Thinking back about "had you posted this quote first, I think the responses would have been more on-topic and to your liking," I would guess that I looked like a weekend warrior who got up one morning and decided he wanted to be Jerry Lee Lewis Part II. Actually, I've been wanting to be a Jerry Lee "sound-alike" since I first heard Whole Lot of Shakin' Going on back in the 50's. What prompted my posting was this fellow's web site:
http://www.jerryleelewis.co.uk/

I'm not trying to knock his playing, but I really don't think he's doing anything extraordinary. Then I'm thinking about Dueling Piano's, two guys who play in the south Jersey/Phillie area and draw hundreds of oldies-lovers to their shows doing this kind of stuff.

Renig.....yes, that WAS terribly helpful...."you either got it or you ain't." I forgot that the beauty of his music comes from his energy and his personality. And his licks ARE too eclectic to put in print. I'll also bet were they to be printed you would find simple runs. Still, to his credit I have seen samples of it in Keyboard magazine over the years. Some of his fingering and riffs are incredible. I just recently found out that in many of these short 1-2 measure riffs he uses both hands on the treble side.

Yes, Boogie Woogie is typical JLL stuff and good for getting the left hand going, but Jerry Lee uses technically challenging left hand rock patterns. I've been working on them for months now and still having difficulty with coordination.

Unfortunately, there is also a scarcity of (good!) Jerry Lee MIDI files. I managed to pick 3-4 of them on his site a few years back which are almost exact transcriptions. But that's it...most JLL MIDI files I find to be lame without the energy and zest Renig mentions.

I would also agree with you folks who say listen to the recordings (and the MIDI's) over and over again until you learn his style by osmosis! Let's face it, that's the only way you really learn jazz. I think that's what I'm going to do is work on him exclusively for a few weeks until it starts to sink in.

cassp......I liked the way you summed it all up in your posting! I'll be more understanding of group dynamics in the future.

excerpt from http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/lewis_jerry_lee/bio.jhtml

Sharing piano lessons with his two cousins, Mickey Gilley and Jimmy Lee Swaggart, a ten-year old Jerry Lee Lewis showed remarkable aptitude toward the instrument. A visit from piano-playing older cousin Carl McVoy unlocked the secrets to the boogie-woogie styles he was hearing on the radio and across the tracks at Haney's Big House, owned by his uncle, Lee Calhoun, and catering to blacks exclusively. Lewis mixed that up with gospel and country and started coming up with his own style. He even mixed genres in the way he syncopated his rhythms on the piano; his left hand generally played a rock-solid boogie pattern while his right played the high keys with much flamboyant filigree and showiness, equal parts gospel fervor and Liberace showmanship. By the time he was 14, by all family accounts, he was as good as he was ever going to get. Lewis was already ready for prime time.

. not a good post

[This message has been edited by miden (edited 07-05-2007).]

Mark I am definitely with you about the lack of seriousness in this forum. (no offense to anyone )

it really should be called "Social Zone" LOL

Nick

PS: welcome to the forum hahaha

Lack of seriousness?
Who is lacking seriousness here??





As you can see, I was DEAD serious talking about his right foot...

Good ol' Jerry Lee, listen to his 'Last Man Standing' album with a cool line up of guest artists. I'd sure like to be able to mimic his laid back playing on the Baldwyn piano, and I think he plays Hammond on a couple of tracks. I think that short of asking for some lessons from him it's try it one song at a time; then maybe go back to his early stuff...as someone else commented, there are a few instructional DVDs out there, but you get someone elses interpretation which distorts your learning....best of playing...jinxby

Taike....thanks for posting that site about JLL. Old Jerry Lee's style has fascinated me since I first heard him. Have just about all of his records, saw the movie Great Balls of Fire about a dozen times, and still I never took the time to read about his life in detail. I've often wondered how he got so good at such a young age? Reminds me of a story I heard years ago....about the world poker champ (age appx 19). They interviewed his girl friend and she commented: "he can't do anything for himself...I have to comb his hair and tie his shoes, but.......he sure can play poker!"

me again: that's all JLL ever did was play the piano and hone his licks. Maybe that's all there is to it once you get the "feel?"

jenkinsb: I saw the "Last Man Standing Show" on Channel 13 a few months back. The man still has it but he's somewhat tempered at this age. But he still he has the respect of some great artists. I've tried everything to learn his music, but I haven't tried just sitting down and playing it every day as a few of you have suggested. So, I'm going to do that and see how far I get with it. I can't say I haven't gotten a new slant on this whole thing from the messages received.

dreamer: those pics say it all...there will never be another Jerry Lee!

[This message has been edited by Mark79100 (edited 07-05-2007).]

[This message has been edited by Mark79100 (edited 07-05-2007).]

My pleasure, Mark.

One of my dad's classmates in Primary School couldn't spell his own name, could barely read and count. Yet he was a musical wiz and became a prominent organist in a wellknown cathedral.

Michelangelo said: I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.

Pretty much applies to JLL and other great musicians, don't you think?

Taike

Take a look here, Mark:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/105-4807340-9802851?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=jerry+lee+lewis

Taike