I am fortunate enough to be able to hone my “sound” every Sunday from 6 to 9pm around the corner from where I live at a cozy venue called Harissa Mediterranean Cuisine, playing guitar and singing mostly Brazilian songs of my choosing. Last week I was in the zone of bossa beauty when Del, who is one of my regular patrons, walked in. At 91, he is patient with the bossa nova, but his first love is the repertoire of American composers like Ellington, Porter and Hoagy Carmichael (a distant cousin). For the next hour and a half he requested songs from the Great American Songbook and I was happy to oblige, just as I do whenever the swing dancers show up. He left me a hefty tip, bought two cds, and went home happy, after which I went back to my happy place: my usual program of Jobim, Bonfa, Caymmi, and one of my idols, Rosa Passos. To be ready to shift gears at the drop of a hat, flexibility is the key.
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Jazz Singer