptions of extracts from Autumn Leaves and Michel Petrucciani’s improvisation by The Music Professor and Ian Coulter
Matthew King, piano
⦿ SUPPORT US ON PATREON ⦿
/ musicprofessor
⦿ BUY US A COFFEE ⦿
ko-fi.com/them...
⦿ Support us on PayPal ⦿
paypal.me/them...
⦿ SUBSCRIBE TO THIS CHANNEL ⦿
bit.ly/3Pnnwon
#autumnleaves#petrucianni #musicprofessor
Edited by Ian Coulter ( www.iancoulter... )
Produced and directed by Ian Coulter & Matthew King
Speech bubble sourced from Vecteezy.com

[@Olivier-Jaquet]

Fun fact Petrucciani is burried right next to Chopin in the Cimetière Père Lachaise in Paris.

[@goldenagenut]

How wonderfully appropriate.

[@carlanderska]

actually one grave away , not next to. Been there!

[@-FranzLiszt]

);

[@ivvgra]

Это поразительно и здорово. Представить не могу, как удивительно бы исполнил Петруччиани этюды Шопена!

[@surielcastillo5718]

Ah, the great Michel Petrucciani, one of the most tasteful pianist in modern history. His solo versions are always captivating thanks to his full usage of the piano, and this has to be his best version of Autumn Leaves.

[@themusicprofessor]

Agreed! I like your use of the word 'tasteful' there. To some extent, the finest artists are those who subvert orthodox 'good taste' and redefine what it means. I think he was one of these.

[@OsvaldoBayerista]

True. His version of Round midnight it's one of my favorite recordings of all music out there.

[@Thouveninpascal]

How many piano Jazz players in modern history do you know?

[@coyote6154]

​@@Thouveninpascal No matter how many you know, as soon as you go watch and listen to his "Jazz in Marciac" show, you know he is one of the best there is. 😊

[@F0nkyNinja]

I love his version of "Misty" with Stéphane Grappelli, and that live version of "Caravan"

[@adolfosalani1]

The animation you add to the music makes it so better for people like me that don't have our ears that trained. please keep it up, marvelous content.

[@themusicprofessor]

Thank you! It's lovely to know that the animation helps the ears.

[@SuperBromberg]

totally agree

[@RealLifeMassMultiplayerRPG]

yes the explanation poping are dopamine and nerd points

[@NotTheWheel]

What the hell was that!? In a good connotation, he swung notes around like a brush and made a painting out of it, that was some kind of art!

[@ripleyhrgiger4669]

What a great way of putting it.

[@TheNat11]

when i was a child, my family would put on an album of mr. petrucciani every sunday morning breakfast, haven't been listening to him for the past 25 years. Thank you SO MUCH for bringing him back to me!

[@themusicprofessor]

So glad to remind you of his brilliance!

[@coyote6154]

When I was a child I had almost the same routine, not during breakfast but when playing board games with my granparents. Love the memories it brings back!

[@NovellNUSoulSeries]

He used chord progressions from Thelonius Monks "Round Midnight"

[@ivvgra]

Michel Petrucciani. This pianist has a phenomenal level of development of harmonic improvisation. His "Autumn leaves" shimmer with colors, in which joy and thoughtfulness, drama and light sadness. This performance "makes" us think about many things that we may have to remember more often.

[@TinyMaths]

Yes yes, love Petrucciani. I tried to transcribe two of Petrucciani's tunes from the 'Promenade With Duke' album back in about 2001. I knew then that he was 'crazy' 🤣, but man, mesmerising to listen to. I actually love his solo stuff even more than his in-band playing.

[@themusicprofessor]

His solo stuff is very special.

[@ukestudio3002]

We should all be so crazy..

[@raphaellloyd]

Love these videos you’re making, so informative and entertaining, can’t wait for the next one!!

[@themusicprofessor]

Thank you so much. We'll produce a new one soon!

[@thomasmartinscott]

Love Petrucciani. His playing always had a sense of wandering, that was definitely not aimless, but went down unexpected paths. I always liked where he'd take me.

[@themusicprofessor]

Absolutely. He had a terrific musical imagination.

[@thomasmartinscott]

@@themusicprofessor Puts me in mind of some of Frank Zappa's imaginative things. Way outside the box that I have always played in.

[@Med2402]

How i hope to understand those subtils and elbaorate things...i will continue to study harmony, that's my first ever goal.. Petrucciani he's wonderful

[@jenniferbate9682]

Blimey! That is pure genius! Thank you.

