When Bibi met Harry...
Being that I graduated college with some grand yet extremely vague
plan of making a living in Rock Music, the first thing I did when I got
out of college was to get a job waitressing. Although I was mostly
vegetarian, I ended up at this famous steak house in New York
called The Knickerbocker Bar and Grill because they had great jazz
every night of the week. They featured piano and bass duos, who
would play these smooth sets - not wanting to blast the diners into
another zone of music consciousness, but interesting and edgy
enough that, on some nights, you did actually feel like you were at a
real New York jazz place. I heard Ron Carter a few times.
In the beginning I had to work a lot of lunches. You know that joke
where the waitress goes up to the table full of rich Jewish ladies and
says: "Ladies, was anything OK? I just wanted to see if anything
was OK??" It was that kind of place too.
At least I developed my ear while serving overpriced porterhouse
steaks and reheating little old ladies' decaf. I have never been
focused on jazz one way or another but during this particular time, an
angel flew into The Knickerbocker to work Sundays and Mondays .
He turned my head around, but good.
I didn't know I was going to get life changing, comprehensive
exposure to the history of Jazz, New Orleans and American culture -
delivered through the stories and piano playing of this very cute
young white boy four years my junior. I was 24 at the time, Harry
Connick Jr was 20 years old and had just moved to NYC. He had
one release out on Columbia - his self titled debut which was all
instrumental, a collection of original tunes and classics like "Love is
Here to Stay" and "Sunny Side of the Street" and Monk's "I Mean
You".
So here he was, this kid, 20 years old. I couldn't even have served
him a drink if he?d wanted one. Playing the off nights at The Knick
for $75 take home for three sets. On his break, I brought him a Coke
and a cheeseburger. That's all he ever ordered.
I had the Sunday night shift in the lounge and before you knew it, the
rest of the waitresses were fighting to work when Harry played. It
wasn't even a good money night. Certainly, he was signed and his
label was making BIG plans for him, but word wasn't out in New
York about this kid yet. He had such moxy! He truly brightened up
the place. You just wanted to be there. We started coming in when
we weren't working just to hear him play.
I imagine you probably think of him as a singer, a big band leader, a
dashing movie star, someone who you come across in Nora Ephron
movies. Now it is the year 2001 and he has done a multitude of
things with all his various talents, he's really had a fascinating
career. I'm making no attempt here to provide comprehensive
biographical information. I just want to tell you how interesting it was
to watch him operate at that time, just before he burst out to the life
of major stardom which has been his ever since. And to give you an
idea of how inspiring he was, always.
This was 1988. First things first. Harry was a piano player. A New
Orleans Piano Player. Personally reared by Ellis Marsalis and James
T Booker. As a kid, he used to go down to Bourbon St. and do
rasping imitations of Louis Armstrong. He was 9 when Buddy Rich
invited him on tour. He sat in with Professor Longhair, Dr John,
EVERYBODY - toured, recorded, everything - before he hit puberty.
What he brought to that restaurant was lively, spirited, chunky,
funky, creative, delightful, classic stuff from New Orleans. Just
watching his left hand - with command and precision hitting those
stride patterns... it was truly striking to see such technique combined
with such a playful performance. He once told me in an interview I
did with him at this time: "Louis Armstrong could entertain while
playing the highest form of music known to man. That is what I
aspire to."
Harry had none of the dead serious jazz vibe even when he was
doing Monk or something intense like that! He would plunge into it,
made it a delightful exploration. He brought American music history
into our lives, and his enthusiasm pulled us right in. None of us were
particularly walking around considering the genius of Harold Arlen or
Errol Garner. But Harry would come in fully beaming and exclaiming:
"Bibi, have you listened to the songs of Harold Arlen?!! The guy
who wrote The Wizard of Oz? The man was a genius songwriter!
You've GOT to check it out!!"
Then later that night he'd burst into "If I Only Had a Brain" "I could
while away the hours, conferring with the flowers, consulting with the
rain." Part irreverent kid, part burgeoning jazz master, all entertainer.
He recorded this song on his second release but in a much slower
tempo. The time I remember he did it really upbeat - a boogie-woogie
version - while retaining all the beauty of the piece.
