For the second time in as many months, I've had the special joy and privilege of listening to a piano performance full of life and high spirits -- given by an artist who's just turned his ninetieth birthday.
The final pre-season piano concert organized by the Festival featured one of the most familiar faces to regular Festival goers, Gene di Novi.
I've used the tag "jazz" with a broad catch-all sense for this post. Anyone who's heard Gene perform live knows that he mixes jazz, blues, swing, big band, and more into a totally delightful confection. He has the most remarkable light touch on the keys, a gentle, almost coaxing singing voice, and a sense of style all his own.
Best of all is his performance of a set where he keeps riffing quietly on the piano after finishing a song, while he tells the audience a story to set up the next number. He spins his yarns with an amusing variety of vocal tones, and some equally laugh-inducing facial expressions. Then, he finishes the tale, and with a neat little magic modulation is off into the next melody. The stories are as much fun as the music itself, since he's played in his time with many of the "greats" of the last century, and has a memory well-stocked with delightful anecdotes about those legendary names.
For this afternoon event, Gene put together a programme of music related to several major cities -- Paris, New York, and Los Angeles among them. He gave us film songs, club staples, and some relative rarities, all played with his signature jazzy vibe and easy-going approach to rhythm. As, for instance, in songs where he switched mid-song from 3 beat to 4 beat rhythm, and then switched back again later on.
Along the road, he also told stories about such well-known names as Lena Horne, Edith Piaf, and Benny… -- "you can guess the last name for yourselves" -- to name only a few.
The most awesome aspect of the performance was the fact that he went through an entire nonstop hour of music totally by memory, without a chart in sight anywhere -- just a hand-written list of song titles lying on the piano. I mean, I'm only in my sixties, and sometimes I have trouble remembering names, words, or where I was planning to go when I got into the car and started driving.
From start to finish, an hour of sheer delight for all the audience.
The strawberry social afterwards, with shortcake and prosecco, didn't do any harm either.
By the way, in case you're wondering, here's a link to the review of the other ninetysomething youngster I heard performing in May: At Long, Long Last
If there's one thing these remarkable nonagenarian artists prove, it's the value for a long life of devoting yourself to doing something you passionately love doing.
P. S. I've always wanted to use the word "nonagenarian" in a sentence.
Along the road, he also told stories about such well-known names as Lena Horne, Edith Piaf, and Benny… -- "you can guess the last name for yourselves" -- to name only a few.
The most awesome aspect of the performance was the fact that he went through an entire nonstop hour of music totally by memory, without a chart in sight anywhere -- just a hand-written list of song titles lying on the piano. I mean, I'm only in my sixties, and sometimes I have trouble remembering names, words, or where I was planning to go when I got into the car and started driving.
From start to finish, an hour of sheer delight for all the audience.
The strawberry social afterwards, with shortcake and prosecco, didn't do any harm either.
By the way, in case you're wondering, here's a link to the review of the other ninetysomething youngster I heard performing in May: At Long, Long Last
If there's one thing these remarkable nonagenarian artists prove, it's the value for a long life of devoting yourself to doing something you passionately love doing.
P. S. I've always wanted to use the word "nonagenarian" in a sentence.
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