Mr. Riley’s use of different cymbals within his accompaniment of the soloist is very apparent on Kenny Barron’s LIVE AT BRADLEY’S. Brilliant! Happy Thanksgiving, Vinnie!
Nicely written, Vinnie – the first class I took in grad school was taught by Bill Lowe (trombone and tuba), the draw for me being the class would go to NYC once a month to see & hear live music. as it turned out, two of the three shows we saw featured Bill Barron (the head of the Music Dept. at Wesleyan U) with brother Kenny, Ben Riley, and Cecil McBee (once) and Buster Williams (the other show). Ben was great fun to listen to; he would lock in to whatever Kenny was playing and didn't every let go! Great brushes player as well. Thanks for the reminder of his positive musicianship!
Thanks Richard! Feel like I haven’t seen or heard Ben’s name in so long, save Dave Berkman, Steve Wilson, and a few others, have been really digging surveying his music…
Being a native son, Ben returned annually to perform at the Savannah Jazz Festival for many years. Usually in the trio format with a series of legendary pianists: Kenny Barron (several times), Cedar Walton, Randy Weston. There was also a memorable year when he brought a larger group to play the music from his Memories of T record with those amazing Don Sickler arrangements of Monk tunes. Every performance was swinging and left a big impression on me!
Your essay about Ben Riley is so thoughtful and nice. I was lucky to hear him quite a few times in different venues, and he’s on lots and lots of my records. And i used to play drums and realize was good Ben Riley was. He wasn’t flashy but he was SOLID!!! A wonderful musician.
Thanks for this Vinnie! I love Ben’s drumming with Thelonious Monk, and it’s great to hear him in a different environment. He really has a great style that I appreciate.
Mr. Riley’s use of different cymbals within his accompaniment of the soloist is very apparent on Kenny Barron’s LIVE AT BRADLEY’S. Brilliant! Happy Thanksgiving, Vinnie!
Mr. Soph, you nailed it! Kenny Barron Live at Bradley's is it exactly....Mr. Riley is incredible on that....
More soon, thank you Ed!
Nicely written, Vinnie – the first class I took in grad school was taught by Bill Lowe (trombone and tuba), the draw for me being the class would go to NYC once a month to see & hear live music. as it turned out, two of the three shows we saw featured Bill Barron (the head of the Music Dept. at Wesleyan U) with brother Kenny, Ben Riley, and Cecil McBee (once) and Buster Williams (the other show). Ben was great fun to listen to; he would lock in to whatever Kenny was playing and didn't every let go! Great brushes player as well. Thanks for the reminder of his positive musicianship!
Thanks Richard! Feel like I haven’t seen or heard Ben’s name in so long, save Dave Berkman, Steve Wilson, and a few others, have been really digging surveying his music…
Being a native son, Ben returned annually to perform at the Savannah Jazz Festival for many years. Usually in the trio format with a series of legendary pianists: Kenny Barron (several times), Cedar Walton, Randy Weston. There was also a memorable year when he brought a larger group to play the music from his Memories of T record with those amazing Don Sickler arrangements of Monk tunes. Every performance was swinging and left a big impression on me!
Your essay about Ben Riley is so thoughtful and nice. I was lucky to hear him quite a few times in different venues, and he’s on lots and lots of my records. And i used to play drums and realize was good Ben Riley was. He wasn’t flashy but he was SOLID!!! A wonderful musician.
Thanks for this Vinnie! I love Ben’s drumming with Thelonious Monk, and it’s great to hear him in a different environment. He really has a great style that I appreciate.