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No One Asked My Opinion, but…
By George W. Harris

Guys that are/were great doublers in concert…

Most of these musicians made their name playing one instrument. These gents have a secret life of being adept at a lesser known instrument.
1) Stephane Grappelli/piano-almost every time he gave a concert, he’d deliver a Debussy-esque solo treatment of some standard.
2) Benny Carter/trumpet-Saw him do a version of “Body and Soul” that was jaw dropping.
3) Tom Ranier/clarinet-known as THE studio piano player in LA, I saw him cut Buddy DeFranco to shreds at an impromptu jam session at the LA Jazz Institute Workshop a number of years ago.
4) Phil Woods/clarinet-has a great middle eastern lilt when he takes out the licorice stick.
5) Oscar Peterson/vocals-his Mosaic reissue has him in a deep Nat King Cole mood. This one will fool anyone on a blindfold test.
6) Stanley Jordan/piano-Besides being the creator of a whole new style of guitar playing, Jordan occasionally delivers a Horace Silver like style to the ivories, sometimes while even playing the guitar!
7) Karrin Allyson/piano-She did a duet on with Bill Cunliffe a few years ago at Catalina’s that was eye opening.
8) Lionel Hampton/piano-yes, it was only with a couple of fingers, but he sure could do a lot of rhythm with just two digits!
9) Marcus Miller/bass clarinet-he did a take of “When I Fall In Love” last time in town that brought down the house. Encore!
10) Gordon Goodwin/tenor sax-He not only leads the Big Phat Band from the piano, but he occasionally steps out in front to deliver some Don Byas-like work on a smoking tenor. Vastly underappreciated.