Guest Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 Yes, definately Mulgrew. Kenny Kirkland, anyone? Quote
Soul Stream Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 Tommy Flanagan, to name a name....but honestly, we're throwing around names of GIANTS. They're ALL master compers. Quote
Guest Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 You're right. Personally, I'll stick with Herbie Hancock as my favorite. I believe he has one of the greatest ears in jazz ever. He's practically telepathic. He also has a very unique comping style which appeals to me. I love it when Herbie basically does "counterline" type stuff. It's almost like a second soloist behind the solo, but he never gets in the way. Sometimes I enjoy listening to him comp more than him soloing (sometimes- don't jump on my back). Quote
Rosco Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 How about Kenny Barron? Especially on the late period Getz stuff. Quote
mikeweil Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 Also Wynton Kelly ..... Yeah Wynton! How could I forget?! Quote
John L Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 No mention of Monk yet? I LOVE the way Monk comps. Of course, some horn players feel differently... Quote
Kalo Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 (edited) Hey, I mentioned Monk (as did Guy Berger). But then again, I'm no horn player. I LOVE the way Monk comps -- it's compositional comping. Incomparable! Rosco Posted Today, 06:23 AM How about Kenny Barron? Especially on the late period Getz stuff. I'm not quite sure that's comping, as Barron's basically the whole band there, but it is some truly great music. Edited July 1, 2005 by Kalo Quote
brownie Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 Superb - and forgotten - comper John Williams Listen to the records from the Stan Getz quintet with Bob Brookmeyer! Quote
Clunky Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 Superb - and forgotten - comper John Williams Listen to the records from the Stan Getz quintet with Bob Brookmeyer! ← he's also in great form on a new Hep CD recorded in 1998 , I had no idea he was (in 1998) still active CD 2087 SPIKE ROBINSON "The CTS Session" with Bill Crow(bs), John Williams(pno), Pete Cater(dms), guesting on acc.gtr Louis Stewart . Quote
king ubu Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 Of course many have been mentioned... but let me throw in two new ones: Freddie Green Al Haig Then my own favourites include: Clark, Kelly, Monk, Duke, Basie. I find it hard to look at Cecil's accompanying as "comping", though it derives from just that word... still... of course I love Cecil! Quote
Rosco Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 Rosco Posted Today, 06:23 AM How about Kenny Barron? Especially on the late period Getz stuff. I'm not quite sure that's comping, as Barron's basically the whole band there, but it is some truly great music. ← Oh, on 'People Time' Barron does a whole lot more than 'comp'.... I was thinking more of the later quartet albums, like 'Anniversary' and 'Serenity'. He really seems to tune in to Getz on a telepathic level (which must be scary in itself! ). Quote
Kalo Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 (edited) Of course, I was thinking of the duets on People Time, which is an all-time favorite of mine. You're right, though, Barron's amazing on those late band sides. Edited July 1, 2005 by Kalo Quote
John L Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 Hey, I mentioned Monk (as did Guy Berger). But then again, I'm no horn player. Sorry about that. I guess that's what happens when you come to a thread late and read through it too quickly. One of the reasons that I like the quartets with Charlie Rouse so much is that I consider Rouse to be a perfect foil for Monk's comping. Quote
Sundog Posted July 1, 2005 Report Posted July 1, 2005 Piano: McCoy Tyner and Duke Ellington Guitar: Jim Hall & Melvin Sparks Quote
Kalo Posted July 2, 2005 Report Posted July 2, 2005 How could I have forgotten Django Reinhardt? DJANGO! Quote
Kalo Posted July 2, 2005 Report Posted July 2, 2005 One of the reasons that I like the quartets with Charlie Rouse so much is that I consider Rouse to be a perfect foil for Monk's comping. ← I'm with you on that. Quote
