Jazz and the Sense of Community

Yeah, I know, I said that I was going to talk about listening. I will. But something else struck me the other night.

Jazz establishes, in many ways, a rich and powerful sense of community. First, the music carries its own connections. To play "Satin Doll" is to think of Duke Ellington. And the music raises a shared wave of feeling in musicians and audience. The blues makes us all happier. Ballads hit our emotional side. And swinging is–swinging.

I get a vague feeling of kinship with people I will never know through intermediaries. I have been in sessions with Conti Milano and Ira Sullivan, both of whom played with Charlie Parker. Earlier, I mentioned the couple from Copenhagen who listen to our CD. One of my brothers and one of my students heard my name mentioned on a Chicago radio station (by Eddie–I wasn’t on what they were playing). I was on the song played on an Arkansas station (thanks to another brother).

And the music brings in friends and renews old ties. At the Mount Vernon Chocolate Stroll we played recently, Dallis Piccard talked with Pat Korzendorfer, a woman she worked with several years ago. Wes and Riella Rich showed up at the Coralville Marriott last week. They used to run the Fireside Grill in Kalona and had Eddie’s trio appear regularly. It is always a joy to see them.

Also at the Marriott, two of the women who worked for Eddie and Dallis in Club Jazz.  Eddie played for Heather's and Jeff's wedding.  Sarah sings with the Diplomats of Solid Sound and has gigs on her own around eastern Iowa.

Heather and Jeff Messer

Sarah Cram

And sometimes the music makes a strange and wonderful connection over time. Some years ago, I was in a jam session at the Piccard house where I met Jack (guitar) and Lisa Frost (bass). Jack asked if I knew the song "Marie."

Yes, I did. It was my mother’s theme song.

Dancers

Ah, the wonders of the Internet. This blog has brought me back into contact with some high school friends of many years ago. And among other readers are Jon and Janet Reed from right across the street. Jon recently suggested several things I might write about–among them, what makes a good audience.

The first and most essential point about a good audience is that it is an audience. People are there. As I said before, live music really needs support. That is especially important for bands playing some place regularly. Bands making one appearance have to publicize that single event and people see that it is a one-time, one-chance thing. Bands playing every week–well, it’s too easy for people to say we’re going to come and catch you one of these days. The people who run clubs and lounges are generally very supportive but they do need a good business to sustain live music.

Enough editorial comment. I think of audiences as either dancers or listeners (not different people necessarily, just different activities).

"It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing"–so said Duke Ellington. Dancers help put the beat in motion. They give it a physical, dramatic presence in the room. They not only feel the beat themselves; they help others feel it. In subtle ways, I find that it makes a difference in the way I am playing when the dancing begins.

And the range in dancers, the variety, is wonderful.

Visitors from Denmark

This woman told me that they have a copy of our CD in their home in Copenhagen and they play it almost every day. One nice comment like that sets me up for the night.

Sometimes dancing is a very spontaneous thing. It just has to happen. One young blond leapt to her feet and started the famous Duke Ellington at Newport eruption in 1956. And here is what happened when we played at Mount Vernon’s Chocolate Stroll.

I love seeing people go into motion. And I have something in common with them. I’m not much of a dancer, but I can’t hold still when the music starts to roll.

Next time: listeners.

Upcoming appearances: the Longbranch on Friday (6/15) 7:00-11:00; the Marriott in Coralville on Saturday (6/16) 7:00-10:00.