Hi folks Just got back from tuning this beautiful nearly new Hamburg D for Ahmad Jamal who's in town. He asked me if the piano was sent up from Paris specially for him. Very nice fellow, made a point out of telling his bass player and percussionist to quite down when he called "the technician" on stage. Smiled at me and said "theres a difference you know". (technician visa vi tuner) Struck me, as more and more I get a sense that Jazz pianists are much more in touch with their instrument and what it can and cant do, what to expect from a piano tech and what not to, and in general being able to relax and make music.... get << that sound >> they are after, to a significantly greater degree then classical pianists. I find classical players very often to be easily disturbed by the slightest things and very willing to lash out at the nearest and best potential recipient of wrath... quite often the piano tech, quite often venting frustration with their own inability to live up to their own expectations. I heard a story not long ago about a former professor (from Bergen) who upon visiting a conservatory in Sweden, lashed out at the technician in full public and demanded she make certain adjustments before he would play. He left the room for a while and she took out her tool box and did basically nothing for 10 minutes being consoled by a few onlookers who obviously had understood the situation. Upon returning the fellow sat down and played a bit and smiled hugely " MUCH BETTER" !!! You know... I have run into exactly one such similiar story about a jazz pianist in near 30 years of work now. Keith Jarett, and my own personal experience with him on one occasion was quite eventless. I'm sure it happens more often then this with jazz players.. but still.... there is a marked difference. Anyways.... I have to admit... I've learned a lot about pianos from working around classical pianists. And thats good as I have an awfull lot yet to learn, but it is so refreshing to run into these fellows with such a positive attitude from time to time. I dont get to sit in on his concert as I am at a 50th birthday party this evening, but I did get to hear about 45 minutes of warm up / sound check. Nice !!! Cheers RicB -- Richard Brekne RPT, N.P.T.F. UiB, Bergen, Norway mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html http://www.hf.uib.no/grieg/personer/cv_RB.html
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