Charlie Haden (The First and Last)

(August 6, 1937 – July 11, 2014)

This is a recording of bass player jazz great Charlie Haden when he was two years old singing on his father's country radio show.  Charlie continued to sing on the show but at the age of 15 he contracted polio and lost use of his vocal cords.  He didn't sing publicly again until he was 70.  Here is the second and final vocal recording he made.

While on a world tour, Haden refused to perform in Portugal because of the country's politics and human rights violations.  He was coerced to perform by the band leader because he was under contract.  Out of protest, he dedicated one of his songs to the Black Liberation Movement in Mozambique, Angola and Guinea-Bissau.  The crowd of over 20,000 people, mostly students, went wild with cheering.  Later, before boarding his plane at the airport, Charlie was arrested and taken into custody.  The US Embassy refused to help him because the US government was embarrassed about his comments.  He was eventually released.  Twenty years later after Portugal was under new leadership, he was invited back to perform.  Upon walking on stage, the crowd of 40,000 began chanting his name over and over.  No prophet is recognized in his own country. 

Arioso by J. S. Bach

Seek Ye First

I sketched out this little improvisation with the intention to transcribe it but got lazy half way through the first verse.

Cocktail Piano

Here are a series of old recordings I found from the mid eighties when I played seven nights a week at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga, NY (Maybe 1984).  During the horse racing season the place would be packed with race enthusiasts and visitors to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

These recordings were most likely made in the winter months because during the summer I was usually accompanied by a violin player named Gene Usher.  Also, the piano was positioned with my back to a window where there was a heat register beneath me.  There was a constant flow of both hot and cold air and it was impossible to maintain tuning on this studio upright piano which I beleive was a Steinway. 

These recordings were of my standard cocktail-background music-hint of jazz style.  I would sit and play a medley of five or six songs pausing only for requests or to acknowledge polite applause.  Since SPAC was in the back yard of the hotel, I would see many famous people filter in for a drink or dinner.  I once walked out for a break when the two bearded guys from ZZ Top walked in.  They split and I walked right in-between them. 

My most memorable night was when members of the NYC Ballet came in so I played lite works from Schumann, Schubert, Chopin and Beethoven.  A few of the dancers did barre at the bar.

Waltz in F, Who Can I Turn To
http://youtu.be/MiNimBwJ-e4

Always, It May Be
http://youtu.be/bGLk1EUZCr4

My Favorite Things
http://youtu.be/nXvsYsztxpQ

September Song, I'm In the Mood For Love, Stella By Starlight
http://youtu.be/Nazy_PGjOFA

On Eagles Wings

I once held several jazz vesper services for which I procured a small grant.  The program lasted ten weeks and we had a lot of fun.  This was the sort of music I offered.  We invited people to bring their own cushions and pillows and sit on the floor around the piano.  We also set out icons and candles.