THIS MONTH, IN HONOR OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE

 ULTIMATE SERVANT IN WHICH WE CELEBRATE EASTER SUNDAY, 

WE CELEBRATE THE SERVANTS OF MUSIC,

THE SIDEMAN.

INTERVIEWS WITH  PIANISTS GEORGE CABLES AND 

SULLIVAN FORTNER 

GIVE INSIGHT TO HOW JAZZ IS SERVED WITH STYLE  

  IN THE “INTERVIEW”

SECTION

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HERE’S AN ALTO SAXIST THAT MIXES MUSCLE WITH MELLOW:

www.michaellington.com

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HERE’S A TASTY COLLECTION OF GUITAR

WITH SOME CALIENTE!

https://www.richardpenamusic.com/the-latin-side-of-jazz-guitar

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CHECK OUT THIS SWINGING BIG BAND ALBUM BY

VOCALIST ROBIN SIMONE,

WHO WILL BE APPEARING FEB 6 AT

VIBRATO GRILL IN LA. 

http://www.rsho.biz

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WANT SOME FRESH VOCALS AND IMPRESSIONISTIC SUPPORT?

CHECK OUT THIS ALBUM BY THE CREATIVE TEAM OF JOANIE PALLATTO AND 

BRADLEY PARKER: 

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THE SIGN OF A SIDEMAN!

If you’ve never heard the song “I Want To Be A Sideman” by…sideman…Dave Frishberg, you are missing out. Here is a sample of the clever lyrics…

“I wanna be a sideman

Just a highly qualified man

A real professional pride man

Old indispensible me

Now I can cut whatever comes up

Fake and transpose

Won’t make a fuss”

We’ve all seen them in the clubs, and as my daughter Anna once told me, “you can always make out the  piano  player, as he’s got that classic “lurch” from leaning over the keys his whole life”.

That’s the sign of a sideman. The badge of honor

They don’t get the accolades. They’re not the stars, and they are given all of the demands from the temperamental vocalist or demanding horn player.

In this month’s “Interview” section, we have chats with two of today’s best. One is the long time veteran George Cables, who’s  played behind just about every hard bop legend from Joe Henderson to Freddie Hubbard. One of today’s most in demand piano men for vocalists including Cecile McLoren Salvant is Sullivan Fortner, and he’s got a story to tell as well.

As the old joke goes, the most difficult instrument in an orchestra to play is the…second violin. The first violin, as the vocalist or horn player, gets all the glory, headlines and applause. The piano  player has one job, to make the star look and sound good.

I know what that is like.

As a doctor, I would hire office managers and secretaries. For the  one that I had for 35 years, as well as every assistant, I would personally interview and tell them the truth, which was “you have a very difficult job; you have to make me look smarter than I am”.

That is the responsibility of the sideman. Do any job, do it well, and get no credit from the world.

But if you think about it, that is the way God does things.

As we approach Easter, we take for granted all of the things God has given us. Things like life, health, friends, family, purpose, the offer of forgiveness and eternal life.

We just assume we’ll do well on our pilgrimage, not realizing how much we need the Lord of Glory.It’s the same with piano p layers. As the Bible says, “If you want to be great in God’s kingdom, you must be a servant to all”.

As a friend used to joke, “I don’t mind you calling me a servant; just don’t treat me like one”.

As Christ was exalted by being a servant to mankind, the sideman reflects this same attitude by serving both the music and the leader. And even more so, as Sullivan Fortner points out in his chat, it helps to serve the artist and the art when you are a follower of the True Servant.
Who are you serving? Hopefully someone higher than yourself.

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WE GET EMAILS: 

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George,

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the GREAT write-up!
THE BEST TO YOU!!
John Klemmer