Mike Greensill Maintains his O1C Tradition

Jazz pianist Mike Greensill wearing his favorite colors at the keyboard (courtesy of O1C)

Labor Day weekend at the Old First Presbyterian Church has become a tradition for jazz pianist Mike Greensill and his association with Old First Concerts (O1C). Every year he puts together a collection of familiar standards balanced by an imaginative assortment of his own originals. The only change from one year to the next involves those joining him on the Old First altar.

Yesterday afternoon the tradition continued without compromising the constraints of social distancing. Greensill was joined by only one other performer, John Wiitala on bass; and they were separated by more than the currently recommended distance. Neither of them wore a mask, which may well have been because all cuing took place through facial expression, rather than any other physical or verbal devices. As in the past, no audience was present in the Old First sanctuary; and the program was live-streamed through YouTube. Also as in the past, the program was recorded; and that video now has its own YouTube Web page for subsequent viewing.The program itself served up almost an equal balance of Greensill originals and standards. One of those originals even involved a contrafact on a jazz tune by Bobby Timmons, “Dat Dere,” which definitely counts as a standard for those that listen to a lot of jazz. Greensill gave his variation the prankish title “Something Over Here.” Those familiar with these annual gigs know that Greensill does a good job of introducing his originals, setting a context for each of them without allowing lengthy background chatter to interfere with the music. He tends to play only one contrafact from his own catalog each year, and this one was highly satisfying.

On the other hand the standards often include at least one flirtation with unfamiliarity. “Flirtation” is probably the apposite noun for this year’s selection, the title tune from the musical I Love My Wife, which Cy Coleman wrote for book and lyrics by Michael Stewart. None of the songs from this show have endured very well, but Greensill’s account still made for satisfying listening. The unfamiliarity of “I Love My Wife” was more than balanced by one of the strongest warhorses in the standards book, David Raksin’s “Laura.”

Those that know anything about Raskin probably know the anecdote about history repeating itself. The first time around the story was about George Gershwin and Maurice Ravel. Gershwin was living in Paris in the mid-Twenties and sought out Ravel, hoping to take lessons from him. Ravel declined, supposedly in a letter in which he wrote, “Why become a second-rate Ravel when you're already a first-rate Gershwin?” In Raksin’s case, the composer he sought out was Arnold Schoenberg, asking Schoenberg for lessons in the twelve-tone technique. I have been unable to find a quote as good as Ravel’s; but Schoenberg basically heaped praise on the theme for the film Laura and insisted that Raskin not tamper with a good thing.

As might be expected, Greensill’s account of “Laura” did not show even the slightest sign of Schoenberg-envy!