Sometime in late April or early May my old friend Jon Mayer sent out announcements that he would be appearing at a small jazz lounge on Park Avenue in New York.1
Hi People,2
I'm excited to be coming to the city for a few days in May and would like to invite you to a gig of mine. It is also the official NY CD release party for my current Reservoir Music recording `So Many Stars'.3
THE JON MAYER QUARTET will perform at The Kitano 66 Park Ave. (38th Street) 4
in the jazz lounge - two shows - 8 and 10 PM : My special guest is saxophonist Grant Stewart5
http://www.kitano.com 6
email jazz@kitano.com7
212-885-7000 for reservations.8
Jon was coming in from Los Angeles.9
Periodically the alumni of the High School of Music and Art receive emails…with the return email address to at least 100 people. (“Reply all!”) This communication serves to keep the graduating class apprised of what their classmates have been doing, are doing, will be doing. Jon sent the announcement out to everyone…and then some. “Gig!” and “official release party!”10
I thought I ought to get out for Jon since he was making the trip for the two day “gig” from the west coast and since he was, in fact, one of the best jazz pianists in the country and I wanted to hear him. 11
I had never heard of the Kitano, and Park Avenue in Manhattan isn’t exactly a jazz hub, so for the first few moments staring at the invitation it seemed off-putting. 38th St? But I used to work only two blocks away at a 50,000 watt radio station, at 40th Street…although that’s no longer there.12
The entrance/exit from the 42d Street subway stop onto Park Avenue had changed…now all done up in tile and those new high-def ads that look like plasma TVs. 13
I remembered only a few years ago trudging up the same stairs to meet my friend Alvin at least twice a week for lunch. As he called himself, my “old pal Al!” He would have been game for a session like tonight’s, ensconcing himself in one of the cozy lounge chairs, sipping an Odouls or something similarly harmless and fancying himself a sophisticated New York jazz buff.14
But my old pal Al couldn’t make it. Three years ago leukemia took him.15
The Kitano wasn’t hard to find…there’s not much confusion and traffic on Park Avenue on a Thursday night at seven pm. The hotel lobby was quiet and I padded up the carpeted stairway. The jazz lounge was on the first balcony. Jon was talking to the manager. We did the “how’ve you been/glad you could make it dance punctuated by the new clumsy, mandatory hug thing. I bought Jon’s new CD (they were displayed on a small rack) and found a tiny table and cushioned seat next to the bandstand. There weren’t many in the room, and no M&Aers. I asked Jon where they were. He shrugged.16
The “gig” went great. Mayer caught fire on a couple of numbers. Grant Steward’s tenor sax overwhelmed the room…and as the devotees would say “blew them away!” The group had never played together as a quartet but no one could ever have known. When Jon introduced the players he forgot himself, then, picking up the mike again said “and I’m Jon Mayer…this is the first time I’ve been at the Kitano....” Then he mumbled “this is the first time I’ve been anywhere….” But it wasn’t true. 17
As the set was nearing to a close Jon told the others he was going to do a solo ballad. The bass man laid his instrument on its side, Stewart disconnected his ax. They sauntered to the bar and Jon caressed the keys softly as if finding a special place. Then he bowed his head and began to play.18
The tune was Embraceable You by George and Ira Gershwin. I happened to know it was a favorite of Jon’s father…long gone. And as he played I remembered Jon as a kid, smacking a pink ball on the corner of an apartment building on 176th Street and Pinehurst Avenue during one of those late afternoon, early evening, marathon summer games. I remembered his being the only kid getting “in” to Music and Art playing the alto saxophone. I remembered him pushing it aside for the piano although his fingers seemed spastic, and palsied in efforts to sound out his musical ideas and figures; awkward because he had never studied the piano nor had he gone through the formal hours of practice and exercises. Still, Jon managed to make up for that and somehow slipped into the sphere of consummate jazz player extraordinaire, reaching musical levels and executing complex harmonies and phrases almost incomprehensible to the layman and astonishing to any accomplished musician.19
The solo was moving and somewhat of a departure from the excitement of the quartet’s music. Jon’s chords were lush and the tune found its ultimate expression through his fingers. There were only a dozen or so people in the smallish lounge but no one moved or made a noise. Until Jon finished.20
When I left the Kitano that night, Park Avenue was even more quiet than when I had arrived earlier. I was sorry my old pal Al wasn’t with me to discuss the “gig” and as I passed old 90 Park at 40th Street I thought of all those hurried and hectic days reporting news at the radio station. Nobody home there either. But I could still hear the sounds of the Kitano in my mind, and could hear Jon’s rendition of Embraceable You, my sweet embraceable you. “Don’t be a naughty baby…come to papa, come to papa do…my sweet embraceable you.” I guess Jon and I were the only ones in the room that night who knew for whom he was playing the song. Well, maybe there was one more.21
-30-22
Author notes
Times change. Some are morphed into memories. Memories sport connections. Eventually, all is memory.
