Jazz Piano

The last serious jazz piano I played was probably about 2-3 years ago.

That's about when I got my Hammond organ and started playing jazz organ.

Last week, when Lauren Schultz called me to play piano at her jazz gig, I was a little concerned.

Needing the money, I agreed to play for her.

Having not played jazz piano for some time, I was a bit nervous, you have to keep your left handing chording technique sharp, and on the organ, my left hand is busy playing bass lines.

I wasn't able to prepare much for the gig, partly because of a bit of avoidance around the prospect of playing piano again.

The day of the gig arrived. The prior evening I had babysat Michelle's 4 nieces so her family could visit her sister Noele in the hospital. That job wore me out, so that I didn't wake up on Saturday until the middle of the afternoon.

I got to the gig, it was a piano trio-bass, piano, drums with Lauren on vocals. She's a very talented jazz singer, she sings music from the 30s and 40s, good swing stuff.

Just before the gig, I was trying to run through some music on my own, but just wasn't feeling anything...just wanted to go home and go back to bedor whatever...just no playing.

So I went for a walk a prayed to have the desire to have the desire to play, I didn't even feel like trying.

After we started playing, it was pretty clear that my fellow musicians were impressed. So much so that I'm booked through the end of next month.

And actually I'm playing tonight, again with Lauren at Freda's Seafood Grille, starting at 6:30. Paul Klemperer will join us on sax.