No excuses for writing late today. I even have something easy to write about. I’m just a champ at procrastination. I’ll have to write about that. Some day. Not now. Not tomorrow. But one day I’ll get around to it. Yeah.
Last night I headed up to Common Ground Coffeehouse to see The Heather Pierson Jazz Trio perform the songs from the classic A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi. I got to the Common Ground often enough that I have a macro to insert a link to it. I love Heather. That makes this a home game. It was even more of a home game than usual; it was easier to get there. Instead taking a 45-minute trek by multiple buses, subway and bus, or walking and long bus ride, to get to the Hudson Line of MetroNorth I walked 11 minutes to the Botanical Garden station on the Harlem Line. I could do that as I asked Carter and he arranged for Elana to pick me up in Scarsdale and I didn’t have to go to Hastings. That made getting there as easy as any place in Manhattan.
My first job on arrival was arranging the chairs. Heather plays piano so Carter didn’t want the usual configuration as many people would not be able to see her behind the piano. I have a thing about spatial visualization; I don’t know if I’m good at it, but I enjoy doing it. I ended up with a center aisle leading up to Heather at the piano keyboard. I figured that would give the most people the best view. When I was done, I discovered a bonus. I sit in the very back. I was able to look down the aisle and had a great view for myself. Not so much for Shawn Nadeau on bass and Craig Bryan on drums.
I first saw Heather Pierson doing a co-bill with Carolann Solebello. I wondered why Carolann was so excited to do a gig with this musician I had never heard of. Once I saw Heather, I understood. She’s one of those performers that has it all. She’s an incredible jazz pianist, a great vocalist and songwriter, and so much fun. She became an instant favorite.
All My Gentle Readers have seen A Charlie Brown Christmas. I saw it the first time it was broadcast back in 1965. We all know the music. But have you ever stopped to listen to the music, independent of the cartoon? Vince Guaraldi won a Grammy for Best Original Jazz Composition in 1962, three years before A Charlie Brown Christmas. He was not a one-hit wonder who happened to write the music for a beloved TV show. He was a great composer. How weird is it that the score for a Peanuts cartoon special is a serious piece of jazz? This was not pop fluff. I did not love the music as a kid I discovered its greatness as an adult. I had to learn to appreciate jazz. I can not just appreciate the score but Heather and the band’s improvisations. That’s what makes jazz.
Part of my childhood brain recognized the genius; just like everyone else my body wanted to dance with the Peanuts gang. The Snoopy Dance is My Dance. As soon as this show was announced I knew I’d be doing the dance to Linus and Lucy. You don’t know you know the piece, but you do. If you think A Charlie Brown Christmas it’s the tune you hear in your head. When I set up the seats, I left a dance area off to the side. As soon as Linus and Lucy started I darted over to the dance floor, put my hands in the air, and started to dance like Snoopy. I don’t know how Snoopy did it. I was tired out well before the tune ended. I fell back to my seat gasping for breath. Carter blamed it on being a sexagenarian. No way, what does sex have to do with it? I think there was some sort of time distortion making the song much longer while I danced. Yeah that’s it.
I got up to dance once again when she played Christmas is Coming, the piece played in the special during the dance. You know it, it goes something like this.
I am so ashamed. I said that Shawn should dress like Snoopy, as snoopy played the bass. He didn’t; he played the guitar. Shawn should dress as Pigpen. I should have studied this before the concert; I tried to do the various dances but only remembered a few of them. I fail as a fan of Peanuts and an animation aficionado. I succeed as someone that did his best and got up and danced. I let the music move me and danced like no one was watching. If I’m lucky nobody was watching. I know I wouldn’t have been. I’d have been watching the band. I was watching the band.
This was my first time seeing this show, Heather and the band have been doing it for years. I hope she brings it to New York next year. I’m starting to work on my presenter friends now. I wrote one of them from the Common Ground last night. This was the first time in years that Jean Rohe has not put on her Christmas show. I needed something to fill the void. Now I’m spoiled and next year I want both!
After the show I of course sold the merch and then Elana gave me a ride back to Scarsdale. The timing was perfect, the train arrived the same time we did. I had no wait. I was home just 45 minutes after leaving the Common Ground. I always love going to the Common Ground, now the travel isn’t a hardship.
More fun today. I’m seeing Crooked Still with Kevin. That’s going to take a lot longer to get to and from. The show is in Williamsburg. It’s worth it.
Wise Madness 