The Fine Motor Skills of Mr Grasso (video)

[brent.h]

[Cunamara]

His dexterity (and poise) is pretty amazing. He certainly not alone in that among jazz musicians who can be very fleet fingered, but he is faster and much more accurate at those tempos than most guitarists.

I have to admit, though, I've never cared for music played at that tempo; maybe my ears are just slow, but it ends up being gobbledygook to me. It's machine-like in a way, devoid of emotional expression to me. After one chorus of it I'm tired of trying to keep up. I'd rather listen to Jim Hall or Ed Bickert or Peter Bernstein (who can play like this but does so fairly rarely). However, a lot people must like it because it's de rigeur in jazz to be able to play like this and has been for decades. The sax player in my old band found this sort of thing really exciting, so his response was very different than mine.

I do marvel at the discipline and the thousands of hours that went into developing these skills.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I have to admit, though, I've never cared for music played at that tempo; maybe my ears are just slow, but it ends up being gobbledygook to me. It's machine-like in a way, devoid of emotional expression to me. After one chorus of it I'm tired of trying to keep up. I'd rather listen to Jim Hall or Ed Bickert or Peter Bernstein (who can play like this but does so fairly rarely).

This is an age old issue. Liszt was a classic example of the same phenomenon. He wrote music that was too complex and difficult for most players to execute, just so he could show off his virtuosity. Bebop was one big cutting contest in which the ability to play at lighning speed was one of the two criteria for perceived excellence (the other being harmonic complexity). The need for speed drives shredders and fusion players. Jimmy Bruno used to play every note he could possibly cram into every bar (which he thankfully cut back on over the years, revealing a more sensitive and soulful player than I ever thought we'd find within him).

I always love hearing that kind of speed used as an expressive tool. There are many players whose styles are not known for lightning speed but who have the chops and use them sparingly and tastefully, e.g. Randy Johnston, Birelli Lagrene & Ron Afif. Many of our heroes could throw in some blindingly fast runs, and I'm always delighted when one pops out perfectly placed in the middle of a tune. But an entire tune blown by me at 220 is too much (unless it's Cherokee).

Having said that, I do enjoy listening to PG and I don't think he's doing it just to show off. Mateo Mancuso is another example of a speed demon whose playing sounds right to me.

[GuyBoden]

But, Pasquale Grasso does play slower too. Great player, fast or slow.

Listen hear:

[brent.h]

Bebop was one big cutting contest

Whoa, this has got to be the most succinct and apt description of bebop ever haha

[brent.h]

The level of virtuosity and musicianship is so high today that sometimes I wonder how super old players like Louis Armstrong or Charlie Christian would fare/cope in 2025's music scene.

[ThatRhythmMan]

He can comp impeccably in a duo with a vocalist too.

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