Willie Anderson
piano (Detroit)
Willie Anderson was an older Detroit pianist, a famous name there in Barry’s youth; Barry named him as the older pianist he would have to mention, as Chicago pianists mention Chris Anderson.
- mentions
- 1
- recordings
- 1
- Barry speaking
- 1
What Barry says
After saying he learned from Tommy Flanagan but had other players around too, Barry names Will Davis and then Willie Anderson, and says so many of the local musicians could play.
Interview: Detroit, Bud Powell and the shuffle5:43
Explaining why Detroit produced so many musicians, Barry credits music in the schools and good players around. He offers to name musicians nobody has heard of and starts with Willie Anderson; when Ted Panken adds ‘piano player’, Barry laughs and agrees.
Barry Harris on WKCR-FM ¶26Barry Harris on WKCR-FM ¶27Barry Harris on WKCR-FM ¶28
Asked about Chris Anderson, Barry says any older Chicago pianist would have to mention him. His own older pianist, if he had to name one, would be Willie Anderson, a name everyone knew in those days; Barry says he has many pictures of him playing.
Asked next whether he got to know him (most likely meaning Willie, though the talk began with Chris Anderson), Barry says not that well, but that he showed him some things, one of them very good. He does not say what, and turns to how badly the diminished scale and modes are taught.
Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶297Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶298
In his own words
Mine would be, if I had to mention an older cat, would be Willie Anderson, who was a very famous name back then, you know. I’ve got a lot of pictures of him playing
I didn’t know him that well, but he showed me some stuff. I remember one thing he showed me, and that was very good
Plus we had good musicians around. I can name cats you’ve never heard of. Willie Anderson…
We had Willie Anderson. We had so many [cats] could play.
Every mention
1 moments in the recordings, 1 of them Barry speaking. Each says who is talking.
Interview: Detroit, Bud Powell and the shuffle
- 5:43
Named after Will Davis among the Detroit players Barry had around him; so many could play.
In the interviews and notes
Barry puts Detroit’s wealth of musicians down to music in the schools, where poor students borrowed the school’s instruments for gigs, and to good players around, beginning his list with Willie Anderson.
Where Chicago pianists name Chris Anderson as their elder, Barry names Willie Anderson, a famous name in his day. Asked straight after whether he knew him, he says not well, but that he was shown some things, one of them very good; the ‘him’ could be either Anderson.
Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶296Barry Harris, Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program ¶298
Flanagan remembers that not all of Detroit’s pianists were beboppers; some were in the Art Tatum mould. He picks out Willie Anderson as a born musician, strong on around six instruments, and a fine pianist at home in any style.
Ted Panken (interviewer); Tommy Flanagan, Tommy Flanagan ¶14
Method ideas nearby
Ideas of the method taught in the classes where they come up, with how many mentions fall in each.