"Having a piano ....

Randy Cain · Apr 4, 2001

....and thinking you are armed is like ..."

Oh, never mind!

My Steinway, err, ... I mean Swenson!

_________________
Randy Cain
http://www.guntactics.com

[ This Message was edited by: Randy Cain on 2001-04-11 20:47 ]

Mute · Apr 4, 2001

Nice piece (both). Welcome to the forum. I hoping to take one of your classes in the near future.

Randy Cain · Apr 6, 2001

Thanks, Mute.
The Steinway vertical grand, I would sell. It was made in 1873. Carved rosewood case, great soundboard.

The Swen gun.....not for sale. :smile:

Desert Dog · Apr 6, 2001

...and people wonder why it is so hard to get your hands on a mint Swenson??? :lol:

People forget that most Swenson guns were shot -- A LOT, so the odds of finding one as nice as this is getting slimmer everyday. An 1873 Steinway is for sale...but not the Swenson -- Randy, you have your priorities straight in my book.

[ This Message was edited by: Desert Dog on 2001-04-06 00:07 ]

Ronin · Apr 7, 2001

Beautiful,just beautiful. Had the opportunity to play a Steinway Square Grand built in 1888 some years ago. Never heard anything like it before or since. Wonder if I'll ever run into someone with a Swenson I could shoot.
Ronin

Randy Cain · Apr 7, 2001

Ronin,

If you play like Bill Evans I'll let you shoot the Swenson. :grin:

Desert Dog · Apr 7, 2001

Randy,

I own ever piece of music Bill Evans ever recorded. Does that count? :grin:

You show exceptional taste in both jazz piano players AND 1911 pistols.

Yeah man, everybody digs Bill Evans!

DD

Ronin · Apr 8, 2001

Randy,
Would you settle for having a plastic surgeon make me look like Bill Evans?
Actually I played upright bass and bass guitar as a professional. Studied with Jimmy Garrison. Can't play like him either,lol.
Ronin

Desert Dog · Apr 8, 2001

Hey Ronin, you be Scott LaFaro, I can be Bill Evans, well... I can at least do my dropped head intropspective posture, don a pair of thick rimmed glasses and we can fake the rest. On second thought, I think I will just break out Portait in Jazz and listen to it while admiring MY Swenson. Sorry bud. :wink:

You know Bill Evans never did get over the tragic death of Scottie. He changed the role of the acoustic bass in the context of a jazz trio. Gary Peacock and Eddie Gomez just never filled those shoes. This was not unlike how Max Roach felt after losing Clifford Brown to a car accident. Jazz history is unfortunately filled with stories just like that. :sad:

DD

Randy Cain · Apr 8, 2001

I'M IMPRESSED.
When I made the reference to Bill Evans I thought to myself, "That's way too inside. No one will get it."

I'm pleasantly surprised to know that there are others into "ornithology" on the board. :grin:

I wonder if Swenson is digging Bird, Miles, or Trane? I wouldn't be surprised if Miles were packing a Swenson. Probably under some flashy cover garment. :wink:
Nah. They probably have open carry there.

Speaking of "Yardbird Suite" I'm off to go turkey hunting. Dig you hepcats later.

[ This Message was edited by: Randy Cain on 2001-04-08 04:22 ]

Ronin · Apr 9, 2001

DD,
All this talk about Jazz is making the hair on my arms stand up. IIRC I met Scott LaFaro at Carlos Ortiz's (the boxer) club in the winter of '61 or '62. Think he was playing with Cal Tjader at the time. Speed and perfect intonation is what I remember,shame he left us so young. Awesome talent.
Ronin

Desert Dog · Apr 9, 2001

Now you two are a couple of happenin' cats. Gotta dig that!!

Ronin,

Yeah, Scottie had it all. Some guys have the gift of great technical faciltiy. Some guys are blessed with a great sound. Rare is the player that has such prodigious gifts in both areas. Scott LaFaro was one of those rare guys. Bill Evans was too. It was a shame he left us so soon.

Randy,

I gotta think Miles had a Swenson. He lived in California while Armand was building pistols. If you have ever seen Miles' custom Martin horns, you know he liked trick gear.

Quick Miles story. I met Miles when he was on the come back tour that coincided with the release of the Man With The Horn album. A friend of mine was a trumpet player that got us backstage. As loquacious as I usually am, I suddenly found myself strangely speechless. I just couldn't believe I was standing next to the Prince of Darkness. Words fail to describe the vibe that man radiated. Miles seemed filled with nervous energy. He then attempted to slip on one of those trademark flashy oversized jackets he used to favor. Only problem was, he had forgotten his trumptet was still in hand. Realizing the futility of this, and without a single word spoken, he hands his horn to my friend.

I will never, ever, forget the look on my friends face. He just stood there staring at Miles Davis' beautiful red anodized and gold engraved custom Martin. Then this huge Cheshire cat grin appeared on his face. I notice he is glancing toward the dressing room door -- a door that was being guarded by two of the biggest and meanest looking guys you have ever seen. For a split second, I knew my friend was seriously considering if he could make it past them in one piece with that horn. :grin:

DD

[ This Message was edited by: Desert Dog on 2001-04-09 04:07 ]

Randy Cain · Apr 9, 2001

Fa-dubbada
Di-bee-oobah eebop -- sha-
oodle-ee fee-ba dit!

2&4 baby.
2&4!

Looks like we need a bebop forum, huh? :wink:

Mute · Apr 9, 2001

Swenson and Jazz lovers? This forum has been blessed. Any Earl Klugh guys here?

BBBBill · Apr 9, 2001

Any Earl Klugh guys here?

Yup...and Jimmy Smith, Red Norveau, Cab Calloway, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis, Theolonius Monk..... :smile:

Randy Cain · Apr 9, 2001

Mandatory gun content and jazz trivia quiz:

Who knows how Lee Morgan died? :wink:

Desert Dog · Apr 9, 2001

Too easy Randy.

Bird Lives!

DD

[ This Message was edited by: Desert Dog on 2001-04-09 18:38 ]

Randy Cain · Apr 10, 2001

Wow.
The forums seem to have been shaken up and reshuffled. Trying to find this thread was tougher than playing "Giant Steps." :wink:

Right you are Desert Dog. I guess that WAS an easy one. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned....

Dog, Ronin, I'll catch you cats 'Round Midnight.'

Desert Dog · Apr 10, 2001

Gotta roll with it hep cat Cain, Maestro Burns just went a little wild with his stick. :grin:

Post another pic of your Commander and the Steinway and I'll bet he will notice the thread is actually about a Custom Maker by the name of Armand Swenson. :smile:

While we wait for more pics and talk of Armand Swenson, if anyone is a true Bill Evans fan, then tell me for whom the incomparably beautiful tune Waltz for Debbie was written?

DD

Randy Cain · Apr 11, 2001

Desert Dog,

I used to know the answer to that question but for the life of me can't remember it now. If I had to take a wild guess, I'd say Debbie is/was Orin Keepnews' daughter.
But I really don't remember.

I didn't really blame Dane or whoever moved this topic. Just that all of a sudden I couldn't find it.

Truthfully, when I first put up the Swenson/Steinway pic it seemed to belong under custom makers forum. I never expected the twists and turns in our dialogue to take it to such an obscure and esoteric subject as jazz! But I can't say I'm sorry it went that way. :smile: The topic really has gone off the mainstream now and it probably belongs in an off topic forum.

I was in "Oops! Fix Me! void for a couple days and could not respond. Glad to be back.
Re: Person I Knew :wink:

"Having a piano ....

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