He was a sharp, clever, worldly and yes, disturbingly handsome kid.
And a kid he was. Between sets he'd strike up conversations about
race cars, sports, the latest spy technology, that kind of thing. Even
on his 21st Birthday, a night I worked, he did not drink. It was the
furthest thing from his mind. I respected that so much in him. There
was none of this genius-headed for disaster-seductive-cool threat
about him. I was fascinated by how together he was, internally.
Forget the fast track: this kid wasn't going to be distracted by
ANYTHING. It was like beholding a piece of machinery perfectly
structured and designed to handle a specific job, or watching an
animal effortlessly move in the groove of whatever it is doing. His
whole being was in perfect co-ordination with his mission. He was
going to be an extremely successful performer, no discussion
necessary. We all knew he wasn't going to stay around The
Knickerbocker. Towards the end he had management, a booking
company, plans in place to tour Europe, Australia and Japan, and
another record coming out soon . Once he told me he had dinner
with Tommy Mottola just the night prior, who was as enamored as
we were, giving him all the unconditional support he could imagine
and creative carte blanche on Columbia Records for many releases
to come... Promotional budgets previously unheard of in jazz were in
place to launch of the career of Harry Connick Jr. ...
"With the thoughts I'd be thinking I could be another Lincoln If I Only
Had a Brain"
I remember serving a table of six, walking over with their drinks on a
tray - and stopped in the middle of the dining room because Harry
was playing some solo that literally stopped me in my tracks! I went
over to the table, completely forgot what everyone ordered and just
blurted out- most unprofessionally, "Did you hear that? Did you hear
what he did?"
"And my head I'd be scratching while my thoughts were busy
hatching If I Only Had a Brain..."
I still have the New York Times half-page piece on the emerging
young jazz genius, and Stephen Holden says it perfectly: "At 21,
Harry Connick Jr may have what it takes to inject traditional jazz with
glamour?" Yes, he did just that. And his presence was infectious. He
was an extremely charming young man - southern and everything! I
wanted to write about him before the whole world got around to it. I
had a story published in SPIN Magazine and one longer, better one
in the now defunct "City Week" It's printed below. When Harry read
it he said I should be writing his liner notes!
"I would not be just a nothin', my head all full of stuffin, my heart all
full of pain.."
I found the tape of the interview that preceded my article and in
listening now, am still struck by his genuine humility, his purity and
his dedication. At this time he had recorded vocals on his album
titled "20". Everyone was comparing him to Frank Sinatra. I asked
him what he thought of that and he answered in his classic southern
accent : "Now don't get me wrong, I'm flattered- but I'm not a
singer. I'm a Piano player. That's what I am." He talks about the
difficulty of playing jazz. He traces the evolution of his musical
esthetic backward from Monk through Ellington to Armstrong. His
high minded jazz puritanism is no doubt inspired and fueled by The
Marsalis clan, who Harry studied and grew up with. (Wynton even
came and graced us with a spontaneous jam one night after closing-
my kind of perk!) He tells me even if he dedicated his whole life
exclusively to the playing of jazz, he will only after 30 years or so
begun to have contributed something to the tradition.
But we loved his Aiko Aiko! My grandma and your grandma...sitting
by the fire...
"When I first came to The Knickerbocker I was so embarrassed", he
tells me, "I didn't think that New Orleans stuff was hip - I thought I
had to be like the New York piano players. But on this gig I started
trying some stuff out, that people really got a kick out of. That's the
stuff I grew up playing." Then he says "If I start playing some R&B,
boogie woogie or whatever, it's 'cause I need to rest! It's hard
work playing jazz, I'm thinking about every note. So I play some
easy stuff to take a break!"
Last I heard him was a the voice of a character on The Iron Giant
while I was watching with my nephew. I said, "I know that boy - the
guy doing that voice" and my nephew said, "You know him? Where
is he?"
I don't know. I have no idea.
