Spring 2011 Publisher’s Desk



…And All That Jazz

The focus of this issue is jazz, particularly piano jazz. The featured songs are, for the most part, those that have found their way into the standard repertoire of jazz artists the world over. You’ll find two original compositions by our featured artist, the great pianist and educator, Billy Taylor: “Cool And Caressing,” a lovely bluesy ballad, and “Bit Of Bedlam,” a swinging bebop romp. We are also very fortunate to have secured permission to publish two more very special pieces much loved by jazz performers, pieces that have become all-time jazz standards by anyone’s measure. Composed by Benny Golson, a titan among jazz saxophonists, and a wonderfully gifted composer, they are, “Whisper Not,” and “I Remember Clifford.” Noreen Lienhard has created exquisite first-time-ever piano solos of these pieces. Subscriber, Tom La Pare, recently wrote: “I would like to let Mrs. Lienhard know that I think her musical arrangements are fantastic! I am studying Jazz in Tampa, and am currently studying some of her arrangements. My teacher thought that Mrs. Lienhard’s arrangements were a cut above, one step beyond, George Shearing’s works! I just wanted to let you know!” Well, Tom, you and your teacher should be more than pleased since Noreen is up to her customary magic with chord voicings and elegant interpretation on Mr. Golson’s great tunes.

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Every song in this issue has a jazz connection which you will discover in the mini-bios included on the first page of each. However, here are a few additional tidbits…

A singer we have come to admire, Nicki Parrott, who is also a marvelous bassist, performs and has recorded “I Love The Way You’re Breaking My Heart.” We heard her sing (and play) it at the Arbors Records Jazz Weekend in Clearwater Beach, Florida, which prompted us to include it here. Written by Milton Drake, an old friend of this magazine, this torch song had the definitive recording by Peggy Lee. We had difficulty finding the sheet music and so created our own arrangement, into which is interpolated the special end tag that Peggy Lee created, and which Miss Parrott also sings. Drake wrote another jazz ballad, “Nina Never Knew” as well as the zany 1940s hit, “Mairzy Doats,” among many others. His brother, Ervin Drake, another very important songwriter, has been a contributing editor to Sheet Music for many years.

It is always serendipitous to find a beautiful waltz that we may have overlooked in years past. Such is the case with “Beautiful Love,” written by none other than the “Waltz King” himself, Wayne King. Recognizing the beauty of its flowing melody, and the elegance and interest of its harmonic structure, important jazz artists have latched onto this song as a mainstay of their recorded and performing repertoire. “Old Folks,” an often overlooked song, is a ballad much loved by jazz performers, and written by the man who wrote “Cottage For Sale,” Willard Robison.

We are privileged to have as a guest columnist the teen wunderkind of ragtime and old time piano styles, Adam Swanson. Adam tells us all about the man who was Crazy Otto, the piano hit man of the ‘50s, Johnny Maddox. Johnny still knocks ‘em dead at the Diamond Belle Saloon in Durango, and will be doing the same on the paddle-wheeler, The Spirit of Peoria, this Memorial Day weekend for the Old Time Piano Contest.

Last month we launched Sheet Music Magazine’s own YouTube Channel, www.youtube.com/user/sheetmusicmagazine, with examples and excerpts from the issues: “Through A Thousand Dreams” from the last issue (Winter 2011), Riccardo Scivales’ transcription of Red Garland’s “Billy Boy” from this issue, and the JazzLab, Walking Down Broadway.

On our sister site, MusicBooksNow, we have also launched a new feature. You can now download and print special arrangements such as piano solo transcriptions of the great Harlem stride pianists, including Fats Waller, Willie ‘The Lion’ Smith, James P. Johnson and more. There are special arrangements of hymns and Christmas carols from Noreen Lienhard, Preston Keys, Riccardo Scivales, and yours truly, with lots more to come. You’ll be able to download lessons and professional advisories in the not too distant future as well. Just go to Piano Downloads in the left hand column of the home page. Remember, it’s a work in progress. Stay tuned! —ES