Buz Watson – The Chicago Electric Piano Co.

Dec162012
What’s all the ‘Buz’ About?
By Max Brink
UPDATE 2019: Our friends at reverb.com recently published an in depth and exhaustive article about legendary Rhodes tech Buz Watson…
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Max Brink

electricpianoco

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electricpianoco Nov 21

Embracing mood and space, Garrett runs through the changes on Sam Rivers’ classic “Beatrice” on our latest custom piano - the affectionately dubbed “bagel Rhodes” 🎹🥯🎹
Housed in a custom ash case with cream painted top, this 1974 Fender Rhodes Stage 73 is now singing sweetly in its forever home in the LA hills.
Big thanks to @treehouserecordschicago for the use of this giant sound stage and the reverb tail 🫠🫠
@spuly_ @yeastieboysbagels @bagellord69 #beatrice #samrivers #rhodes #electricpiano #vintagekeys #reverb ##bagel #lickoftheweek #yeastieboys #madeinchicago #1974 #cepco

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electricpianoco Nov 18

Bagels and cream cheese: a timeless and iconic pairing 🥯

It’ll come as no surprise then that when we were tasked to build a custom Rhodes for LA’s Yeastie Boys bagels, the inspiration came from this classic duo.

We couldn’t be happier with the results! This 1974 Fender Rhodes stage 73 piano features a hand built cerused ash case with cream top and matching sustain pedal. It also has a hand polished stainless steel mirror name rail and resurfaced keytops. As always, it sounds even better than it looks - video coming soon!

Photos shot at the @treehouserecords soundstage
@yeastieboysbagels @bagellord69 #electricpiano #vintagekeys #customshop #rhodes #ash #ceruse #bagel #🥯 #bagelandschmear #yeastieboys #cepco

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electricpianoco Nov 15

👀👀
Very excited to share this fresh custom Rhodes build, full reveal on Monday 😶‍🌫️
#rhodes #electricpiano #vintagekeys #madeinchicago #cepco

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👀👀
Very excited to share this fresh custom Rhodes build, full reveal on Monday 😶‍🌫️
#rhodes #electricpiano #vintagekeys #madeinchicago #cepco ...

electricpianoco Nov 5

Quincy Jones was out of this world. So much so that at the age of 31, he arranged Sinatra/Basie’s version “Fly Me to The Moon”, the first song played in space.

He had already spent three years as America’s first Black major label executive, as Vice President of Mercury Records. He arranged countless records at Mercury, for artists like Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Dinah Washington, and many more.

Before that, he spent his late 20’s in Paris, studying theory with Nadia Boulanger, who famously wouldn’t even take George Gershwin as a student.

Before formal schooling, at age 20, he went on the road as a trumpet player with Lionel Hampton, rooming with Clifford Brown, one of bebop’s greatest geniuses.

Even earlier in life, at age 14, he and Ray Charles become buddies in Seattle, playing for Bumps Blackwell’s Junior Band. They often played clubs 5 nights a week as teenagers.

In 1956, he music directed Dizzy Gillespie’s band. They toured Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

By the time he met Michael Jackson on the set of ‘The Wiz’ in 1977, he already had 23 film soundtracks under his belt.

Their collaboration carried on for years. Perhaps most notably, they made ‘Thriller’, the best selling LP of all time, in 6 weeks. Quincy often credits the lack of “paralysis from analysis” for Thriller’s success.

In the 80’s Quincy got into film production, co-producing ’The Color Purple’. He “discovered” Oprah, watching her as a newscaster from his hotel room in Chicago. He would cast her for the film and she would go on to become the world’s richest woman.

He produced “We Are The World” in 1985, raising over $80,000,000 for famine relief in Ethiopia and Sudan, and subsequently the US.

These accolades don’t even scratch the surface. An Oprah quote from her journal can sum it up best. “He is the light. No shadows. He brings joy. Just being around him is joyous—makes me glad I was born.”

RIP Quincy Delight Jones Jr

Here’s a version of Q’s “Love and Peace” done by @matt.blocher

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electricpianoco Oct 31

Who you gonna call 👻👻
Happy Halloween from CEPCo, here’s the iconic theme song from Ghostbusters, composed by Ray Parker Jr.

Garrett @spuly_ - Clavinet d6 and Wurlitzer 106p
Matt @matt.blocher - ARP Axxe
Keegan @krazykeegan - Farfisa Compact Duo
Mike @novakshreds - ARP Pro Soloist

#ghostbusters #1984 #halloween #lickoftheweek #clavinet #arp #axxe #prosoloist #comboorgan #farfisa #wurlitzer #linndrum #rayparkerjr #👻👻 #cepco

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electricpianoco Oct 25

Showdown! 🛸
Our Denver friends Honey Blazer stopped by the piano co for this electric piano fueled cover of ELOs Showdown, featuring two mellotrons, a Wurlitzer 106 and clavinet along with drum and bass accompaniment 💫

Gann @gannmatthews - mellotrons
Zach @zachholcombmusic - Wurlitzer 106p
Matt @sooperknot - Drums
Brad @bakorn - bass
Josh @fuzz_monk - Clavinet
#electriclightorchestra #showdown #electricpiano #wurlitzer #clavinet #1973 #mellotron #liveinshop #vintagekeys #cepco

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electricpianoco Oct 22

Built only for a few years at the end of Rhodes production, the 54 key model is pure mid range magic! This one, from 1980, received the full CEPCo stamp of approval including new tolex as well as a complete set of new pickups from our friends in the UK @rhodes.piano
#electricpiano #vintagekeys #rhodes #54key #1980 #repairshop #fullyrestored #madeinchicago #cepco

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electricpianoco Oct 18

Winter is coming 🥶
One of the most iconic TV themes of the past decade, we are honored to have restored this Rhodes suitcase for a special someone involved with the Game of Thrones series 🐉🤴👸🏼⚔️

Garrett - 1974 Fender Rhodes Suitcase + Marxophone
Keegan - Mellotron m4000d
Matt - floor tom
#vintagekeys #electricpiano #rhides #marxophone #mellotron #gameofthrones #winteriscoming #GoT #whitewalker #redwedding #motherofdragons #lannisteralwayspayshisdebts #cepco

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electricpianoco Oct 16

Another CEPCo custom shop exclusive: plexi tops for Rhodes 88 pianos! Here is a recent restoration featuring one of these lids in a smoked finish. We love the subtle depth and elegance these add to Rhodes pianos 🤩🎹🎩
#rhodes #plexiglass #customshop #electricpiano #vintagekeys #madeinchicago #rhodes88 #cepco

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electricpianoco Oct 13

Mendelssohn’s wedding march to a disco beat 🥂🪩💒
Matt plays our latest custom silver sparkle Wurlitzer accompanied by Kellen on the Rhodes piano bass and Korg drum machine.
Special shoutout to our own Garrett @spuly_ who tied the knot this weekend. Congrats!!!
@matt.blocher @kellenbeanzma @surethingchapel #weddingmarch #mendelssohn #wurlitzer #vintagekeys #electricpiano #pianobass #korg #drummachine #surething #hitched #disco #cepco

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What’s all the ‘Buz’ About?

electricpianoco

Chicago Electric Piano

Posts tagged with ‘Buz Watson’

What’s all the ‘Buz’ About?