I have not really followed his every move, because... well you know
how it is when you "knew them when..." A year or so of intimate
gigs, his rollicking left hand, right there less than 10 feet away from
me all night, every Sunday... I didn't rush to buy his big band
records. I don't follow his acting career. I don't know the name of
his beautiful model wife. I remember his old girlfriend Mary Ruth so
fondly, was even invited to their apartment one night. He already
gave me everything I need: he woke up my ear to jazz. He made it
FUN. In every performance he filled the room with respect for the
American Tradition. He woke me up to all the songwriting that came
before rock & roll. He brought this music down and dusted it off for
mine and younger generations. He instilled in me a permanent
appreciation of New Orleans. I went down there three times, twice to
Jazz Fest, just because he turned me on to the whole thing! I bought
jazz records and studied voice for once. Harry is a performer so
classic, so universal, so intergenerational - I always hold him up as
my personal example of one of the most honorable and deeply
dedicated musicians I know.
"I could think of things I never thunk before"
Here:s a comprehensive web site on him.
http://www.hconnickjr.com/
But listen, if you're going to buy one of
his cds, buy that first on he did just called "Harry Connnick Jr." from
1987. It's all piano.
Bibi's article on Harry Connick Jr. from
CITY WEEK September 12, 1988
Harry Connick Jr's music is charming, playful and spirited
By Bibi Farber
Twenty year old Harry Connick Jr from New Orleans is about to
make a splash. With his second CBS release, titled "20" due out in
the fall, he is coming into focus as one of the major figures in the
generation of young jazz performers. But what we have here is not
just another piano virtuoso. Connick is fun, accessible and he has
plenty of class.
As a child of seven, he was sitting in with Dixieland groups on
Bourbon sty. At ten he was the protégé of the city's native piano
wizard, James T Booker. Within the last twenty months he has
toured with old buddy Lionel Hampton, done a solo tour to promote
his own album, opened up for Stan Getz, Branford Marsalis, Sonny
Rollins, and Al Jarreau and still made time for an appearance on
Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.
The ripples turn to waves when he plays the piano. It can begin with
a charming, playful and spirited rendition of "It's Only a Paper
Moon". Next thing you know he starts tossing around some
unorthodox vocal variations. His left hand gallops into a powerful
swing bass pattern, while his right dances gracefully and effortlessly
along. Connick maintains the classic beauty of the tune even while
throwing rhythmic curveballs, just to see if you're paying attention! Relax, the fun has just begun.
Always absorbing nourishment from the Great American Jazz
Tradition he grew up on, Connick is developing a distinct style of his
own. The ingredients go something like this: start in Harlem with the
stride piano style, a la Fats Waller. Throw in some 20's and 30's
influences like Errol Garner and Art Tatum. Check your New Orleans
spice rack and measure liberal doses of boogie woogie, ragtime,
Professor Longhair, and the blues. Garnish with some serious
influences of America's foremost composers from such diverse
directions as Thelonius Monk, Duke Ellington, and Irving Berlin.
Rhythmically, Connick's personal signature on all this is especially
interesting. He blends sources like the traditional New Orleans
Second Line (the Mardi Gras march patterns) with modern
polyryhthms, kicking alot of material into fresh gear.
Connick does unique vocal interpretations, addressing songbooks of
the heroes of American Popular Song. In one night, you'll get Duke
Ellington, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen
and then some.
The debut album titled Harry Connick Jr features strictly jazz piano,
including several original compositions. On 20 we hear the song
stylist go to work. Among other selections, Connick does "If I only
had a Brain" from the Wizard of Oz, "Do You Know What it Means to
miss New Orleans?" and a duet with Carmen McRae in "Please Don't
Talk about me When I'm Gone". "I met Carmen at a club in Virginia
called The Wolftrap after a gig",
Connick recalls. "She said 'Boy you
were singing your ass off!' I was a little nervous but asked her if she
would be interested in singing on the record. She said 'sure but why
me?' Because you're Carmen McRae!" The two exchanged
numbers and recording dates were set. Dr John is another guest star
on 20, produced by Kevin Blanq. Connick's youthful energy hovers
between playfulness and intensity. There is also a mature depth to
his music and an unpretentious integrity that in this age is an
anachronism. Every Sunday and Monday night you can hear Harry
Connick Jr at the Knickerbocker Bar and Grill on 9th St and
University Place. You can bring your date, parents, grandparents or
children. You can bring a hard core jazz fan or a computer nerd.
They will all be entertained, because Connick is more than a brilliant
musician - he's fun.
|
