The genius of Peter Nero

It's Alright With Me (if he crosses hands)

Nice.

He is one of the most accurate cats ever, you never hear the "sudden appogiatura" stuff with him, no sir, and crosshanding is a legitimate piano device used in many a classical piano piece as well, no?

Funny thing about cats like Nero is that if he had decided to play it without the crosshanding - he likely could have, equally as accurately.


--Mac

Yes, I learned cross hand technique during my classical piano training (still use it sometimes), and you are right, Peter could have probably played that with either hand - he is so skilled.

My favorite piece from him is his rendition of "I'm Beginning To See the Light", which was released on a CD titled "Peter Nero plays the music of Duke Ellington" ca. 1977. Richard Nanista on Bass and Andy Zoob on Drums. It was originally released on an album ' Peter Nero "Now" '

Nero's performance of the song consists of 6 minutes of virtuoso genius. Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, it does. And then when you thought now it couldn't get any better, you betcha, it does...

Track 1 of This little piece represents a few seconds of the 'boring' intro (yawn). You know, the bit before the band actually starts playing...

Well, I've been a serious fan of intros ever since getting to the musical place where appreciation of Erroll Garner was appropriate.

Listening to Erroll's live recordings taught me the value of a good Intro.

The difficult part comes with that "good" thang, eh?


--Mac

Yep, I agree, the intro can capture attention and imagination. It's never to be taken lightly. Peter Nero's intro's are invariably fantastic, involving skill and virtuoso performances. But then, he often goes on to make the intro look he played was just like a casual stroll in the park... Such is the genius he is.

Take for example, his rendition of Night and Day where his intro is the 2nd movement - Adagio Sostenuto - of Opus 27 by Beethoven, and he melodically transitions through it into Night and Day, as though Beethoven himself were performing. Then at about 1:35 he simply jumps 2 centuries.