[@craighall3820]

Awesome. Wynton Kelly actually played those changes (B-7 E7 Bb-7 Eb7) too.

[@timothyj.bowlby5524]

A fascinating demonstration of the art of variation.

[@Domingojazz]

I was so lucky to see him in concert two times... What an incredible player he was...!

[@edzielinski]

Fantastic. A rare insight into the brilliant techniques of Michel Petrucciani. So glad to see him getting more attention.

[@themusicprofessor]

He certainly deserves it.

[@ceticobr]

Again, another beautifully edited, entertaining video. Than you.

[@themusicprofessor]

That's so kind! Thank you so much for your support.

[@mackenzie77777]

Fun question for anyone here; how do you rate Michel compared with Tatum, Peterson, Powell, Benny Green or more modern players like Jesus Molina??? Ive got grade 8 piano but i cannot fathom these players out. I can do two different versions of Michels "Looking up" from transcriptions though. I would give anything to learn the jazz language of these guys but i get zero help from people. Ive had great classical piano teachers who just say - oh its above me that kind of playing. Is there any online course from Berkley or similar teaching this stuff? l have tried countless note for note books of solos, but just go round in circles. Its like tongue twisters for your fingers:) Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

[@Mitsuhirato.]

Michel était un travailleur infatigable qui comme beaucoup est parti trop tôt. Il avait tant à nous donner....

[@ondaride777]

It's all about jazz: harmonizing, re-harmonizing creating creating and even re-creating. Not supposed to be structural, supposed to be free and new with new mind. Those who can improvise on flight like Michele are actually composers rather than musicians. They're simply saying that this way is a lot more beautiful, but this version will come with grain of crazy practice labor. It's a lot to keep in mind reading that sheet!

[@pjsantos2388]

Idk why but this kind of jazz makes me tingle and wanna click off

[@AmbientDawn]

Saw him play many years ago. Utterly extraordinary. Probably the best jazz pianist I've seen (along with McCoy Tyner and Oscar Peterson).

[@themusicprofessor]

Yes. Astonishing!

[@juans6639]

I saw him on video play Satin Doll...WOW!

[@RobertoScognamigliorobi6826]

In jazz if you say... Petrucciani? You say everything! This man is a living icon today... and forever!

[@Sadowsky46]

Unfortunately, he passed away 1999.

[@goshu7009]

Well, its about time people understand what ,,jazz" music is. Thats exactly the fragmentation and destruction of music. The video just prove my words.

[@goshu7009]

@of-cinema Sure. But that doesnt change the fact that jazz is literaly 50 songs and most of this songs are just classical or folklore peaces with different, fragmanted harmony.

[@masterchain3335]

@@goshu7009 This is one of the dumbest things I've ever read.

[@harrymattah418]

Petrucciani signature. Sophisticated harmonization, yet still enjoyable for the non-skilled ears, and a developped sense of melody. If you listen to all his albums, you may hear similar harmonizations and similar patterns on several pieces. They are the result of consumed writing skills and long hours of practising, so that he could use them at will.

[@rigelloar7474]

I heard his trio live 25 years ago, he made incredible musical magic, what a genius!

[@umbracul]

autumn leaves but the seasons keep changing, so it becomes autumn winter spring summer dry rainy leaves.

[@themusicprofessor]

Thank you for your poetic response.

[@Cyclically]

💀

[@pieropurich990]

absolute genius! I listened to him live 5-6 times and all of his concerts were sound emotional experiences without comparision!!!!

[@IkanGelamaKuning]

First video I watched about him, was "Take the A train", with Steve Gadd. Long time ago. It was amazing.

[@baptisteabarnou9725]

The best « jazz » pianist ! He made me love the jazz and his compositions are so beautiful. Théâtre des Champs Elysées - Night sun in Blois Live at Juan les Pins - Autumn leaves (this song made me start jazz piano) !

[@mortalclown3812]

Joe Williams singing this is my favorite.

[@Fagocytos1s]

An utterly incredible and virtuosic rendition of Les Feuilles Mortes. Immersed in spontaneity and yet so clearly, at every point, has the character and 'flavour' of the original running through it, lyrically sang out. A brilliant man.

[@themusicprofessor]

All true. It's an astonishing performance.

[@Korozzz]

Today I learned the name Petrucciani

[@nuberiffic]

I just don't understand jazz reharmonisation like this. It doesn't sound anything like the actual song. Yeah, the playing and knowledge / application of theory is amazing, but it may as well just be a completely new piece.

