Israel is blessed with many talented popular musicians, among them is Shlomo Gronich, multi-talented and highly accomplished. He's a paradoxical figure for me, because I appreciate his music, I acknowledge his skill, admire his commitment to peace and understanding -- but something about his personality bugs me.
Listen to this whole clip of Gronich playing with Jethro Tull. Ian Anderson, the flutist who heads Jethro Tull, prances around and shows off, which I guess is what this kind of a musician is expected to do, and you can see Gronich doing much of the same in this clip of one of his best songs, "Yesh Li Simpatia." But Anderson still plays musically, and Gronich plays with aggressive tension -- possibly because he's on the stage with such a famous group, and he has to prove himself.
As a pianist, he can play very fast, but compare his playing to Fats Waller playing "Handful of Keys." Waller is also clearly pushing himself to play fast and showing off, but underneath the speed, somehow he's also relaxed, enjoying himself, and conveying his enjoyment to the listener.
Or listen to the double-time break in the clip of "Ain't Misbehavin'." The music just comes out, and it's part of a joke, African-American musicians laughing with themselves in a safe place. But at the same time playing on the highest level. And then there's the relaxed swing of "I'm Gonna to Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter." I can't imagine Gronich playing with such ease.
Okay, you can't hold it against Gronich that he's not Fats Waller, but if you want to get a sense of what I find lacking in him as a performing musician, there it is.
Obviously I'm never going to be an African-American musician, at least not in this incarnation, but maybe, just maybe, I can learn to play with the kind of relaxation that makes it possible to play musically.
Listen to this whole clip of Gronich playing with Jethro Tull. Ian Anderson, the flutist who heads Jethro Tull, prances around and shows off, which I guess is what this kind of a musician is expected to do, and you can see Gronich doing much of the same in this clip of one of his best songs, "Yesh Li Simpatia." But Anderson still plays musically, and Gronich plays with aggressive tension -- possibly because he's on the stage with such a famous group, and he has to prove himself.
As a pianist, he can play very fast, but compare his playing to Fats Waller playing "Handful of Keys." Waller is also clearly pushing himself to play fast and showing off, but underneath the speed, somehow he's also relaxed, enjoying himself, and conveying his enjoyment to the listener.
Or listen to the double-time break in the clip of "Ain't Misbehavin'." The music just comes out, and it's part of a joke, African-American musicians laughing with themselves in a safe place. But at the same time playing on the highest level. And then there's the relaxed swing of "I'm Gonna to Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter." I can't imagine Gronich playing with such ease.
Okay, you can't hold it against Gronich that he's not Fats Waller, but if you want to get a sense of what I find lacking in him as a performing musician, there it is.
Obviously I'm never going to be an African-American musician, at least not in this incarnation, but maybe, just maybe, I can learn to play with the kind of relaxation that makes it possible to play musically.
