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 PETE EYE © 1997 Mike Metheny JAM talks with the popular jazz pianist about a career in music... and keeping the ax in tune.
PE: Yes. I joined the (musicians) union in 1957, and I remember that day very well. Ted Greer was the president (of the union) and he actually gave me an audition! I said to someone, "do they always audition people?" and I was told, "Ted Greer's a piano player; he wants to know who the competition is." (laughs) JAM: You began your career as a classical pianist. How did that study benefit your eventual move into jazz? PE: I started piano lessons when I was five, and continued all the way up until I went into the service at 19, so (classical training) really helped me get my chops together. JAM: Were you a musician in the service? PE: Eventually. I was in the Navy for almost a year before there were any piano openings. I took the audition, passed, and they sent me to the Navy School of Music in Washington D.C. -- that was where everybody went; all the Army guys, all the Marines. JAM: Were you getting into jazz about then? PE: Well, I could read a little, and my chops were pretty good, but, because I'd never had any real jazz instruction -- even though I loved jazz -- I couldn't read chord symbols, or any of that. What I did, though, was buy those old books that had written-out solos by Peter Nero and George Shearing; I learned their solos note for note. But yes, when I went through the Navy School, it was a real turning point, because I finally knew what it was I wanted to do. Even though I was pretty green... JAM: Green? PE: (laughs) When I went out on my first gig, I'd learned a few tunes -- maybe about 15 I could do from memory -- and the bandleader said, "OK, Pete, give us four." And I said, "four what?!" (laughs) But while I was in the Navy, I ended up doing a lot of officer's club gigs, and I had time to practice and improve. JAM: Who were some of your first jazz influences? PE: My favorite was always Oscar Peterson. And I really liked George Shearing and Bill Evans even though they were into different things from Oscar. I also always liked Errol Garner. When I found out he'd never had piano lessons, I was pretty amazed about that. JAM: When you returned to Kansas City in 1957, did you jump right into the local jazz scene? PE: Within a week after I joined the union I was working. My first gig was as a single at some joint downtown; but shortly after that, I went into the Jewel Box (on Troost), which was where Marilyn Maye and Sammy Tucker were appearing. I followed them, which was not a very easy thing to do (laughs). JAM: There was quite a lot of activity on Troost in those days... PE: Yeah, there really was. The Jewel Box was right down the street from the Golden Horseshoe -- this was back in '58 -- and that's how I got acquainted with (bassist) Milt Abel. Milt and Bettye (Miller) were playing there then and I'd go up there on my breaks... they'd (the Jewel Box) have to call up there when my break was over (laughs). Then there was the Colony Bar -- not the Steakhouse -- where (pianist) Russ Long and (drummer) Terry Hughes were playing. It was right in between the Horseshoe and the Jewel Box. JAM: You also appeared on some of the first Kansas City Jazz Festivals held at Municipal Auditorium in '60s. What do you remember about those? PE: I remember being scared stiff! There were always about 8,500 people in the audience, and the acoustics were terrible in that hall. But the festivals were great. JAM: There once was a time when local jazz groups -- including the Pete Eye Trio -- would sign up for a year at a time in one particular venue... PE: Sure. We did that at several places -- the Alameda Plaza (hotel); Jeremiah Tuttle's... JAM: Are those days a thing of the past? PE: They are for me. The Alameda was the last place I did that; we were there for six years, through '85. I just didn't want to work six nights a week anymore. Also, we were getting offers for gigs that would pay as much as a full week at the hotel, so... (laughs) JAM: Have you ever taken your trio on the road? Or out of town? PE: We played in Mobile (Alabama) for about a year, right after the Alameda gig ended. It was at a club called John Word's in the old part of town. They used to book people like Herb Ellis and Peanuts Hucko... In fact that's where I met (drummer) Todd Strait; he was playing with Peanuts Hucko and a piano player out of New York. Anyway, we worked there six nights a week, and had a ball. JAM: Let's talk about some of your more memorable trios. Who are some of the bass players and drummers you've worked with over the years? PE: Well, on bass right now is Tyrone Clark. And before that was Mel Drybread who left to go with Andy Williams. Before Mel was Milt Abel, who went with me to Mobile. And then there was Bob Branstetter... gee, it seems like Bob and I worked together, off and on, for about 12 years. And of course, Tommy (Ruskin) was on drums for much of that period. JAM: Has the Pete Eye/Bob Branstetter/Tommy Ruskin combination ever reunited? PE: Yes. We did a concert up in Omaha a while back and it was just a ball. They (Bob and Tommy) know what I'm gonna do even before I do it... JAM: Have any recordings been made of any of your trios? PE: Just the one with Bob and Tommy that was made at Soundtrek Studio about 20 years ago. I'd like to do another one; everybody says "why don't you do another one?" and I'd really like to. I feel like I'm playing better now than I was in those days. JAM: Have you ever worked in anything larger than a trio setting? PE: Only on special occasions, say, at a party where they want to augment the band a little bit. (Trombonist) Arch Martin... I enjoy working with him whenever I get the chance. But it's almost always a trio. JAM: In addition to being one of KC's most visible jazz musicians, you're also quite involved in another important music-related endeavor: