Category Archives: Notes from Meryl

Have you ever wondered about what it’s like to live in the heart of New York City? I can only speak from my perspective about my favorite things, but I’ll be adding in the discoveries shared by my out of town students. I invite other New Yorkers from our community to add their favorites so that our guests from out of town who come here either for seminars, for Group or for Practitioner Skills development, can get some ideas about what they can do after class is over each day.

From the New York Times- “Why Music Makes Our Brain Sing”

I am sending a link to  an article that appeared in the New York Times , www.nytimes.com on June 7th, 2013.

What I found particularly interesting is the information about the part that anticipation plays in our enjoyment of music. It explains the humor that I find in both jazz improvisation and Victor Borge performances.

For example, when Sir Ron Carter played his bass solo piece of Taps, You Are My Sunshine and Bach’s Cello Concerto that I wrote about last week, the juxtaposition and surprise of the combination tickled my fancy.

This article gives us a good idea about how music is processed in our brains, the role of the neurotransmitter dopamine and why we so love music.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/09/opinion/sunday/why-music-makes-our-brain-sing.html?_r=0

More Outstanding Jazz in New York City- The Bill Charlap Trio

Sunday night I went to Dizzie’s Club to experience a truly memorable evening in my jazz fan life.

The Bill Charlap Trio played standards from the American Songbook  (songs like April In Paris It’s Only A Paper Moon,  An Affair To Remember) with the exquisite finesse that only masters of their instruments could produce together.

The trio consisted of Bill Charlap, piano, Sir Ron Carter on  bass and Kenny Washington on the drums.

It was my first experience of Bill Charlap, ( who is married to the wonderful pianist Renee Rosner) . He brought intense joy to his music with his impeccable and unique craftmanship.

Sir Ron Carter, who is my number one favorite jazz bassist,  held the audience spellbound with a solo medley which started and ended with Taps, You are My Sunshine and Bach’s Cello Concerto in the middle!

With  master drummer Kenny Washington added to the Trio and the fact that these well seasoned musicians have played with each other countless times,  the timing and synchronization was seamless and exciting.

What I noticed was that they were so in-tune with each other that there were almost none of the usual visual or musical cues that most jazz combos use to signal each other during a song.

From the moment the music began till the very last note I couldn’t help but smile my biggest smile to express the sheer joy I experienced in the music.  It also was the longest set I have ever experienced at Dizzie’s.  Wow! Truly amazing!

Here are a few pictures taken by Frank Stewart and posted on Dizzie’s Facebook page- so sorry that they are not my own.

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More Jazz And Spring Progresses in Central Park & My New York City Garden

I just can’t resist sharing with you pictorial updates of the lilacs, flowers and trees in Central Park, the wisteria on an East 70th Street . These pictures were taken while I was walking on May 3rd.

Check out the photo of the back of a man walking his cat on a leash through Central Park. You’ve gotta think that this could only be seen in New York City!

Included in the sideshow is an update of my garden in progress. You can see the whole palette that I have to work with to create my piece of paradise along with the first big containers I planted.

Finally,  jazz fan that I am, I went to Smoke Jazz Club again for a really special evening on Saturday night.

The Renee Rosner Quartet was performing lyrical, balanced, beautiful music. Renee was the pianist along with  my absolute favorite drummer Lewis Nash, the great Peter Washington on bass and Steve Nelson on the vibraphone.

In the recent past I had heard the same quartet minus Peter Washington perform at Dizzie’s. There was a real difference in the performance on Saturday night.

Smoke’s stage is miniscule in comparison to Dizzie’s and in this venue there was a perfect blending of the sounds of each instrument. At Dizzie’s the vibraphone sound seemed dominant much of the time when Nelson was a part of the song.

To make a perfect set even more enjoyable,  to my delight the greatest of all bass players, Sir Ron Carter,  came to have dinner and to enjoy the set as a part of his birthday celebration. He and his wife sat one table away from where I was so you can see his profile in my picture . I had seen him perform last year on his birthday at Dizzie’s!

If only I could capture the sounds of this night for you.  Enjoy!

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