My week of prepping continues and with no students, there is a bit more time to dine out for lunch. Two of the Daves (the third apparently is not waking up early enough to meet us for lunch) are prepping for 2010-11 along with me. The three of us have spent many a time together and the conversations flow out in continuous snarky comments as two of us respond to what the third one said.
I have been told that jazz musicians must be great at listening. One cannot just play like a master and have a memory of a billion standards, but when a cohort heads off into a newly inspired improvisation, the other players must go along for the ride.
I have been blessed to have seen many a concert in my life and I won't say one stands out above all the rest, but...
I once responded to a survey asking which of Keith Jarrett's bands was the best. So, I love piano trios, and I love standards, and that band was the concert I was just about to mention.
Jarrett, bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette had been conversing for 25 years when I saw them. At one point a tune ended and a member of the band exclaimed, "all these years and I have never heard you do that before!" Here is one from their early days together...
In my life of conversations, duets are highly favored. And tonight after work I had a great one. The last time I met with this friend was in 2009 and I told her I would tell her my story, so I told her and she listened, then she shared with me. As I drove home this blog post came to be.
Singers talk about pianists they adore. Here is a tune from one my favorite duet albums, Bill Evans accompanies Tony Bennett.
May you be blessed with an amazing conversation with a friend or two.
Nice post and observations re conversations. When you get into larger groups like quartets and quintets the conversation can be more subtle.... not so obvious or maybe not as intimate.
ReplyDeleteI also love the Evans-Bennett duo and the Jarrett trio (The Cure being one of my fave albums)
Sunna... Last night I had a septet of a conversation with great friends! but as a band we would have stunk as we often broke up into separate groups ;')
ReplyDeleteBig fan of both of these guys individually. Great combo! Thanks for this, Wayne.
ReplyDeleteMich
PS. Hubby bought me a Bill Evans piano book for my birthday a few years ago. I've hammered my way through only the first piece. Bill Evans makes it sound soooooo easy. It ain't!