And All That Jazz
"That is one sparkly shirt . . . and some really tight, leather pants!" I thought as the bandleader joined us on stage of the Ocean City, NJ Music Pier on New Year's Eve, 2002. TV cameras were rolling, and I felt—apropos of the venue—utterly like a fish out of water. Only 13 years old at the time, I was a five-year pupil of classical violin study, standing on stage with my brand-new Yamaha Silent Series electric violin, about to perform a live-broadcast concert . . . of jazz. "How did I get here?!"
It's a funny memory—but a formative one in my journey through alternative genres of music. That particular season 22 years ago was the first time that Jodie, my lifelong-seasoned classical/pop/jazz pianist mother, brought her teenage son along to expand the offerings of her holiday music gigs. Like most classically trained musicians, I wanted sheet music–but there was none; I wanted to prep—but the set lists were vague; and I knew almost none of the tunes. I was going to have to improvise. What I had long taken for granted as a superpower exclusive to my mom, who improvises at the piano about as easily as she breathes air, would have to become a facet of my own skill set—and on the fly! We played countless house parties across the Greater Philadelphia Area, from cozy neighborhoods in Wayne to an extravagant penthouse apartment in Rittenhouse Square. I remember "Blue Skies," "My Funny Valentine," "Send In the Clowns," Fitzgerald, Ellington, Basie, and countless more. What began as stilted, vibrato-laden, melody-exclusive violin contributions slowly relaxed into harmonic drones, then descants, scales, and eventually, countermelodies.
Then came the phone call from Tom, my mom's friend, the jazz drummer. He had a NYE big band gig for her in OCNJ–and when she offered to bring her new duo partner, I was welcomed with open arms. (The electric violin is ever the attractive novelty!) The details are a little fuzzy at this point, but I remember distinctly from before we took the stage that: 1) We had absolutely no set list until we arrived an hour or so prior, 2) Mercifully, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was something we played that I actually knew, and 3) I fell in love with Tom's daughter, one of the backup singers. And in any event–perhaps on account of my new infatuation, the hospitable leadership of our ostentatious and besparkled figurehead, or playing side-by-side with my lifelong duo partner–I made it through my first jazz gig. I've been amenable to playing the genre ever since. Would I call myself a jazzer? Don't ask me to solo over an E-flat 13 sharp 5 chord . . . but I can hold my own in a pinch!
It's a funny memory—but a formative one in my journey through alternative genres of music. That particular season 22 years ago was the first time that Jodie, my lifelong-seasoned classical/pop/jazz pianist mother, brought her teenage son along to expand the offerings of her holiday music gigs. Like most classically trained musicians, I wanted sheet music–but there was none; I wanted to prep—but the set lists were vague; and I knew almost none of the tunes. I was going to have to improvise. What I had long taken for granted as a superpower exclusive to my mom, who improvises at the piano about as easily as she breathes air, would have to become a facet of my own skill set—and on the fly! We played countless house parties across the Greater Philadelphia Area, from cozy neighborhoods in Wayne to an extravagant penthouse apartment in Rittenhouse Square. I remember "Blue Skies," "My Funny Valentine," "Send In the Clowns," Fitzgerald, Ellington, Basie, and countless more. What began as stilted, vibrato-laden, melody-exclusive violin contributions slowly relaxed into harmonic drones, then descants, scales, and eventually, countermelodies.
Then came the phone call from Tom, my mom's friend, the jazz drummer. He had a NYE big band gig for her in OCNJ–and when she offered to bring her new duo partner, I was welcomed with open arms. (The electric violin is ever the attractive novelty!) The details are a little fuzzy at this point, but I remember distinctly from before we took the stage that: 1) We had absolutely no set list until we arrived an hour or so prior, 2) Mercifully, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was something we played that I actually knew, and 3) I fell in love with Tom's daughter, one of the backup singers. And in any event–perhaps on account of my new infatuation, the hospitable leadership of our ostentatious and besparkled figurehead, or playing side-by-side with my lifelong duo partner–I made it through my first jazz gig. I've been amenable to playing the genre ever since. Would I call myself a jazzer? Don't ask me to solo over an E-flat 13 sharp 5 chord . . . but I can hold my own in a pinch!
This Sunday, we strike up an MLUC-original jazz combo, inspired by our summer service with Jodie, JB, and Jay ("DB & The Js"). This time around, Youth Coordinator Henry Zink has stepped in to play bass, which makes us an all-staff ensemble. I proudly introduce "Between the Lines." What's in the name? There are four notes between the lines of a modern musical staff, and the four of us—Pianist, Youth Coordinator, A/V Media Services Coordinator, and Music Director–are the musical staff of MLUC. We will present a mosaic of jazz and jazz fusion, beginning with Brazilian jazz–Jorge Ben Jor's "O Telefone Tocou Novamente;" smooth jazz–Vince Guaraldi's "Cast Your Fate to the Wind;" soul jazz–Gregory Porter's "Take Me to the Alley" (the subject of and inspiration behind Rev. John's sermon); and jazz rock (evocative of bluegrass)–Jean-Luc Ponty's "New Country." Together, we will sing hymns #346: "Come Sing a Song with Me” and #125: "From the Crush of Wealth and Power." I don't mean to disappoint, but I will leave my sparkly shirt and tight, leather pants at home if it's all the same to you.
Have a peaceful, fulfilling Thanksgiving. You can dance off the extra calories on Sunday!
Have a peaceful, fulfilling Thanksgiving. You can dance off the extra calories on Sunday!
Posted in Music Notes