Ted O'Reilly Posted July 2, 2005 Report Posted July 2, 2005 Let's remember what comping is for....to support the soloist. No soloist was ever more demanding than Ruby Braff, and for me, his best piano accompanist was Ellis Larkins--the same man who made Ella sound so great on the early '50s Decca Gershwin stuff. No guitarist ever pleased Ruby more (on Sackville SK2CD-5005) than Ed Bickert who has also supplied perfect accompaniment to Paul Desmond, Rosemary Clooney, Rob McConnell, Humphrey Lyttelton, Buddy Tate and dozens of others, too. For all his soloing abilities, he is also the best accompanist I've heard in 50 years of jazz listening, bar none. Quote
Guy Berger Posted July 2, 2005 Report Posted July 2, 2005 Let's remember what comping is for....to support the soloist. As long as we define "support" loosely -- sometimes what the soloist needs is a good kick in the ass. Guy Quote
Ted O'Reilly Posted July 2, 2005 Report Posted July 2, 2005 Let's remember what comping is for....to support the soloist. As long as we define "support" loosely -- sometimes what the soloist needs is a good kick in the ass. Guy ← Yup, that's true enough, Guy. Maybe it's not always 'good kick in the ass', but 'inspiration by example' the comper can offer. Quote
Guest Posted July 2, 2005 Report Posted July 2, 2005 no capital letters cuz cat is on lap.............................and i presume comping by harmonic instruments. 1-- duke ellington. the king the one and only love... cuz was he one of the few who used the entire range of his instrument, not just the middle 2 octaves and used all 11 fingers down to 1 finger. and he knew when to shut-up...... ha. 2--- jaki byard, for the same reasons as for duke. but a bit more modern and mysterious.....and funny. 3--monk. cuz his silences sound threatening in their anti........cipation. 4--frisell. for a lot of the all the above reasons 5--marc ribot....cuz it sounds dastardly, a lot of fun, unexpectedly wicked. 6---andrew hill. kinda monkish. kinda duke-ish. kinda frisellish. kinda sun ra -ish 7--horace silver.....fave bebop comper 8---and here's an unfortunate rarity --- any horn player that has even attempted much less succeeded in integrating him/herself into the rhythmic concept of comping on the horn and emersing into the so-called support role. in other words helping to cook the damn meal instead of always showing up when it's ready. possibles--------sonny rollins, anthony braxton, chris speed, john gilmore Quote
Jim R Posted July 3, 2005 Report Posted July 3, 2005 No guitarist ever pleased Ruby more (on Sackville SK2CD-5005) than Ed Bickert who has also supplied perfect accompaniment to Paul Desmond, Rosemary Clooney, Rob McConnell, Humphrey Lyttelton, Buddy Tate and dozens of others, too. For all his soloing abilities, he is also the best accompanist I've heard in 50 years of jazz listening, bar none. ← Bickert is indeed incredible. Like Jim Hall, his tone and attack are such that his artistry doesn't jump out at you as it does with some other great guitar compers (Reinhardt and Kessel, for example), but if you listen closely enough, the awesome skill and imagination definitely display themselves. For me, I think Kessel might have a slight edge on Bickert in terms of those moments where you go "where in the hell did thatchord come from?"... impossible chords (or shall I say voicings) that fit the situation perfectly, and then you never hear him play them again. Anyway, listening to Bickert comp behind Paul Desmond is about as good as it gets for me. Quote
JazzRules Posted July 3, 2005 Report Posted July 3, 2005 I haven't seen much talk about comping around here. So I was wondering, who is your favorite musician as far as "comping" goes? Limit this to pianists and guitarists. My favorite is...... HERBIE HANCOCK Especially his work on: -Empyerean Isles -Maiden Voyage -Directions in Music ← Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Smith, McCoy Tyner. Can't forget Kenny Burrell, Bucky Pizzarelli and a certain Mr Gilberto either. Quote
clifford_thornton Posted July 3, 2005 Report Posted July 3, 2005 8---and here's an unfortunate rarity --- any horn player that has even attempted much less succeeded in integrating him/herself into the rhythmic concept of comping on the horn and emersing into the so-called support role. in other words helping to cook the damn meal instead of always showing up when it's ready. possibles--------sonny rollins, anthony braxton, chris speed, john gilmore ← Quote
Peter Friedman Posted July 3, 2005 Report Posted July 3, 2005 Three of my favorite compers are: Horace Silver Wynton Kelly Sonny Clark Peter Friedman Quote
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