Tete Montoliu – “In A Sentimental Mood”

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Who was Tete Montoliu?

Tete Montoliu (1933–1997) was a renowned Spanish jazz pianist, celebrated for his virtuosic technique, deep swing, and expressive improvisations. Born Vicenç Montoliu i Massana in Barcelona on March 28, 1933, he was blind from birth but developed an extraordinary musical ear and became one of Europe’s most influential jazz musicians.

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Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Montoliu was born into a musical family—his mother was a jazz enthusiast, and his father worked at Barcelona’s opera house. Despite his blindness, he began studying piano at age seven and was deeply influenced by jazz legends like Art Tatum, Bud Powell, and Thelonious Monk. His early exposure to American jazz records shaped his distinctive style, blending bebop harmonies with a lyrical, Mediterranean sensibility.

Career and International Recognition

In the 1950s, Montoliu began playing professionally in Barcelona and soon gained attention for his dazzling technique. He toured with American jazz greats, including:

• Lionel Hampton (1956), who discovered him during a European tour.
• Dexter Gordon (1960s–70s), with whom he developed a close musical partnership.
• Roland Kirk, Ben Webster, and Lucky Thompson, among others.

Montoliu was equally adept in hard bop, modal jazz, and ballads, displaying a rare combination of power and sensitivity. His improvisations were marked by intricate phrasing, bluesy inflections, and a strong rhythmic drive.

Solo Work and Legacy

As a bandleader, Montoliu recorded over 60 albums, including acclaimed solo and trio performances. Some notable works:

• Tete! (1968) – A landmark solo piano album.
• Tete Montoliu Plays Lionel Hampton’s Jazz Giants (1976) – A tribute to his early mentor.
• Body & Soul (1991) – A late-career masterpiece.

He was also a key figure in Catalan jazz, blending local folk influences into his music. Despite his international success, he remained deeply connected to Barcelona’s jazz scene.

Later Years and Influence

Montoliu continued performing until his death on August 24, 1997. His legacy endures as one of Europe’s greatest jazz pianists, inspiring generations of musicians with his technical brilliance and emotional depth.

Tete Montoliu’s performance of Giant Steps

Tete Montoliu’s interpretation of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” is a fascinating example of how a pianist with deep bebop roots approached one of jazz’s most harmonically challenging tunes. While no studio recording of Montoliu playing the full “Giant Steps” has been widely documented, his style and harmonic approach—particularly in similar uptempo, changes-heavy tunes—give us insight into how he might have navigated it.

1. Harmonic & Chord Progression Mastery

“Giant Steps” is infamous for its rapid key center shifts (Coltrane changes: B major → G major → E♭ major, etc.) and dense ii-V-I progressions. Montoliu, with his encyclopedic knowledge of harmony, would have likely:

• Used substitute chords & passing diminished to smooth transitions (e.g., adding a diminished chord between B7 and E♭7).
• Emphasized voice-leading—connecting notes melodically across shifts (a technique he honed from Art Tatum and Bud Powell).
• Inserted bluesy enclosures—his playing often mixed chromaticism with bebop scales, even in complex changes.

2. Stylistic Approach

Montoliu’s style blended bebop fluency with a lyrical, swinging touch. On a tune like “Giant Steps,” he would likely:

• Start with locked-hands block chords (a la Tatum or Red Garland) for the theme, then shift to blistering single-note lines.
• Use rhythmic displacement—delaying/resolving phrases across bar lines to play “over” the changes.
• Incorporate Spanish-tinged flourishes—occasional modal or Phrygian grace notes, even in bebop contexts.

3. Comparisons to Other Pianists

• McCoy Tyner (Coltrane’s pianist): Modal, pentatonic-heavy, power chords.
• Tommy Flanagan (famously struggled on the original recording): Later mastered it with bebop clarity.
• Montoliu’s take would likely sit between Flanagan’s precision and Tyner’s energy, with added Catalan melodic flair.

4. Live Recordings & Similar Tunes

While no verified “Giant Steps” by Montoliu exists, his approach to uptempo standards (e.g., “Cherokee,” “Anthropology”) shows how he handled rapid changes:

• “Cherokee” (Live in Berlin, 1971) – Demonstrates his breakneck tempo control and harmonic creativity.
• “All the Things You Are” – His substitutions and reharmonizations hint at how he’d navigate Coltrane’s matrix.

5. Improvisational Strategies

Montoliu might have:

• Pivoted around 3rds & 7ths (crucial for navigating Coltrane changes).
• Used “side-slipping” (briefly shifting keys outside the changes, then resolving back).
• Quoted Catalan folk melodies—as he sometimes did even in bebop tunes.

Though we lack a definitive recording, Montoliu’s harmonic ingenuity and bebop-on-fire technique suggest his “Giant Steps” would have been both technically awe-inspiring and deeply musical—less abstract than Tyner, but with more Mediterranean warmth than Flanagan.

For similar Montoliu performances, check out:

• “Solar” (from Tete!, 1968) – His chromaticism on Miles Davis’ changes is a masterclass.
• “Confirmation” (live recordings) – How he attacks Parker’s rapid ii-Vs.

TETE MONTOLIU TRIO: GIANT STEP, BODY & SOUL, and HOT HOUSE

Tete Montoliu, piano

Erik Peter, bass

Billy Brooks, drums

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