Peace and Quiet - Intersecting Introspective Performances of Classical and Jazz Piano Virtuosos - A Beats, Jazz, and Soul Special Relax and Unwind Edition

Summary: Among the reasons for compiling these songs are my Mom’s love of the sound of the piano, a serene atmosphere for my resting boy, and the soundtrack for my contemplation during the wee hours of the morning. When you DJ, your musical imagination is full of clever segues. When you love music, you’re never without songs. When you play music for people’s enjoyment, your mind is on how you’ll bring together everybody’s jams, create a vibe and move the crowd. Within crafty DJs, daydreaming in stereo is a constant. With all of that going on in your mind all of the time, and, let’s face it, music’s allure just won’t allow you to turn it off, you need Peace & Quiet. When listening to solo piano music, at last, I’m not thinking about the next mix. My mind relaxes into a mode of appreciation. Piano is an essential musical instrument, a root in the world of sound. Whether at home, the church, or singing America the Beautiful in public school, we’ve all accompanied the piano. The piano has always stuck with me. Over two years, I listened to approximately 1,800 solo piano performances amid the realms of Classical and Jazz music. I’ve loved Jazz since I was a teen, I used to listen to it while hauling lumber or doing landscaping because I never knew when the songs would end and that helped to pass the time quickly. Ten 6-minute long Jazz songs, that’s an hour. I had a tape, the soundtrack to a film called ‘Round Midnight, starring Dexter Gordon, which was with me on the bus, the El (Philadelphia's subway), alone in my room at home, Pop’s car, everywhere all the time and on auto reverse. This 1986 film won the Academy Award for Best Music and Original Score. Herbie Hancock on piano, Dexter Gordon on tenor sax, Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums, John McLaughlin on guitar, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Wayne Shorter on saxes, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Cedar Walton on piano, Billy Higgins on drums, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Bobby McFerrin on vocals. Curious about what represents a standard in Jazz as a beautifully human genre featuring master musicians? Commence your exploration with ‘Round Midnight. On that soundtrack, Herbie Hancock and Bobby Hutcherson’s "Minuit Aux Champs-Elysées" was the song that drew my focus toward the musician’s playing. Since only piano and vibes, it was easier to hear Herbie and Bobby’s playing, and I could hear, because I knew that they were improvising, what seemed to me as their brains in motion. Thinking in the present and future while playing at same time is very attractive to my ears. Your ideas begin in your mind, in your imagination, and they are uniquely yours – you unbridled. This combination of Jazz and Classical pianists juxtaposes easy going compositions played to form and played freely. Each pianist is legendary and the performances of standards and their own compositions are exquisite. Play quietly and enjoy the excursions into their minds and yours. (continued)