Kevin Bresnahan Posted September 30, 2019 Report Posted September 30, 2019 Several Jazz artists and publications are reporting that pianist Richard Wyands passed away last Wednesday (9/25). https://www.weldonfh.com/book-of-memories/3977118/Wyands-Richard/obituary.php Quote
Dan Gould Posted September 30, 2019 Report Posted September 30, 2019 Wow, too many gone so suddenly and all excellent pianists. I've particularly come to appreciate Wyands, who played with so many and always sounded great. RIP. Quote
sgcim Posted September 30, 2019 Report Posted September 30, 2019 Oh man, Harold Mabern, Larry Willis and now Richard Wyands. I don't know what to say except RIP. Quote
sidewinder Posted September 30, 2019 Report Posted September 30, 2019 A sad day. RIP, another very fine pianist. Quote
jazztrain Posted September 30, 2019 Report Posted September 30, 2019 An often overlooked master. RIP. Quote
Peter Friedman Posted September 30, 2019 Report Posted September 30, 2019 We have lost three jazz pianists in the past weeks. Though all three were damn good, I have to admit that Richard Wyands was my favorite of the 3. Richard played with almost everyone, but seemed to be under the radar in that he did not seem to get much recognition from the jazz audience. He made some fine trio recordings, and fit in extremely well with the numerous groups groups with whom he appeared and recorded. The last time I remember seeing Richard Wyands live was when he was with the Jimmy Cobb Mob, a group that also included Eric Alexander and Peter Bernstein. A will certainly miss this very fine jazz musician. Quote
clifford_thornton Posted September 30, 2019 Report Posted September 30, 2019 Damn, that is too bad. Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted September 30, 2019 Report Posted September 30, 2019 (edited) Wow. Another loss. RIP MR. Wyands. Edited October 3, 2019 by Hardbopjazz Quote
mikeweil Posted September 30, 2019 Report Posted September 30, 2019 What a sad loss. He was an excellent player that I always enjoyed. R.I.P. Quote
mikeweil Posted October 1, 2019 Report Posted October 1, 2019 BTW - the 1949 Charles Mingus session for Fentone was both Richard Wyands' and Cal Tjader's recording debut. Wyands was on Tjader's 1954 California sessions for Savoy and Fantasy, too. He was very friendly when S. Duncan Reid interviewed him on the phone about these sessions for his Tjader biography. Quote
Kevin Bresnahan Posted October 1, 2019 Author Report Posted October 1, 2019 On 9/30/2019 at 8:34 PM, Peter Friedman said: The last time I remember seeing Richard Wyands live was when he was with the Jimmy Cobb Mob, a group that also included Eric Alexander and Peter Bernstein. Expand That was a killer band! I remember going to one of their gigs not knowing that Wyands was on piano and being amazed at his playing. He was the one you found yourself watching more than any of the others. Quote
BeBop Posted October 1, 2019 Report Posted October 1, 2019 Nice man. We shared a hometown and a few common friends (the amiable Vernon Alley, for one) and so a few pleasant conversations at concerts. Mr. Wyands never seemed his age, so 91 seems almost unreal. I'm glad our paths crossed. Rest peacefully. Quote
Kevin Bresnahan Posted October 1, 2019 Author Report Posted October 1, 2019 I found this on a sale page many years ago and grabbed it. A very nice trio date. Quote
Justin V Posted October 1, 2019 Report Posted October 1, 2019 A few years ago, I moved a vacation to New York up a day specifically to see Richard Wyands at Mezzrow. He was playing with Jeremy Pelt and Peter Washington. We showed up early and sat right up front where we could see Wyands and company in action. As he did over the course of his career, he provided exactly what was needed. Hearing him from a few feet away in an intimate venue with a small group was the perfect way to hear him work his subtle magic. During the set break, I approached him and babbled enthusiastically about how great it was to see him perform in person. I'm not sure that he spoke a word (Pelt approached to tell him the second set would start soon) and I didn't have the nerve to ask him to sign something. I hope he appreciated someone geeking out over him. That show was the night before the last time I caught Harold Mabern (at the Village Vanguard with John Webber and Joe Farnsworth). I told Mabern during the set break that I had seen Wyands the night before and he said that Wyands hadn't played a gig in the city in a couple of years. While I knew that I was exceedingly lucky to have planned a trip at the right time to catch a rare gig by the semi-retired Wyands, I didn't know that I'd never see Mabern again. After Mabern's second set, I caught most of Lew Tabackin's late trio set at Smalls; catching Wyands, Mabern and Tabackin in two days made it a vacation I'll always remember. Thank you for the music, Mr. Wyands, and rest in peace. Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted October 3, 2019 Report Posted October 3, 2019 I only saw him once. It was time around 2002 or 2003. He was with Louis Hayes’s quintet. Quote
catesta Posted October 4, 2019 Report Posted October 4, 2019 A long run indeed, RIP. A favorite of mine... Quote
clifford_thornton Posted October 4, 2019 Report Posted October 4, 2019 He was also in the Fine Wine Trio with Gene Perla and Bobby Kapp. Interesting combination of musicians. Quote
Milestones Posted October 4, 2019 Report Posted October 4, 2019 I have heard some nice work by Mr. Wyands on several Kenny Burrell albums. Quote
sgcim Posted October 4, 2019 Report Posted October 4, 2019 On 10/4/2019 at 9:16 PM, Milestones said: I have heard some nice work by Mr. Wyands on several Kenny Burrell albums. Expand He was KB's pianist from 1965 to 1974. Quote
Milestones Posted October 5, 2019 Report Posted October 5, 2019 That's a serious collaboration! Quote
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted October 5, 2019 Report Posted October 5, 2019 i have him on these two Quote
JSngry Posted October 5, 2019 Report Posted October 5, 2019 On 10/4/2019 at 10:16 PM, sgcim said: He was KB's pianist from 1965 to 1974. Expand Pretty sure he was with Burrell's group when I saw him at La Bastille (RIP) in Houston, summer of 1974. Quote
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