Tuesday, May 02, 2017
Over at my dad's blog...
He has some great things to say (and some wonderful photos, too). Check it out here.
This was my favorite part:
Wayne Shorter had just been in Detroit in his role as the Detroit Jazz
Festival’s Resident Artist for 2017. This remarkable jazz saxophonist
offered to be part of a master class held at the Dirty Dog Jazz Café.
When he entered the club he was greeted with awe and respect. Great
artists can be a little intimidating. Any intimidation melted away under
the weight of Wayne’s manner and words, while the awe and respect
carried on throughout the evening. At this moment in his life Wayne
Shorter has little to prove. He still can’t enter a room without having
something to say that needs to be said. Wayne came into the room where
the young musicians were preparing to play and sat down in a chair
facing them. Without speaking he waved to them to start playing. While
they played he did what jazz artists do best. He listened. He responded
to what he just heard by saying that it is what you personally bring to
the gig that is more important than your instrument and all your newest
tricks. He told them to live life so that they would have something to
say and know when it is appropriate to say it. They learned that their
music would be only as good and as big as their lives.
