Neville Dickie Tickles The Ivory During Jazz SummerFest
Posted by Maria Miaoulis in Bickford Theatre, Morristown, NJ, Jazz Events, Recaps & Reviews
August 3rd, 2010 2 Comments »
When my generation thinks of a “piano man,” Billy Joel or Elton John quickly comes to mind. It’s a shame that world renowned jazz pianist Neville Dickie doesn’t register on this popularity radar. But after last night’s performance at The Bickford Theatre, I, along with those in attendance, will consider him one of the greats from now on.
Dickie is known for his “stride” piano playing, a demanding style where the left hand alternates quickly between single notes and chords, producing a strong, rhythmic bass, while the right hand defines the melody. (Oh, and it’s usually performed at quite a fast tempo, as if it weren’t challenging enough.) But Dickie remained nonchalant about the whole thing, explaining the technique while exchanging jokes with the audience.
A camera had been set up to hover above the keyboard, allowing us to see him play up close. It was easy to become mesmerized by his hand movements. In fact, most of the evening I found myself paying more attention to the monitor than taking in the whole scene, and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one!
Dickie performed several well-known pieces including “Getting To Know You,” “That’s All” and “Common Boogie” along with new material from his latest album. However, it was favorites like “Harlem Strut,” “Ball And The Jack,” “The Russian Rag,” and “Stardust” which had the crowd roaring with applause before his set regretfully came to a close.
This native Englishman more than proved why he is known as the world’s foremost stride and boogie woogie musician. He performs on both sides of the pond these days, so if you happen to be in the area when he’s doing a show, make it a point to go. You won’t be disappointed! Check out his website for more details.