Take Five with Ben Markley

Did you ever wonder what your favorite musicians are listening to or the recordings that influenced them? “Take Five” is a look at the music that inspires and excites them. It’s difficult to choose ONLY five recordings!

Ben Markley, an esteemed pianist, composer, and educator is also the author of “Cedar: The Life and Music of Cedar Walton (University of North Texas Press).” Markley is a popular performer in the Denver metropolitan area. He also teaches jazz piano and is Chair of the Music Department at the University of Wyoming. Composer Cedar Walton is an apt subject and clearly a source of inspiration: the leader of the Ben Marley Big Band tackled Walton’s songbook with the critically acclaimed “Clockwise: The Music of Cedar Walton.”

Ben’s new CD is “Our Walk: Live at Nocturne.” For a recent performance at KUVO’s Bonfils-Stanton Performance Center, visit KUVO’s YouTube channel.

McCoy Tyner – Inception (Impulse!)
I spent a lot of time with this record. Admittedly, I came to this record after listening to some later McCoy. This really helped me understand McCoy’s language and the way he played time. He started making these trio records around the time he started with Trane. Initially you hear him dealing with modal tunes like Effendi in more of a bebop style of improvising. That slowing changes over time and is documented with records like Reaching Fourth, In ‘n Out, to records like Trident. What a force!

Wynton Kelly Trio with Joe Henderson – Complete Recordings (Verve)
This record was one that really got me thinking about how to play in a rhythm section. How to make it sound good. Joe plays fearlessly and free and the rhythm section is just swinging their asses off behind him. The way Wynton and Jimmy Cobb hook up is so deep. Cobb’s bass drum comping is supportive and the perfect complement to Joe’s playing.

Bill Evans – Sunday at the Village Vanguard (Riverside)
Bill Evans was one of the first listening recommendations I got as a young student. I started learning piano, classical music and, in some ways, hearing the way Bill played made a lot sense to me.

Barry Harris – at the Jazz Workshop (Riverside)
My teacher David Hazeltine hipped me to this record. Barry’s melodic playing started to get me thinking about playing the piano like a horn player. He’s so melodic and swinging. This record has it all, the blues, rhythm changes, a minor tune. I learned several solos off this record.

The Great Jazz Piano of Phineas Newborn Jr. (Contemporary Records)
This record knocked me out! Hearing Phineas play these octave lines at such blazing tempos was incredible. He played so much piano. This record made me dive in and try to find everything he recorded. I had 4 or 5 of his solos that I played almost every day for a year. I had to get those octave lines!

Website: Ben Markley
Selected discography: Ben Markley Music/Galleries/Recordings