[@themusicprofessor]

In Jazz, the harmonic sequence of the original tune becomes the basis for improvisation. Actually something very similar happens in classical variations - for example, Bach's Goldberg Variations or Beethoven's Diabelli Variations tend to vary the harmonic structure of the theme. The original tune tends to disappear.

[@nuberiffic]

@@themusicprofessor ...yes, I understand the concept of reharmonization. I studied it at uni. I'm saying I don't see the point in calling it the same song after so much has changed

[@goldmund2902]

Michel Petrucciani, Tigran Hamasyan and Hiromi Uehara will always be my 3 favorites. 😊

[@andreaberetta6918]

Ah Michel...we miss you so much!!!

[@skinnysnorlax1876]

Listening to Petrucciani is like having a conversation, and every once in a while, everyone shuts up and listens to someone making a *really* good point ...and then back to the conversation. He was so curious musically, but so unpresumptuous. He explored so much, and it showed, but was never "showy". Just classy.

[@themusicprofessor]

Yes. A fascinating pianist.

[@skinnysnorlax1876]

@@themusicprofessor my favorite jazz pianist I think. His performance of round midnight is just sublime.

[@honeysoi]

Even when the piano sounds like a frying pan, as it is the case here, Mr Petrucciani can give us a thrill.

[@nickfosterxx]

'buried in le Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, beside the tomb of Frédéric Chopin.' Phew, now I feel so ignorant. If I'd known I'd have paid my respects when I was there. Thanks for the introduction... [Edit: and now I see his performance that you linked to has had a million views]

[@RealLifeMassMultiplayerRPG]

meshuggah and rackmaninov are secretly trying to colab something better, they also asked john cage and liquid tension experiment to join

[@stanleyhoh3309]

His rendition of autumn leaves is definitely one of my favorite, alongside bill evan's and ahmad jamal's version!

[@lektor7682]

That's so awesome! Thank you for your brilliant work on KZbin, I'm so glad I have discovered your channel! Regards! ^_^

[@themusicprofessor]

Thank you for your awesome comment and support!

[@chuckc7375]

Listen to Keith Jarrett’s version of this tune, you will be just as amazed.

[@themusicprofessor]

Yes, he recorded it several times with his trio. Very fine performances.

[@TheRealMask3r]

I'm sorry but my eyes hurt at that minor I... I'd always call it VI even if it feels like the one... Harmony is easier to relate to that rather than having a minor version and a major version of harmony

[@rickowenkennedy]

Wow. A seminar on Harmony on the fly... Outstanding.

[@BruceBoschek]

Shame it got destroyed. It was such a nice song.

[@cesimone2009]

Wow! What a find! Thank you Music Professor.

[@rillloudmother]

I think I see a Petrucciani rabbit hole in front of me...

[@Thouveninpascal]

It is not "flat 5" , but "sharp11", because the natural "5" is played with iut, we cannot have two different "5" in the same chord. And M. Petrucciani was great of course, but far to be the first to do that, listen to Art Tatum, for example. That the freedom and genius of Jazz.

[@themusicprofessor]

I was thinking of the melodic context of the A flat. It's a little ambiguous, since it isn’t clear whether the mode is superlocrian or half-whole (octatonic) over the the D altered dominant - if one’s thinking of it - purely vertically - as above the 7th (in structure), then I accept that #11 is customary.

[@evertvanderhik5774]

I first thought (by reading the title) that he messed up the song..

[@damiangilz]

Hmm sounds like the math professor who solves simple sums with algebra.

[@AngeloDiLeonforte]

It doesn't sound like Michel... the notes are the same as Michel but the playing is not his playing. No articulation at all

[@themusicprofessor]

Please look at the video description. When there are copyright issues, it's necessary to transcribe material and play it myself. This is why it doesn't sound like Michel. Would that I sounded like Michel Petrucciani...? However, there is a link below to the original performance.

[@Jzh733]

His original compositions are killers, too, and will be included into the mprdern jazz standards soon.

[@Dr.Pepper001]

I never liked jazz until I heard Petrucciani.

[@aviadleibovich]

I don’t agree to the undermining of standards. They exist and they are standards for a reason. They allow you to “take off” so you can give them their credit, use them to fly away and make them your own. You can be Coltrane for all I know, yet you still do standards no matter what. They’re amazing for what they are.

[@themusicprofessor]

Standards are cool, and Autumn Leaves is beautiful - we do say so in the video (at 0:40)

[@LGibbs-sg8tz]

❤

[@ezrac704]

Sometimes simple is nice, but wow that's an incredible arrangement.

