Saturday, September 26, 2015

NOW'S THE TIME (LAMBERT, HENDRICKS, AND ROSS)

This recording helped form the philosophy I've tried to live by ever since I first heard Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross do this "vocalese" version of Charlie Parker's "Now's The Time."

The line in it that got to me the most, written by Jon Hendricks, was: "If you be still and never move, you're gonna dig yourself a well-intentioned rut and think you've found a groove."

2 comments:

Bob said...

Thanks for posting this gem!

A year or two ago I attended an event at the Toledo Museum of Art featuring a young Israeli jazz and classical pianist, Guy Mintus. It was a collaborative performance of the various arts.

Jon Hendricks, 92 or 93 at the time, got up and sang and I can tell you that he's still "got it". Also, Nick Muska read poems, including Kerouac's Goofing At The Table, and two local ballet dancers did an improvisational dance, and a fine jazz saxophonist, whose name I can't recall, performed an original composition.

The show ended with everyone performing together in a planned but basically unrehearsed improvisation, including Hendricks.

As I was leaving the museum I held the door open for Hendricks and watched as his wife Judith helped support him as they shambled off into the night to their car. As I solemnly observed this I wondered if this was the last time I'd ever see this great legend.

Apparently not, as Jon just recently turned 94 years of age. Wow!



Lally said...

great story Bob, wish I had been there....and the next time you see Nick say hello from Lally...haven't seen or talked to him in many decades...as for Hendricks, too late to stop now...