Today would of been Stan Getz 89th birthday, Feb 2, 1927.Stan was about creative expression.To me, his main ideas were growth through creativity. He knew that the music would foster that. As well as he knew via experiences then that the
music will change and grow to reflect. This mostly involves conceptual growth as opposed to technical growth, although that is necessary also. All of the elements were there in Stan's music. Every note Stan Getz played was unique.Since the goal is the expression of culture, Stan was one of the front runners of this. Another aspect I always loved about his musics was that the same music can be experienced many different ways by different people. EG- The highest form of art! As a teenager, I was grateful to hear Stan Getz when I was in 10th grade. My mother took me to the Lambertville Music Summer Concert Series,to hear Stan about 1966, or so. We drove down from Reading, Pa. This was the very first time I heard Stan live, I had records and had never ever heard him live. My excitement and eagerness was on tilt! Stan had Gary Burton on vibraphone, Steve Swallow on bass and Roy Haynes on drums. From the first note, that was it! It was the middle of the summer,really hot and Stan went places in the music that I never ever forgot in my life.Watching him that close, and hearing him trade 4's with Roy Haynes or hearing the connections with Steve and Gary knocked me out.Stan played tunes like" Early Autumn"," Here's That Rainy Day" along with two strong creative sets that were just what I needed to hear at that age. To this day, I can still see Stan standing there, sweating, in his shorts and sneakers playing at such an infinite level. In addition- what a great quartet he had too., That was a seamless experience, something I never forgot. I still appreciate hearing something that was at that lever musically, and a musician and band that pulled no punches. This was also the bossa-nova period, and he did play the current Jobim tunes he was recording, but also played so profoundly on them.Stan, as you know, was one of the true masters of jazz, affected every corner of the jazz world when he played. The sheer power and beauty of the music breathed new life into jazz and stretched the imaginations of many.He taught me by hearing him live what the alpha state was!
Another time, I was on the 2ed floor at Berklee practicing piano, and I went to sit in the hall as the room was getting stuffy. As I sat there, I started to hear two soprano players playing things back and forth. It had my attention, so much so that I moved up the hall and sat closer to Joe Viola's office to hear it better. I figured out real fast that this was no student in there with Joe Viola. But who? so I listened, and as they played it became euphorically beautiful. After a while, the door opened and out walks Stan Getz with a soprano saxophone case! As Stan left, Joe walked over an said to me " how much did you hear"..I told him over an hour or so.
He smiled and asked me what I thought. I just said " wow". What could you say!? I was barely 21 and I felt like I dreamed it in a way, so much so that the next day I went and asked Joe what they were playing- Joe said Stan had been working on his soprano playing and wanted a lesson! We just looked at each other and smiled. That might of been 1972 or round that time. In any case...Stan Getz touched this life, music and art form deeply. Thank you Stan Getz! You made this world a more beautiful place by being you. - - Tim Price /
D'Addario Woodwinds blog 2-2-2015
Today would of been Stan Getz 89th birthday, Feb 2, 1927.Stan was about creative expression.To me, his main ideas were growth through creativity. He knew that the music would foster that. As well as he knew via experiences then that the
music will change and grow to reflect. This mostly involves conceptual growth as opposed to technical growth, although that is necessary also. All of the elements were there in Stan's music. Every note Stan Getz played was unique.Since the goal is the expression of culture, Stan was one of the front runners of this. Another aspect I always loved about his musics was that the same music can be experienced many different ways by different people. EG- The highest form of art! As a teenager, I was grateful to hear Stan Getz when I was in 10th grade. My mother took me to the Lambertville Music Summer Concert Series,to hear Stan about 1966, or so. We drove down from Reading, Pa. This was the very first time I heard Stan live, I had records and had never ever heard him live. My excitement and eagerness was on tilt! Stan had Gary Burton on vibraphone, Steve Swallow on bass and Roy Haynes on drums. From the first note, that was it! It was the middle of the summer,really hot and Stan went places in the music that I never ever forgot in my life.Watching him that close, and hearing him trade 4's with Roy Haynes or hearing the connections with Steve and Gary knocked me out.Stan played tunes like" Early Autumn"," Here's That Rainy Day" along with two strong creative sets that were just what I needed to hear at that age. To this day, I can still see Stan standing there, sweating, in his shorts and sneakers playing at such an infinite level. In addition- what a great quartet he had too., That was a seamless experience, something I never forgot. I still appreciate hearing something that was at that lever musically, and a musician and band that pulled no punches. This was also the bossa-nova period, and he did play the current Jobim tunes he was recording, but also played so profoundly on them.Stan, as you know, was one of the true masters of jazz, affected every corner of the jazz world when he played. The sheer power and beauty of the music breathed new life into jazz and stretched the imaginations of many.He taught me by hearing him live what the alpha state was!
Another time, I was on the 2ed floor at Berklee practicing piano, and I went to sit in the hall as the room was getting stuffy. As I sat there, I started to hear two soprano players playing things back and forth. It had my attention, so much so that I moved up the hall and sat closer to Joe Viola's office to hear it better. I figured out real fast that this was no student in there with Joe Viola. But who? so I listened, and as they played it became euphorically beautiful. After a while, the door opened and out walks Stan Getz with a soprano saxophone case! As Stan left, Joe walked over an said to me " how much did you hear"..I told him over an hour or so.
He smiled and asked me what I thought. I just said " wow". What could you say!? I was barely 21 and I felt like I dreamed it in a way, so much so that the next day I went and asked Joe what they were playing- Joe said Stan had been working on his soprano playing and wanted a lesson! We just looked at each other and smiled. That might of been 1972 or round that time. In any case...Stan Getz touched this life, music and art form deeply. Thank you Stan Getz! You made this world a more beautiful place by being you. - - Tim Price / D'Addario Woodwinds blog 2-2-2015
I love this, Tim! Dad would be so honored and touched by what your wrote about him! Thank you! Bev
ReplyDeleteThank you Tim, for a moving tribute.
ReplyDeleteDenis