[@goldmund2902]

I've just looked through the comments and am wondering where all those fierce comments come from. I mean, I get it: If you just don't enjoy Petrucciani as much as some others artists, there is no reason to argue. Taste is individual and that's fine. But some comments depict this, as if it is utter musical nonsense without any nice or pleasant qualities to it... I really don't get how somebody could state such a think. I think it would be an objective observation that he did an interesting, energetic and exiting rendition of this song. Obviously one can prefer any version one likes, but I simply don't think, that it would be a adequate move to state there is no beauty in his playing. So where does this come from? I remember, that back in the days I really couldn't stand plenty of music, that I now think of, as my favorites. I'd say that I've probably had no trained ear. As an example: I wouldn't feel the groove when rhythm's got more complex and syncopated. Some music just felt way out of time. I guess I couldn't feel the direction the harmonic tension wanted to release to (I'm struggling to find a good wording, I hope you get what I mean). So, i'll probably sound quite arrogant but: are those people maybe just lacking some musical proficiency? Or might it be something, that I've just learned within the last few years to detach from: Do people just just don't want to enjoy this, because it doesn't fit their identity that they've created for themselves? For a long time I've been a metalhead and definitely an elitist. i wasn't too serious about it, but if some bands name or visual aesthetics wouldn't fit my idea of how some real metal band should present themselves, I'd definitely wouldn't leave a good word about them. Sometimes it even was the other way around: I would like a band, because I'd mainly enjoy their way of presentation. Maybe this could be the reason for those derogatory comments underneath such videos? I'd be interested in the thoughts of you guys. Either of those peoples thoughts, that run this channel, or of anyone elses. I'd definitely be interested into the thoughts of someone who might hate Michels music with a passion.

[@themusicprofessor]

Thank you for your comment. Since you asked for thoughts from people who run this channel, I'll try to give a succinct response: I think the answer is actually very complicated: musical taste is enormously diverse, and people tend to like what they know. Really outstanding artists tend to be highly disciplined, brilliant people who have spent years honing and refining their craft, and very often they engage in work which is too complex and sophisticated for audiences to appreciate or enjoy immediately, because it takes time and effort to understand what they are doing. They also tend to be rule-breakers. This means that they inevitably violate accepted codes of taste. These factors explain why, historically, there were such negative contemporary responses to artists from Bach to Stravinsky, from Monet to Charlie Parker, from George Eliot to Yuja Wang. Michel Petrucciani was a fabulously gifted human being whose struggle with severe disability seems to have enabled him to possess a certain artistic fearlessness. In this respect there is a comparison to be drawn with Beethoven. To me, it doesn't really matter that great artists receive negative criticism, because negative criticism tends to be the outward sign that you're actually doing something right!

[@St3ph4n3]

TASTEFUL

[@krnflks]

loooool dude opens with So What. Straight ballr.

[@curlymyhero]

I luv Bee Bop with the syncopated off 1st beat and I'm sure they grabbed that from 1899 ragtime like Scott Joplin & James Scott. But how how the jazz greats like Coltrane & Miles think syncopated jazz would work?? They experimented I'm sure but would they gess that it hit the heights for another 10 yrs?? What's even weirder is no composer of classical music ever used syncopation. The 1st beat always strong.

[@themusicprofessor]

Thank you for the interesting comment. Classical composers do use syncopation, but in a different way. Beethoven's music is very interesting from this point of view. Some 20th century composers like Stravinsky, Bartok, Ligeti, Nancarrow etc. have explored syncopation very extensively in their work. We'll try to do videos about some of this in the future.

[@emanuel_soundtrack]

Many used. Principally in the sturm and drang era

[@newunderthesun7353]

Not saying this man is not an incredible talent, obviously he is a musical genius. But he adds nothing to the original melody, which was brilliant. I would rather people write their own music and mess with that. It's always easier to edit someone else's work and play with a great melody than invent one of your own.

[@themusicprofessor]

This little film isn't really saying that Petrucciani improves on the original melody - not at all: simply that he is a jazz master, improvising in a virtuosic way on the comparatively simple (but beautiful) framework of the original song.

[@rhysghost123]

Yo this is som real type music theory shit that I do not understand

[@kyleethekelt]

Takes theme and variations to a different planet.

[@Johnkang5714]

Damn bruh i would never think of that line

[@oloolo140]

He didn't destroy it. He played it as he felt. Quite rythmical and for me much enjoyable that dull original.

[@EvanZamir]

He meant destroy in a good way. Like he killed it man.

[@karkil8414]

I prefer the original this is just a mess

[@pilipilipilipilipili]

Biber, Tombeau and this. Ok you got me subscribed!

