What happens if you take a classy, serious, jazz
cat like Mike Jones and record a jazz piano album in Las Vegas?
Mike was playing a beautiful Kawai grand piano
for a select group of music lovers on a quiet stage. He
had NYC and Boston people there to record him with the newest-fangled
direct to hard drive recording system. He was miles off
the Strip- but it was still a Vegas gig. In Vegas, Mr.
Jones' sophisticated tuxedo is just a "working suit".
Sin City sees wine and cheese as free drinks for high rollers
and an all-you-can-eat buffet. And, after Mike Jones finished
a stunning set, one of the Vegans said Mike had "played
his ass off."
I know that last quote is accurate because I said
it. Another thing that happens when Mike records an album
in Vegas is, he asks a showbiz guy like me to write his liner
notes. I'm an odd choice. I'm a magician/juggler/comedian
who works a few months a year as a headliner on the Las Vegas
Strip.
When it comes to jazz, I'm a hobbyist. I've
loved music for a long time, but I've only been studying jazz
seriously for about a year. If you can catch the rockin'
pneumonia and the boogie-woogie flu, I came down with a case
of the jazz Ebola. I told everyone I knew that I needed
to own every jazz CD they loved. I needed to read every
book I could find, and take lessons to learn to walk an upright
bass. I begged all the jazz guys I knew in Vegas to make
sure I didn't miss any great live jazz.
When I was looking for great live jazz in Vegas,
it didn't take long to hear Mike Jones. He was playing
at the classiest place in Vegas (I had to put on a suit jacket
just to get in!). We sat by the piano and listened.
The experienced jazz cat I was with, (why isn't he writing these
notes?), was raving about Mike's left hand, how he played it
like a bass player and soloed over it. My friend was explaining
and promising to email me a list of Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum
CDs that I had to own. I had to hear what Mike Jones was
working with. It was time to find out about some of these
roots.
I complimented Mike and we became friends, so
I got invited to the recording of this CD. I was so excited.
It was an amazing evening. When I hear the CD, (I'm actually
listening to MP3s on an airplane right now, but you'll get to
hear the real CD quality), I remember watching Mike just burn
that grand piano. I'm not qualified to talk in any meaningful
way about Mike's left hand, or where it is exactly that he's
taking the piano in the bigger jazz picture. I really
only started listening to Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum when
I started listening to Mike Jones (Oscar and Art sure have Mike
Jones' kind of chops). But, I'll tell you; I've been working
as a professional juggler for 35 years. I've worked circuses
and carnies and I've seen the best jugglers and the best close-up
magicians. I've seen all sorts of cheesy carny trash who
had amazing hands. He controls his hands perfectly, like
a guy dealing from the bottom of the deck in a high stakes game
with connected guys who are all packing. I can tell you
that for a fact. If he had his chops in my business, he'd
be juggling 12 rings in the Moscow circus and cheating mob guys
with a perfectly ordinary deck of cards.
And out of all that juggling and sleight of hand,
comes some of the most interesting and exciting music this newby
has heard.
Mike swings hard, is that the phrase?
Or should I say, Mike plays his ass off?
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Producer's Notes
This is the fourth Mike Jones CD to be released by CHIAROSCURO, and
is possibly the best of the four. It's difficult to say which
one is best, they are all at such a high level, but this one was certainly
the most fun to produce. It may also be one of the few jazz
recordings to be made in Las Vegas in recent years. There used
to be serious jazz performances in Las Vegas, some were recorded and
released, but, if the locals are to be believed, very little is happening
these days. The best local jazz club, I was told, usually features
blues acts. And the Las Vegas Jazz Festival, being advertised on billboards
and banners while I was in town, appeared to be a fusion fest with
an abundance of love jazz.
This is how the recording happened. Sometime in early 2001,
Mike telephoned and said he had hooked up with the Kawai people, had
become a Kawai artist, and suggested it might just be possible to
arrange to bring one of their fabulous EX piano has its own technician,
a man generally responsible for its maintenance from inception, and
Mr. Ishikawa made certain "his" piano had made a successful
trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Once the piano was in place
on the stage of the Family Music Center, he prepared it for the recording.
John Kiehl was in Las Vegas, managing Soundtrack duties at the National
Association of Broadcasters Convention. He had some recording
gear sent to him from Soundtrack; some was rented locally. The
first batch of local equipment was a little shaky (in other words
it didn't work) and was useless. The replacements finally arrived,
and the first night's recording finally started around midnight.
Some great material was recorded over the next few hours, and it was
terrific to see John busily engaged with a "live" recording,
outside one of the Soundtrack studios. And he liked it so much,
there are rumors he may soon be returning to Las Vegas to do another
one. Or maybe it's just because he loves the all-you-can-eat
$14.95 buffet at the Bellagio.
The second session began at a more reasonable hour the next evening.
There was an invited audience, friends of Mike's, friends of Family
Music, Brian Chung from Kawai and a handful of people from the musician
community of "old" Las Vegas, headed by an old friend of
mine, Jill Williams. Everyone was thrilled by what they heard,
and though they were supposed to be quiet, there was spontaneous applause
at the end of some of the numbers that night.
We wrapped up before midnight with enough recorded music for at least
two CDs, a total of twenty-six different songs. We all had our
favorites, but Mike made the final selection, and chose the eleven
selections included on the CD. As is always the case with his
performances, there was no editing, no inserts and only one song was
even repeated. And, it wasn't a second take, but a completely
different version of the song. The only thing that was added
to the recording was some magical equalization supplied by John Kiehl.
Mike's performance and John's electronic wizardry has made for a phenomenal
recording.
In addition to all our fiends at Kawai and Family Music, we would
like to offer a special bouquet to Penn Jillette. We always
try to have interesting "non-professional-liner-note-writers"
as often as possible. In this case however, we are doubly blessed.
Not only are we all long time fans of Penn and Teller, but Penn's
take on Mike and his music is very exciting, because it comes from
somewhere very different. His comments are both passionate and
to the point, and there's not one thing in them I've ever seen written
about a pianist. His is a totally unique perspective, and that's
quite a trick.
- Hank O'Neal
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Dedication
My Mom, Teresa Marie Carey Jones, was ill during the recording of
this CD, and I had planned to dedicate it to her as a surprise.
Sadly, she passed away shortly after it was completed, but not before
hearing the session tapes. Her favorite song on the tapes was
"Stars Fell On Alabama", so it's included here. My
mother's passing has left an emptiness in my heart which I try to
fill with memories of her love and kindness toward us all. She
was the most selfless woman I ever knew, and I am proud to be her
son.
I also want to dedicate this music to my Dad, Andy Jones, who's devotion
to his wife and family have made him my hero, and to my brother Tim,
and his new wife Isy. May they have as many wonderful years
together as my Mom and Dad.
Thanks
Many people must be thanked for helping to put this project together.
First and foremost, Andy Sordoni, Hank O'Neal and John Kiehl.
Also, Brian Chung, and Jun Ando from Kawai America, along with Scott
Groseclose and Jim Mason, from Family Music Centers in Las Vegas.
Special thanks go out to my friends, old and new, especially, Tom
and Debbie O'Donohue, Stewart Reuben, Jeff and Patty Harrington, Eddie
and Norma Hall, Don Elia and Julie Andrew, Michael Close and Lisa,
Penn Jillette, Jon Bates, Bob Berkman, Neil Tesser, Victoria Ahearne,
and Dave and Andrea Jemilo.
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