Ask Chick

Q: Have you ever played on a Fazioli piano? If you did, what do you think about them?
— Martin

A: Hello Martin,
I played on the Fazioli piano when it first appeared some years ago, and last year came across one on a show I did with Stefano Bollani, the Italian pianist. I haven't had much time with any one Fazioli so can't really tell, other than it's a very well made piano.

A little comment on evaluating pianos, though:

I have found there are 2 factors in evaluating a piano. One is the quality of the construction of the piano itself. The other is the skill and artistry of the piano technician who regulates, voices and tunes a piano. This is said from the viewpoint of a touring, performing pianist (me) who plays a different instrument each night.

The two pianos I have in my home studio are a Bosendorfer Imperial and a Yamaha CF3. Both incredibly well made instruments. And because I have a very good technician near home who tends the pianos, and a stable temperature and unvarying humidity in my room, these pianos are a joy to play on.

Not much about Fazioli I guess - but I thought you might be interested in these other comments.

Thanks for writing -

- - Chick - 4 Apr 10

Chick plays a Fazioli piano at the Umbria Jazz Festival with Stefano Bollani in 2009:

Have a musical query for Chick? Submit a question

Add a comment

Q: How do you feel about playing with trumpet players? -- Russ Davis of MoJa Radio (in conversation with Chick, Jan. 14, 2010)

A: My dad was the first trumpet player in my life. He taught me to play a bit. I played trumpet in the Massachusetts Jazz Society Band, I played lead trumpet, for two hits, sort of. I played this Rudy Muck mouthpiece that had a real shallow depth, so you could hit high notes real easy. My dad played the trumpet, great instrument.

One of the warmest times in my life was working for 2-3 years, on and off, with Blue Mitchell's group, and Blue Mitchell, he encouraged me to write music. He was one of the first jazz musicians to record some of my songs. That was a great band. I was a big fan of Horace Silver growing up, and this was basically Horace Silver's quintet, without Horace. Somehow I got the gig, I don't know how, but Blue was really nice to me, and he played a sweet, sweet horn. That was a great time, I loved that gig.

It's hard to talk about Miles because he's more than a trumpet player. Now that he's not around us physically anymore, it's just Miles' world.

-- Chick

Have a musical query for Chick? Submit a question

Add a comment

Q: How do you feel about playing the electric piano? -- Russ Davis of MoJa Radio (in conversation with Chick, Jan. 14, 2010)

A: It's a love-hate relationship. The electric piano is a logistic beast. It's heavy. To get it really right, you have to get your own, and carry it around.

In order to do it right, because Fender Rhodes no longer makes instruments, you have to get one and keep it patched together. It's sort of like a toy instrument that you have to keep patched. So you have to hire a guy, and then you have to hire some other guys to carry that around. It becomes a logistic beast.

And to actually perform with it on stage, there's quite a few things that you have to go through with your ensemble to get the sound right. So for those reasons, it's a beast. But I love playing it. With acoustic piano, I have a way now to have a good concert grand in tune for me, real easy. We get a good blend, hardly using any monitors.

-- Chick

Have a musical query for Chick? Submit a question

Add a comment

Q: We are going to play your wonderful tune "Captain Señor Mouse." How did you come up with this title? - Deyssenroth

A:Hello Deyssenroth,
Well, Señor Mouse was originally just "Señor Mouse" as my Latin mouse. Then when the concept of Hymn Of The 7th Galaxy was created for the album's theme, I made my Latin mouse into a space ship captain.

That's the way titles come about sometimes.

-- Chick

Have a musical query for Chick? Submit a question

Add a comment

Q: What are your favorite piano brands and models and why?—Casey

A: Dear Casey,
I've enjoyed playing many different brands and models of pianos through the years. Each maker seems to have a particular idea of how to make a piano and they're all interesting. But the brands that have made their mark on the world and are mostly available as I tour around are Yamaha, Steinway and sometimes Bosendorfer. Since the '70s Yamaha has been my personal preference—at first because of the reliable service, but then, after the advent of the CF3, I preferred the touch and sound of Yamaha concert grands over all other brands.

That's not to say I don't enjoy playing well-prepared Steinways or Bosendorfers. As a matter of fact, the one concert grand piano I have owned since '81 is a Bosendorfer Imperial. It sits in my music studio along with the beautiful Yamaha CF3 that Yamaha has provided for me. Between these two lovely instruments, I have all I could ask in fine pianos.

As for models, after the larger grands, I do like to practice on good uprights. I find them sometimes backstage in my dressing rooms and like to play a bit before the show starts.

Digital pianos are very convenient for practicing and composing when an acoustic piano is unavailable. Yamaha makes great digital pianos—some light enough to travel easily.

One word about the continuing quality of pianos, though: after a piano is well designed and built and then delivered to its owner, without constant professional care and maintenance, the best-made pianos will soon start to sound worse and worse—as they go out of tune and out of "regulation." The moral of that almost-story is the basic principle that the competent piano technician is everything to the continuing quality of any piano. So my cheap advice is: find a great piano technician first, then have him help you choose and maintain any piano you buy.

Happy piano playing!

-- Chick

Have a musical query for Chick? Submit a question

Add a comment