winter 2007 - Concord Academy

personal conflicts. Parkman Howe, Karl Lauben -stein, John O’Connor were important figures aswell. Apart from being great teachers, they reallycared about my personal growth, and treatedme more as a peer than a student.People who knew you at CA say you stood outeven back then. Was it difficult being so muchbetter than the other student jazz musicians?Whatever confidence I had as a musician, I washumbled by my extremely average grades outsideof music. There were plenty of gifted studentsaround who blew me out of the water.How does the Larry Goldings Trio compare toyour first (and equally famous) trio, with HowieBloom and Ted Sherman in CA’s 1986 productionof Princess Ida?They are pretty much the same group, apart fromthe suits of armor.You play piano, organ, electric piano, harmonium,and accordion. Was piano your first?I can’t play accordion legally in most states, butI’ll have a go at anything with a keyboard on it.I started playing piano by ear around age sevenor eight. Probably Billy Joel’s fault.Which of your nine albums is your favorite? Why?The most recent album is always my favorite,because it best reflects my current artistic vision.Touring with James Taylor, you play the samesongs over and over. In light of that, how do youcontinue to grow as a musician?It’s true that playing with James doesn’t presentthe same kind of challenges as does a more spontaneousjazz setting, but there’s still plenty for meto sink my teeth into. This is particularly true inthe duet gigs we have been doing. Finding theright textures behind him, matching his beautifuland unique time feel, and just searching for thatmysterious place where everything feels right:these are gratifying challenges. Not to mention—it’s James Taylor. It’s thrilling to hear him everynight, and I’m honored he entrusts me to sharethe stage with him.What’s your favorite moment in the JT concert?They are the moments when you feel a true connectionwith the audience. It’s a powerful thing,to live vicariously through the purity and timelessnessof James’s music, and to witness the effect ithas on thousands of people.What recent work of yours should we knowabout, besides your work with JT?These are some recent records I’m proud to haveworked on: Saudades by Trio Beyond [Goldingswith Jack DeJohnette and John Scofield]. I, alongwith Jack and John, have been nominated for aGrammy (Best Jazz Instrumental Album). QuartetLarry Goldings; Madeleine Peyroux, Careless Love;Norah Jones, Not Too Late; John Scofield, That’sWhat I Say (the music of Ray Charles); and JesseHarris, Mineral.Of the musicians with whom you’ve collaborated,who made the biggest impression?There’s no single one. Jim Hall and John Scofieldare two of them. They showed me the importanceof finding your own sound. Among my generationof peers, I always looked up to PeterBernstein as a great player and composer, andearly on, he turned me on to so many greatrecords. I’ve also had some of my most memorableplaying experiences with these people.You’ve played with so many jazz greats. Whatkeeps you down to earth?The fact that I’m never at the level I want to be,musically. There’s always a vast amount of knowledgeto gain.If CA asked for your autograph, what wouldyou inscribe?How a dope like me ever graduated from here,I’ll never know. But many thanks for all that Igained from CA.The America PlayUmoja, an affinity groupfor students of Africanand Carribean decent at CA,presented The America Playby Pulitzer Prize–winning playwrightSuzan-Lori Parks inDecember. Act One of TheAmerica Play was practically aone-man show, featuring theFoundling Father, a pensiveprotagonist (played by LucasTurner-Owens ’07, at right),who resembles AbrahamLincoln and impersonatesLincoln in a carnival sideshowattraction. The play, saidTheatre Program Director DavidR. Gammons, who directed it,“explores what it means to dig:into the earth, into the past,into our hearts.”David R. GammonsNew FacesConcord Academywel comes four newfaculty members in the arts:photography teacher LeeFearnside ’92; Peggy Fried -land, director of CA’s FluteEnsemble; Alexander Kieft,a film tech intern; andPieter Struyk, director of thePercussion Ensemble.47WWW.CONCORDACADEMY.ORG WINTER 2007