Victor Feldman

[sidewinder]

I've often wondered if Miles may have seen him as something of a British Bill Evans.

Interesting thought - probably very likely !

Wasn't Bill Evans half-Welsh though anyway? :rsmile:

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i have one from the 80s called song of the andes

[Chas]

But I've never heard Feldman be anything less than excellent.

Don't know about that , but he did make albums that were less than excellent . One that comes to mind is the one for Mode . Given the personnel , that is one dull record - the sub-30 minute playing time is a blessing ! I have tended to prefer Feldman's sideman appearances , and find his piano playing to be more enjoyably individual than his vibes work , so that may have something to do with my reaction to that album .

[sidewinder]

I have a couple of his albums on Pacific Jazz that I will dig out today - 'The Venezuelan Joropo' and 'Plays Everything In Sight'.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

sidewinder: what is that veneuszualean joropo one like? also whats the other one like?"

[sidewinder]

sidewinder: what is that veneuszualean joropo one like? also whats the other one like?"

They are OK, chewy. Certainly no masterpieces - I'll add some thoughts over the weekend once I've got re-acquainted with them. Very much instrumental features showing the flexibility of Feldman in a variety of settings, I think.

[Daniel A]

It seems that Feldman records sometimes were a bit too much arranged to show off his flexibility, rather than just having him play a set of good tunes (IMO, preferably on piano).

[sidewinder]

Just been spinning 'The Venezuela Joropo'. Pleasant session in a mid-60s 'Bud Shank' kind of way. Half the tracks have a smaller, more conventional group with Bill Perkins on flute and Dennis Budimir on guitar. The rest have a bigger group with more percussion and harp, dealing more in the Venezuelan style (sort of a folk 'Mariachi' style). If you are into this style then it might be worth picking up.

Couldn't find the 'Plays Everything In Sight' on my search but I did emerge with a World Pacific 'Stop The World I Want To Get Off - The Jazz Version' black label ! By the way, tracks from this latter LP were played by Victor's trio on one of his TV broadcasts of the early 1960s.

Edited August 29, 2008 by sidewinder

[mikeweil]

If I were to compare Feldman to any US pianist, I would go with Orrin Keepnews, who, after hearing Feldman during rehearsal for the "Cannonball meets the Poll Winners" session on Riverside with Wes Montgomery and Ray Brown, coined the phrase: "How can someone look like Leonard Feather and sound like Wynton Kelly?"

[sidewinder]

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

victor feldman's generation band- SMOOTH (1986)

Tom Scott on sax and lyricon, Lee Ritenour on guitar, Kipp Lennon on vocals, Joseph Conlan on synths and drum programming, Trevor Feldman on drums and Nathan East on bass

[Kyo]

He's also on the quite enjoyable Art'n'Zoot from 1981, some good Art Pepper on this one if I remember correctly.

[sidewinder]

victor feldman's generation band- SMOOTH (1986)

Tom Scott on sax and lyricon, Lee Ritenour on guitar, Kipp Lennon on vocals, Joseph Conlan on synths and drum programming, Trevor Feldman on drums and Nathan East on bass

It sounds as soggy as a wet face-towel but perhaps I'm wrong. What's this one like, chewy?

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

sidewinder, all i have to say is i listened to this one at 8 am on the bus 2 work and on my lunch break and on the way home and it made my day like 400% better. Its top notch quality 80s fusion: smooth jazz if you will, or 80s fusion if you'd rather. 5 out of 5 chewy-stars for sure

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

ps- tell me more about the venezulean joropo one....is perkins only on flute, not sax? is it funky, like late 60s pj sessions could be...or whats up w/ it....i want that one soooo bad!

[JSngry]

sidewinder, all i have to say is i listened to this one at 8 am on the bus 2 work and on my lunch break and on the way home and it made my day like 400% better. Its top notch quality 80s fusion: smooth jazz if you will, or 80s fusion if you'd rather. 5 out of 5 chewy-stars for sure

Mr. Chu, I'm taking you for money on this, so please answer carefully - if The Generation Band was a 70s or 80s TV show hottie, who would it be, and would it be her by day, by night, or by late night thru just before the dawn early morning, if you know what I mean.

I'm actually thinking about checking out some of their albums and need your opinion to confirm my leanings. I want some music with some curves in the right places at the right times.

And yes, I am serious.

[sidewinder]

ps- tell me more about the venezulean joropo one....is perkins only on flute, not sax? is it funky, like late 60s pj sessions could be...or whats up w/ it....i want that one soooo bad!

Hi chewy - Perkins is on flute and alto flute, no sax. It is not a 'funky' album but more 'MOR' in a mid-60s way ie. sort of easy listening. The small group tracks are latin-tinged and would be a good accompaniment for sipping cocktails . The larger group tracks are a bit more folk-influenced and more obviously Venezuelan (no pan-pipes though, thank goodness). It's worth checking out.

Small group is Feldman, Bill Perkins (flute/alto flute), Dennis Budimir (spanish and electric guitar), Monty Budwig (bass) and Colin Bailey (drums).

Emil Richards on vibes and harp and 2 percussionists added for the bigger group.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

probably cybill sheppard's 1984 cover of TV guide

[JSngry]

That might be worth exploring then. Thanks!

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

just got today: Victor Feldman- Fiesta (1984- palo alto records)

w. chuck mangione, lee ritenour, nathan east, diane reeves- voc. on like one song, incl. a fusion remake of Viva Zapata! (the other lp has a fusion remake of seven steps)

Edited September 1, 2008 by chewy

[Rooster_Ties]

Another excellent Feldman date is the 'Soviet Jazz Themes' album he recorded in 1962 for the short-lived Ava label. It featured Carmell Jones, Nat Adderley,, Harold Land, Joe Zawinul, Frank Butler, etc...

Makes you long for the Soviet days

Has this ever been issued on CD? Somehow didn't realize until today that Carmell Jones was on this (or half of it, anyway).

[Guy Berger]

The JSngry-chewy Victor Feldman-1984 Cybill Sheppard TV guide cover may be my 2nd favorite O-forums exchange of all time.

[sidewinder]

As a matter of coincidence I was just watching a film clip of Feldman yesterday - Jazz 625 performance with Rick Laird on bass and Ronnie Scott guesting on one number. Filmed during a short London visit in 1965. During these visits apparently, Victor Feldman hardly got a minute's break, being shuffled between gigs around London as the locals made the most of the opportunity.

[BillF]

As a matter of coincidence I was just watching a film clip of Feldman yesterday - Jazz 625 performance with Rick Laird on bass and Ronnie Scott guesting on one number. Filmed during a short London visit in 1965. During these visits apparently, Victor Feldman hardly got a minute's break, being shuffled between gigs around London as the locals made the most of the opportunity.

I saw him on one of those visits home - at Scott's old place in Gerrard Street at Christmas 1959. Understandably, he was treated as a returning hero, but as a kid who'd just turned 20 I didn't know the back story and couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. I recall that he stayed with vibes for the whole of the evening.

Edited September 14, 2014 by BillF

[sidewinder]

Amazing !

I wonder if VF went out to the West Coast for musical/business reasons or because of his asthma condition? I guess the London smog of the time can't have helped with that. Not that LA is much better..

Edited September 14, 2014 by sidewinder