Barry HarrisThe method

Tunes he taught

Oblivion

Barry often played Bud Powell’s Oblivion with his trio. The one class moment found is a Hague workshop clip in which he plays it and talks about the left hand: no chords there.

moments in class
3
recordings
1
Barry plays it
11

What he teaches through it

In a Hague workshop clip Barry plays Oblivion and talks about the left hand. He objects to left hands that drift upwards until everyone sounds alike, and says he does not believe in chords in the left hand: something he demonstrates there is not what he would call playing a chord.

Bud Powell’s Oblivion0:000:451:19

In his own words

I do not believe in chords with the left hand... I don’t want to hear no chords.

Bud Powell’s Oblivion, The Hague, 1989–98. Hague workshop clip, with Bud Powell’s Oblivion. 0:45 Watch on YouTube at 0:45

the left hand starts moving up ... I don’t want to hear it ... I want to see the left hand.

Bud Powell’s Oblivion, The Hague, 1989–98. The same clip, on left hands that drift up and all sound alike. 0:00 Watch on YouTube

In class

Every moment he works on it, with the ideas of the method it shows.

Bud Powell’s Oblivion

The Hague, 1989–98

  1. 0:00

    Hague clip with Oblivion: left hands drift up and everyone sounds alike.

    11.2

    Watch on YouTube

  2. 0:45

    He does not believe in chords in the left hand.

    11.2

    Watch on YouTube at 0:45

  3. 1:19

    What he would rather hear from the left hand.

    11.2

    Watch on YouTube at 1:19

Barry plays it

In the method

The ideas of the method these moments show, and how many moments each.

  1. 11.2Keep the left hand low and make it interesting3