A contest entry
- ♥ * :•..• : * ¨ * :•..• : * ¨¨ * :•SPARKLY OPTIONS•: * ¨¨ * :•..• : * ¨ * :•..• : * ♥ by Lawliet.
350 points, ended June 28, 16 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next story in this contest, remove from contest - So Many Options... by Kagamine Rin.
300 points, ended August 30, 23 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest - A Couple Unique Choices by The Wall.
250 points, ended November 20, 21 entries
• next story in this contest, • Add to finalists list, or remove from contest - Music and Lyrics by Orimis.
100 points, ends November 25, 15 entries
• next story in this contest, • Add to finalists list, or remove from contest - Anything and Everything by donuts-and-music.
225 points, ended November 16, 55 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 31 of 31
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Nice....
Great story...very original. It has fluidity and balance, and your description of the characters and places are very perceivable. It was clever, the way you wrapped the story around a certain song; it brings meaning to it. You have all the right elements of making a story spectacular. Impressive writing, of course!
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QUITE INTERESTING
A neat story, with talent and a rustic atmosphere that only you can create. Great Job!
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Yes, times do change and all that remains are the memories. You capture both the atmosphere of the club and of an older person reminiscing very well. Applause!
. Rewarded 4
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Good read ^^ Alright, so maybe I was wrong. XD But I wasn't referring to Jazz before... Nice job with the story though!
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An original format
Gary, I liked the piece, primarily because there were a few stylistic elements that made it original and fresh. For example, the way the invite dominated the beginning of the story gave it a focus that was different from the norm.
I enjoyed the nostalgia of the story being reinforced by the Gershwin song, and then tying into Al's own ghost. Did you think there was a strong continuity of this theme from the beginning? - did you intend it? I sensed it but can't get a handle on it. This does not, by the way, detract from the easy and enjoyable read.
Not sure that the majority of occasions when you used ellipses for the pregnant pause effect that they were that useful or conventional, although it did serve the purpose of deliberately pausing the flow - if you want to go more conventional, I think hyphens can do the trick.
Some editing comments:
para 12 - don't think you need a comma at "radio station, at ...".
para 16 - you forgot the end parentheses - presumably after "make it".
para 17 - I think the use of ellipses are correct in the dialogue. I think "then he mumbled" should start of a new sentence.
para 19 - don't think "Music and Art" should be upper case.
para 21 - I don't think the first sentence needs a comma. I do, however, think it is needed after ""gig"". "Embraceable you" needs to have a capital "y".
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I'm not sure if this was supposed to be sad or not, but I sure didn't find it that way. If you were going for sad, tell us more about the person that died. We need more than a paragraph if we're supposed to be upset. Just something to give you a little help with making it sad. If that was your intention.
Other than that, this was a wonderful story. I enjoyed this. I really liked it. -
This was a real nice read, though not making me cry here, sorry, still good though.
Freedom
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At first I was like "oh, he's talking about that guy who sings the waiting for the world to change song". But then I realized that it was merely a coincidence that the names were the smae.
Also, I really liked the nostalgic feel of the piece, but I felt that it was...hmm...well, maybe, sharp? Like you were rushed?
Good job!
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INTERESTING
i like it...very intersting lol
not a usual topic u read about but very well wrote
good luck in teh contest!
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Very appealing
I right away thought of John Mayer (one of the masters of greatness). That made me interested to start with, but the format was a little odd, and that lost me for awhile.
Anyway, I also play piano and heard a vocal jazz group sing Embracable You so that was definatly a treat! Very cool. -
Pretty good! It was well written with a solid plot and real characters!
I have some itches with this story:
I was confused at first on how you formatted the beginning. I wasn't quiet sure if the story was through e-mail or something else until later on. I do realize that you have a paragraph before but I was still confused. I suggest that you might want to add more of a beginning intro to the story before jumping into the handout.
Also, you sort of rushed the story. Slow down and add more details and make the characters seem more real by having more events between them. For instance, "But my old pal Al couldn’t make it. Three years ago leukemia took him." Add more behind Al and maybe why he would have possibly loved it or something. My opinion is that you can really make this piece outstanding if you don't rush through the plot. (With making it longer, be careful not to stuff it with details!)
Sorry for that...
Grammar was really good and I found no spelling mistakes. Good luck in my contest and I'm sorry about the mix up. I'm glad that you messaged me and informed me of everything. That was a great help.
Good luck in my contest!
-CC -
Hey GA, sorry it has taken me so long to read and comment on this, I had to drop reading and writing for a little while to complete my exams. I really enjoyed this piece, the emotion touched me on a different level than your usual pieces, I could definitely sense your fondness towards the music and the nostalgia of the past. My favourite part of this memoir is the way you described the solo of 'Embraceable You'. I have never heard the song, yet I almost felt as if I was there listening to it with you. That is a superb use of language.
Hope all is well.
- CC
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hey, I thought this was great ^-^ Very, very well written. Lovely. Absolutely lovely.
