Customer Reviews

VHS-A Lesson with Steve Allen

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This video was done in 1994, with Steverino well into his 70s. His piano technique is a bit rusty, but that doesn't get in the way of getting his point across. However, his points tend to be extremely basic (and tedious for all but the most rank beginners) or else well beyond most beginners -- not a lot in between.

First, the production: it's a bit amateurish. The camerwork is adequate (there is the requisite view from directly above the keyboard, so you can see what his hands are doing, but too frequently another camera is in use when he's playing). However, Steve was allowed to basically wing it. He seems to lose his train of thought occasionally, and when he wants to start a new topic says things like, "Oh, and here's another trick you should know". The editing is a bit awkward in places.

Some examples of what I mean: He starts with an explanation of the different "voicings" of a C-major chord (classically-trained musicians would refer to them as inversions...). Yes, you can have a C-major triad with a C on the bottom, or an E on the bottom, or even a G on the bottom. If you don't know that yet, this tape will be on no use to you.

Then he goes on to cover a number of other topics (see the main reviews for a list). The info on 10ths seems obvious, but his playing examples (shown from above) show some valuable practical examples. Also, he belabors something which isn't a jazz-piano technique at all, but a certain chord progression. (Useful for composers, not in the middle of a solo.)

Steve admits he has picked it all up by ear, which is an astounding feat considering his output. His own lack of training comes out in the unevenness of the content. On the other hand, there are a few real gems. Two that especially struck me: he holds up an LP of the playing of, as he puts it "a dead black guy" that the critics loved -- it turns out that Steve did the playing on the record and was putting one over on the music critics (who liked the "dead black guy's playing better" than Steve's). Another cool bit is his dead-on "impersonation" of the playing of Erroll Garner. For anyone who knows Garner's music, and can play a passing-fair jazz piano, once you see Steve's demonstration, you'll be able to fake Garner's sound to a T.

All in all, I was a bit disappointed. His humor is quite evident, and he obviously knows what he's doing at the keyboard, he just isn't terribly good at getting his points across.

This video is geared toward intermediate piano players and up. I've been playing for years and will still pay up to $60/half hour for a piano lesson from a good instructor. You can always learn something. The "tricks of the trade" can make a good pianist better or even "great". Steve Allen focuses on these tricks, which are really quite fun and and very useful. Allen also talks about the masters of piano ( Garner, Tatum, Basie etc. ). He also uses real songs that are common like "Honeysuckle Rose" or "You Can Depend on Me". Even though there is not a great deal of depth in any one concept, there's still enough instruction available to appreciate the validity of Allen's style. I've got a tremendous inventory of jazz instruction books, but watching and listening is where it's at for understanding. You also get a sense that you're watching a friend show you something that's easy to grasp. That can be exciting. A sense of nostalgia, relaxation, and serious involvement come with the purchase of this video. Enjoy!