piano tuning. How did you get into that? PE: I've always had a passion for pianos and how they work. I can remember when I was in the sixth grade, and I would hear that the school piano was going to be tuned -- I always looked forward to that -- I'd come running home all excited about how good it played just after it was tuned. I'd even bring my own socket wrenches (to school) and try to tweak it up, clean up the unisons. But I really got started at that in the Navy when I was playing in those USO clubs. Some of the pianos were just terrible, so I learned a few things about tuning on those! Then, after I got out of the service, I went to work for Jess Cole (of Cole Music) in Raytown where I was taking care of most of the pianos in the schools. JAM: How much training and ongoing study is required for piano tuners? PE: I still attend as many seminars as I can -- like the recent Tuners' Guild held at the Hyatt. There were classes all day, every day for a week and most were very interesting. I've also taken classes with Franz Moore, who was the top Steinway technician and who traveled with Vladimir Horowitz for many years JAM: As one of Kansas City's most in-demand piano tuners, you must have had some memorable "celebrity" encounters... PE: Well, one was on the set of the movie "Kansas City." After I'd tuned the piano -- they recorded all the music live -- the pianist, Gerri Allen, said, "would you mind sticking around, just for a few minutes, while I try out the piano?" And, I said, "I'd love to. I was planning on it!" So, I was sitting there at the end of the bar and some guy came up, tapped me on the shoulder and asked, "Are you comfortable?" "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks," I said. And then he said, "Would you mind moving... we're getting ready to shoot." And I looked around and saw the straw hat -- it was Robert Altman. The main man! (laughs) Then there was the time I tuned for George Winston. For one performance, he wanted four tunings. He'd played the night before in Lawrence and came straight to the hall in Kansas City at about midnight where he practiced until 5:00 a.m. I had to tune the piano before and after that, and then at curtain call and again at intermission. During the first set I noticed that, as people were c lapping, he was making notes -- "could you do this, could you do that" -- notes that he gave me at intermission! When I only had 20 minutes to tune again! He was very picky, and practically had me reshape the piano just for him; but he sent me a nice note afterward, which was definitely something for the scrapbook. And then there was another time when I was tuning the piano in the Presidential Suite at the Ritz-Carlton. I was thinking, "Boy, I wonder who's staying here!" Finally, this guy came in, real friendly and articulate, with a British accent; as I was leaving, I thought, "Gee, I wonder what he does?" Well, as I walked out, I noticed the security guards and all these teenagers trying to peek around the corner. The kids were saying, "Did you see him? Did you see him?" "See who?" I said. "Sting! Sting!" they said. "Who's that?" I said. "Oh, give me a break..." they moaned (laughs). "I really think there's more quality music going on now (in Kansas City) than ever." -- Pete Eye JAM: Where can we come and hear you play these days? PE: We're playing right now at the new Phoenix at Station Casino every Saturday from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. It's a "jam" but not really an "open jam" -- sometimes those can get kinda out of hand. So, any additional players will be by invitation only. JAM: How did that gig come about? PE: We'd been playing at the Bayou State Brewery in Leawood and Ron Schoonover (from the Phoenix downtown) came in and said, "We're gonna have another Phoenix at the new Station Casino and I'd like to talk to you about playing there." "That would be wonderful!" I said, having already heard so much about it. Also, I'd worked for Ron when he ran the old Playboy club; I was in one room, Gary Sivils was in another, and John Elliot was in another. So Ron and I go back. JAM: Who's in the trio now? PE: Larry Ruzich is on drums and Tyrone Clark is on bass; although, at Station Casino it will be Alan Wiley on drums and Tyrone on bass. Mel (Drybread) will be with us once (at Station Casino) in March. JAM: Speaking of Gary Sivils... Tell us the difference between a "Gary Sivils break" and a "Pete Eye break." PE: (laughs) Well, I think it was (pianist) Greg Meise who once said, "those two guys think 40/20 means 20 minutes on, and 40 minutes off!" I remember a time years ago I was sitting with Gary -- I can't even remember whose gig it was, his or mine -- and one of us said "Gee, I wonder when the music starts again... Oh my gosh, this is my gig!" (laughs) JAM: So there's really no difference other than they're both, uh, "long"... PE: I'd be inclined to say that Gary's were longer. But then he'd probably be inclined to say mine were a little longer (laughs). So I guess it was a toss up. But bear in mind, those days were many years ago! JAM: Absolutely. We don't want present and future employers to get the wrong idea... PE: Exactly! JAM: From the vantage point of someone who's been a part of the scene since 1957, in your opinion, what's the state of Kansas City jazz in 1997? PE: I really think there's more quality music going on now than ever. Even though some of the clubs are struggling a bit -- I was real sorry to see the Drum Room close -- a lot of the clubs are featuring straight-ahead jazz. And there seems to be a lot of work for local jazz musicians. In the past we've seen musicians leave and head to the west coast, or New York, or wherever. But then they come back to Kansas City. So, I think it's safe to say it must not be too bad here! RETURN TO FEBRUARY/MARCH 1997 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved. |
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