[@themusicprofessor]

Superb! Now we've got to keep you interested...

[@paulochon2473]

Je pensais le jazz une musique libre.!!!!

[@vinodsrivatsava]

After burt Bacharach micheal petrucciani is one of my favorite jazz muscians, knows how to play with emotions so well

[@Eloybb1]

petrucciani yes, i remember the caravan

[@jasonmudgarde286]

Great playing, however nobody "destroys" great songs. Unfortunate choice of word.

[@rifelaw]

Gods he was brilliant, and a very giving artist.

[@ermanevcil]

Wow ! I am already subscribed after one video :)

[@themusicprofessor]

Thank you so much!

[@bjorneriksson6480]

I was sceptic first,another hype because he looks weird,but this was something else. He doesent give a damn

[@patrickvalentino600]

Autumn leaves is the Folia d'España of the 20th century

[@Eden_Rubin_Music]

It's amazing reharm of this, my favourite recording of this standart, my favourite Jazz Pianist of all times! So none-cliched but in a beautiful way!

[@MusicisPartofMe5]

DO THIS WITH WHOLE SOLOS PLEASE SO SATISFYING

[@choimdachoim9491]

Yeah...capably and cleverly done and cute, but...this version loses all the melancholy of the original. Kinda like the wall was supposed to be painted blue but the painter painted it checkerboard red and green instead. Not the same thing at all.

[@themusicprofessor]

I can see that. Yes. However, if you listen to the whole recording of Petrucciani's solo (the link is on the video description) you can hear that the entire piece is emotionally (and colouristically) rich and complex, and much of the melancholy character of the original is there.

[@choimdachoim9491]

@@themusicprofessor nah...too complicated. I appreciate the reply.

[@ryarbrough1195]

He heard Bill Evans solo.

[@MikaelLewisify]

Remember when jazz was about breaking boundaries? This guy remembers.

[@mfredcourtney5876]

Maybe he was a beginner? 😢

[@Nicolaspro26]

More Petrucciani please!

[@themusicprofessor]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lupash]

These vids are gems. Don't stop!

[@themusicprofessor]

Thank you so much for your support. Reading lovely comments like this make it all worth while!

[@danilopianca1957]

I love so much Petrucciani playing. It was one of the greatest jazz piano,player ever.

[@tuicom5990]

Well. That doesn't sound good. Where's the emotion in there ?

[@themusicprofessor]

Oh OK.

[@ChadRosas]

Master!!!🎵🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵🎵

[@easypeasyabcsy7883]

Thank you!

[@andersonpetilde]

I don't even know how to read those pages, however with your high quality video and guidance I could feel exactly what you wanted us to understand. Amazing video congratulations 👏👏👏

[@themusicprofessor]

Thanks so much!

[@LeandroLoan]

I don't understand the end. Where's the full version, please?

[@themusicprofessor]

It's linked in the description

[@LeandroLoan]

@@themusicprofessor Thank you!

[@AxistubeToulouse]

Michel !

[@emiljordan8949]

1:34 amogus

[@AresJazzOfficial]

Grandioso!

[@achimborn5850]

these quasi-harmonic shifts and syncopated rhythm shifts are so incredibly standard that they sound predictable and pretty bland to me! I love contemporary music but even less jazz music, because it always sounds kind of the same. It is subjected to a rhythmic and chordal pattern that makes any kind of jazz music the same to my ears. Sorry, my opinion. I'm not a big romantic lover, especially if it was composed around 1945, but it's the end of the war and the longing for this kind of music is understandable and forgivable. That is why the original is much better, because it is authentic!

[@themusicprofessor]

Ladies and gentleman I give you...an opinion!

[@benedictjazz]

He was my favourite piano artist. Amazing guy!

[@sagittarius_]

Thanks for this awesome video. He really was one of the greatest.

[@stevewilcock4767]

Another pianist who is a genius is Martial Solal. Check him out deconstructing 'Tea for Two.' Mind blowing.

[@themusicprofessor]

Yes, very cool.

[@JosephCsikos]

He was the best!

[@Roc_kLobster]

I'm flabbergasted by the physics. I'm afraid Petrucciani's interpretation must be heard played on a real piano to do it justice. Either KZbin's audio compression algorithm or something lacking in my computer, causes those 4-note & 5-note chords, even some triads, to sound horribly distorted with wobble and harmonic distortion. I followed the link to the original video and it sounds just as distorted. And I'm using high quality studio headphones. That is too bad.

[@themusicprofessor]

I'm sorry to hear that the sound isn't up to scratch.