Piano Talk: Palindrome

Another of my short piano pieces, performed and discussed, coming to you from my musical man cave. This one feels like a salve for our torn times. The series of palindromes in the baseline were discovered after it was composed. What's a palindrome? I had to look it up to remember. The tune reflects something many of us are feeling now, post-election, that maybe there's some order and sense in the world after all. 

The Daughter's Song

An at-home rendition of an original composition from 2019, "The Daughter's Song" is conceived as part of a play in which a family grapples with what it means to be part of a time and a culture that is changing the planet's climate forever.

A Gig! With Trees Providing the Reverb

On June 24, the Sustainable Jazz duo provided a battery-powered performance for the birthday of Oswald Veblen, his legacy still going strong after 140 years. Talk about sustainability!

I found myself identifying the surrounding vegetation inbetween solos, and marveling at the acoustical richness a forest provides, as each tree sends back its own echo.

The event was an experiment in distanced gathering, with the Veblen House standing by and tables freshly hewn and fashioned from a fallen red maple on the grounds. This was an off the grid celebration with candles and homemade bouquets, and perfect weather. The trees demonstrated social distancing, and a visual encore of fireflies added to the magic.

Phil and I played originals along with requests for Take the A Train and Over the Rainbow, both of which take on new meaning in COVID times.

I've always wanted to be part of a "house band," and this is as close as I've gotten thus far. Until the Veblen House is made useable and the pandemic sent packing, we're calling ourselves the "near the house" band. 

Sustainable Jazz at the Hopewell Valley Bistro, March 26

Update: Well, that didn't happen.

I'm back to composing in my man cave, so we'll be debuting some new original material along with favorites from our CD "Until I Find the Words", March 26, 6-9 at the Hopewell Valley Bistro. Guest artist Sean Dixon will join us on drums, fresh from a gig at Harry Belafonte's 93rd birthday. Part of the popular Thursday night series in downtown Hopewell, hosted by the "Orrsome" pianist and impresario, Phil Orr. 15 East Broad Street, Hopewell, NJ

More on Phil's jazz series in Hopewell, NJ can be found at JazzOnBroad.com. Music runs, walks, and grooves from 6-9pm.

Graphic by Phil Orr