Could you just tell me what option you chose? This has the potential to make it to the finalists list ^-^
This kind of reminded meo f an idea I have for a story about an art school Hee ^^
This writing held alot fo passion. It has alot of potential in my wopinion, and the part about old pal al dying of leukemia was really, really sad. You did a great job
♥ Lawliet ♥
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Hi. As per your request, I'm here. The beginning seemed like a good hook - straightforward introduction to what the story would be about. I'm guessing this is only semi-fiction, because otherwise, the specificity of the email address/telephone/email would have annoyed me. Yeah, I'm a huge fan of realistic details, but it always sets off my "advertising" antennas when I see addresses of emails.
I enjoyed the buildup and exposition in paragraphs 10-12. It's always a pleasure to see a story with some background and setting - all to often a story is shoved into plot or action.
The shortness of the sentences in paragraphs 15 were very effective in conveying the abruptness and matter-of-fact nature of the death. Strong writing.
Overall, lovely concept and great execution. A eulogy indeed. Glad I had a chance to read this.
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Embracable You, how lovely...yes, that certainly appealed to me GA! XD Oh yea the author notes, I really like that too. ^_^ I wonder what you meant at the end though...
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i enjoyed it and well written.
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As usual, a thoughtful, intense and mving story. Good work all along - always enjoy your stuff.
RJ
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Ooooh
Interesting. Very well written! I hope you continue writing. -
I love pianos - I really wish I could play them, but I am relatively satisfied listening to talented musicians play them. Such beautiful music! You were right - I did really like this piece. It seems to tie back to itself so perfectly, and had such a sweet melanchology tone. I have a question, though: what are M&Aers?
Also, unless I am sorely mistaken, I think there was a typo in Para 18: "disconnected his ax." The only ax I've ever seen connected to an amp ended very very badly. 
Anyways, an enjoyable read as always! Always a pleasure!
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Attention All!
"AX"...is not a typo. In the jazz vernacular/jargon/lexicon..."AX" = Saxaphone! as in: "Grab your Ax man, and let's wail!" Hookay? And "disconnect" refers to the gizmo worn around a sax man's neck...which serves to suspend and support his "AX!"
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I love Gershwin!! I like this piece too (= It seems real, and easy to imagine. THe way you play it out I can see everything's that's happening. I also like it because it's ahbout music. (=
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The persistence of memory - every second we live, every experience we have, passes from one second to the next - the present to the past. This piece illustrates that in memory time does not exist - rather we mentally sort and relive the moments that are important to us - no matter how much time seperates each. That as the jazz imbued you with its magic, time meant nothing - that for memory's sake, your dead friend and the music and the moment co-existed.
Another great write.
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Nice nostalgia
I could feel your sentimental yearning to return to a former time in your story. You made the present as well as the past very vivid and I enjoyed it. You definitely had a better clubbing experience than I had recently. Good story.
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Wow... I really enjoyed this. The jazz pianist reminded me of some of your recommendations (which I also enjoyed) and so I had really good imagery while I was reading. I could imagine Jon getting into the music and the audience, however small, sitting there in complete silence--too captivated to make any sound.
I was very interested in the relationships between all the characters; I was rather sad that there wasn't more on that. Still, what you have works beautifully.
Thank you for sharing (and suggesting it)!
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This is good because you seem to be telling this story like to a friend over a couple of beers. Then you give it a little punch at the end, which recalls Jon Mayer's father, whom you had mentioned earlier in connection with the song which is also the title of the piece. The tone is conversational, but still the story seems to be carefully structured. The longest paragraph begins with Mayer playing the song, which is exactly right because I can imagine him playing as you recount distant memories. I don't know whether at the beginning you need to include the entire invitation, but I could be wrong and it is a minor point anyway. A thoroughly entertaining and skillful story.
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You've got a style that is really great. The begining is so good and really sets you up perfectly for the scene and allows you to drift away just the main character must have been doing. That and an equally clear and strong ending make a very good read.
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This was a great piece!
My favorite part was how you introduced the story and how it all came out not all authors take that risk and manage to get a great piece like yours!
Well done G!
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Well Gary, another wonderful piece. I envy your style. I wish I could write real world, but alas I can not
But seriously this was another great piece and I love that we get to see another piece of YOU.
Brooke
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Ah, such a way you have of expressing your memories. Why do your stories, the snippets of your past life draw me in so deeply so that I live with you. I am pleased that I can type this, for I can't speak for the lump in my throat. "Embraceable You." It was a solo I used to play, softly backed with a muted trombone. A Drummer with the softest brushes. Me? Oddly enough, I played an E flat base - Euphonium! But I could syrup up the people with this song. Thank you Gary. Thanks for the memories.
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I love music XD
I thought at first you were talking about John Mayer :
:)But other than that It seemed like a pretty good read.
It reminded me of Benny Goodman dont ask why; but this sort of writing would remind me of my childhood and the saxaphone that tamed the household.
BLAIR
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