(not necessarily in that order)
I was all set to follow-up on my Thelonious Monk theme, but then I started seeing related articles about other great jazz musicians.
One thing led to another and… well, I now know a lot more about Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Elvin Jones, Paul Desmond, and Michael Jordan(!), but I’ve run out of time to actually write the blog.
Oops. 😂
I loved that wonderful instrumental version of “Lift Every Heart…” [from yesterday’s post], but I still had a hankering to hear it sung. And that’s how I stumbled on this video from 1985.
Al Green and Deniece Williams sang solos; Patti Austin, Roberta Flack, Melba Moore, and Deborah McDuffie were the back up singers; and my uncle-by-marriage, jazz trumpeter Jon Faddis, is one of the studio musicians!
There are a few things that really touched me about this video. One is the warmth, joy, and sheer vitality radiating out from these top-notch singers and musicians. These are people doing what they loved and living life to the full.
I was also struck by how the two different versions of this song spanned the whole of my musical life. From my days as a jazz musician and numerous recording sessions, to my years as a classical musician playing as much chamber music as orchestra jobs.
I feel fortunate to have benefited from such a wide range of musical experiences and from playing with so many wonderful musicians over the years.