Re: RIP Ted Greene

Hi Leon,

Many years ago ( about 20 or so) we met at a NAMM show. If memory
serves me right it was in Chicago. I was working for MXR in England and
it was my first trip ever to the US. Heady stuff for a guy brought up
on the sound of American Rock and R&B. You had just published the Larry
Carlton book. We talked a little about how you would like to tour the
English countryside. We then talked guitar and you told me I should
check out a guy called Ted Greene and his new album "Solo Guitar".
When I told you how much I loved trying to play fingerstyle jazz
standards you most generously gave me a copy of Ted's record, which I
still have and cherish.

As fate would have I moved to LA 6 years ago to work for JBL and was
privileged to meet Ted a number of times at clinics and catch his
Sunday lunchtime sets at Spazio. The wonderful thing about Ted was how
easy he was to talk to and how supportive he was of anybody who played
no matter the level of knowledge or technique.

Despite this I only recently screwed up enough courage to ask him for
lessons and in a typical Ted way he said it would be a pleasure to get
together, making me feel comfortable and at ease. You should have seen
the grin on my face when I told my wife; "Ted Greene says I should come
over and play".

I was about to call him Monday to arrange a lesson when I read the
awful news. Its hard to accept how that masterful musical intelligence,
and gentle soul is no longer with us.

At the time we met I recall you telling me you had found a young guy
with great ears who had or was going to transcibe Ted's record. Did it
ever happen or is my memory playing tricks on me?

Over the clinics of Ted's that I did attended I was fortunate to
collect about a dozen chord diagram charts of his arrangements. As Ted
was always so generous with this material I imagine much of the legacy
his genius is scattered amongst his friends and students.

I think it is important that this side of Ted's work is preserved. I
don't know how exactly this can be achieved but perhaps some form of
foundation can be set up at CSUN or similar educational establishment
that had a connection with Ted to collect and make his work available
to future generations of guitar students. If such an idea is possible I
would be willing, I'm sure with others to provide financial support.

If you think I can help in any way please contact me and once again
Leon thank you for your kind gift all those years ago.

John Carpanini
818 894 8850




lwhite1000@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> tombrown@xxxxxxx wrote:
> > What a shame that no one was able to twist
> > Ted's arm and get him to record more. While he's known as a solo jazz
> > guitar giant on the basis of his one album, he could play anything in
> > any style.
>
> It took me 2 years of talking to him 8 - 20 hours a week, no kidding,
> to do the first record. I think he finally did it cause he wanted to
> shut me up. And doing it was like getting a duck to give birth to a
> rhino - not pretty but amazing to be involved with. Wish I hadn't
> tossed the 40+ takes of each tune he didn't like.. but he insisted, so
> they were trashed. As it was largely improvised they were quite unique
> to each other.
>
> Over the years dozens of guys tried to get him to record - every
> incentive you can think of was presented. The hard fact was - he
> didn't want to record. Of late (last year and half or so) he finally
> started to come around. That's why you see him with John Pisano etc.
> And then the CD re-issue of course. (Please note the sound on the CD
> is NOT the sound of the original recording - he and dan worked hard to
> enhance it.) I'm still kind of partial to the older sound, because at
> the time we did it, he was in love it, and it was the way I wanted it
> too. Sort of the snapshot in time rememberance.
>
> Anyway. He didn't record more because he didn't want to. He didn't
> publish more for the same reason. Trust me - it wasn't for lack of
> trying on any number of people's part - it was just ted.
>
> -Leon White

.

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