Dear Friends:

In 1986, when I enrolled in the inaugural class of the New School's Jazz and Contemporary Music, I had no idea what I was getting myself into or where it could lead me.  The program was created and headed by the legendary Arnie Lawrence, who died in 2005.  Arnie's efforts had serious impact on the jazz scene, particularly on my generation of jazz musicians.  Later, Arnie was to move to Israel where he again inspired an entire generation of Israeli musicians, many of them currently very prominent.  Under Arnie's watch, the school was very loose - mostly done in a workshop style.  Arnie would bring in great jazz artists to play with us and to indoctrinate us in the Music.  In the first few years of the school we met and heard from the likes of Art Blakey, Milt Jackson, Donald Byrd, Jaki Byard, Walter Davis Jr, Jim Hall, Cedar Walton - the list goes on and on.

At that time, I met Kenny Werner who had come in to sub on a class.  Kenny had a swagger and a free-thinking, modernist approach to jazz.  I think he was surprised and amused by the musical conservative-streak he discovered in the young New School musicians.  We were all die-in-the-wool beboppers and didn't want to hear anything past 1958.  He would tease pianist Larry Goldings, who was my classmate and roomate at that time, and I by calling us "Tommy and Hank" (after Flanagan and Jones, our bebop heroes). Nonetheless, I asked Kenny to be my piano teacher and ended up studying with him for two years.  Thanks to Kenny, I acquired a keen insight into harmony - a skill which has served me now 30 years.

That's why it was such a rewarding feeling for me to present Kenny with bassist Scott Colley this previous Friday and Saturday at Mezzrow.  I could've never imagined 28 years ago that I would be presenting my teacher to a sold-out audience in my own club.  Quite a circle of Karma to lead to that moment!  On Saturday, I played the opening set as I always do on Saturdays at Mezz.  I'll admit feeling a bit nervous to think that Kenny was out there and possibly listening with scrutiny to his old pupil.  That evening, Kenny played with the fluidity and imagination I always remember him for.  It was a moment for me when the circle of life, the wheel of the Dharma, had turned completely and could now start to turn again.  A nice Thanksgiving Weekend and one that I was truly thankful for.
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If you haven't yet checked out our Audio/Video Archive on our new site, you should!  We add about 20 shows per week to the archive.  If there was some show at Smalls that you missed and wanted to see then it should be available in the archive within a week or so.  By becoming a subscribing member of SmallsLIVE, you are supporting both the artists and the club.  CLICK HERE for more info.

I hope to see you at Smalls and Mezzrow this week!

Regards,

Spike