The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

Hi,
Was listening to a 1958 Cabot Records single by Burt called "Roseanne" yesterday.(Instrumental Piano, and strings) While neither songs on the 45 are his compositions, he sure participated in co-arranging along with Glenn Osser in the styling of it. The piano concerto like stabs and left hand accompaniment are very reminicsent of later productions where he plays similar figures, like the piano part in "Last One To Be Loved"...
The strings in Roseanne on part B, the second time around (part D?) have that piecrcing octave sound which I love....
This single foreshadows what Burt would be releasing on Kapp 5 years later to the tune of "And So Goodbye My Love"or "Last One To Be Loved"...
This little gem was a good find...it's in the tradition of Roger Williams, but with the Bacharach touch, of course!

Steveo

steveo_1965 wrote:Hi,
Was listening to a 1958 Cabot Records single by Burt called "Roseanne" yesterday.(Instrumental Piano, and strings) While neither songs on the 45 are his composition, he sure participated in co-arranging along with Glenn Osser in the styling of it. The piano concerto like stabs and left hand accompaniment are very reminicsent of later productions where he plays similar figures, like the piano part in Last One To Be Loved...
The strings in Roseanne on part B, the second time around(part D?) have that piecrcing octave sound which I love....
This single foreshadows what Burt would be releasing on Kapp 5 years later to the tune of "And So Goodbye My Love".or "Last One To Be Loved"...
This little gem was a good find...it's in the tradition of Roger Williams, but with the Bacharach touch, of course!

Steveo

As you know, I just love Burt's piano playing. If he had simply had been a piano player and nothing else, he would have had quite a career, I do believe. I love his piano playing on Last One To Be Loved, too, and I've long thought that that song should have been "bigger" than it was.

Did you know Paul Griffin personally? (I hope I have the right name.) He used to play piano on a lot of Burt's records, isn't that right? He must have been absolutely fantastic for Burt to have used him. I would love to know where exactly (on what songs, or what parts of songs) I would be listening to Paul playing and not Burt -- because I used to think that Burt was at the piano exclusively.

Enormous,
Yes, I agree with you..that Burt's piano playing is special!
I also love "Last One To Be Loved".I read about the famous session of Walk On By, and the 2 piano players, Paul Griffin and Artie Butler, with Burt conducting, but not playing piano.
No, since I am west coast, I never had the chance to meet Paul Griffin...
and during the time these classic early 60's records were being made, I was a teenager.
I didn't meet Burt till the end of the 60's....but I was listening seriously
to his work by 1966. Also, I was very spaced out hearing for the first time the record WalkOn by, and that famous piano solo..I was on a school outing at a man-made beach in Ohio when I first heard that one....
It shocked me, cause it was so unusual!
Steveo

i knew Paul Griffin personally...he used to live close to me in Riverdale,New York...and once i had the pleasure to listen to him in a concert with Grover Washington...he spoke about Burt ,and he told me that beside talent "our man" was an absolute gentleman...the best he ever knew...at the time it looks like he had serious problem with health...liver i think...and i know he left this earth some years ago...he loved to play Hammond i remember...bye GABBA

Gabba,
Thanks for sharing your memories of Paul Griffin with us...
I'll bet he played that Hammond B-3 organ opening on "Any Day Now"
(Chuck Jackson's record)
Steveo

gabba wrote:i knew Paul Griffin personally...he used to live close to me in Riverdale,New York...and once i had the pleasure to listen to him in a concert with Grover Washington...he spoke about Burt ,and he told me that beside talent "our man" was an absolute gentleman...the best he ever knew...at the time it looks like he had serious problem with health...liver i think...and i know he left this earth some years ago...he loved to play Hammond i remember...bye GABBA

Cool!! I would be curious about so many things... like, did Burt write out every note for Paul to play, or did he give Paul leeway to improvise? Also (I believe) that Burt was notorious for all the "takes" he did on his songs. I wonder what the musicians thought of Burt as he had them do take after take after take. I also would be curious to know how Burt picked Paul to use out of all the other session piano players. In other words, had Burt heard him playing somewhere and became a fan of Paul's? Either way, I'm sure Paul had a LOT of stories to tell about Burt and all the other great artists he knew. He had to be GREAT for Burt to use him over and over. Just as Gary Chester (the drummer -- do I have the name right?) must have been.

ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!!Gary Chester!!!he has his own site..poor guy..died too early!!
http://www.gary-chester.com/

bye GABBA

Gabba and Enormous,
Yes, I was so surprised to see so many hit records Gary Played on besides Bacharach....He has got to be one of the most utilized drummers in pop history, along with Hal Blaine and a couple of others...

Steveo

listen to the splendid Gary Chester here....brushes and cymbals!!!



bye GABBA

Thanks gabba and steveo. I don't play the drums, but for some reason, I've always been able to tell the difference in recordings between a good drummer and a GREAT drummer. I always thought that Burt had GREAT drumming on his songs. I'm sure Burt wouldn't have had it any other way either. I do believe that Burt paid great attention to the drumming on his records and concerts.

The drummer who played on so many of the Motown recordings was great too. A drummer, at least for me, can add another layer of depth to a record.