NYU Black Renaissance Noire Fall 2013 | Page 15

“You know Bobby,” he finally said, “you remind me of Monk the way you sit at the piano; your whole demeanor and some of your ideas too.” “Bobby, check this out.” I stood to yield the piano bench to him. “No, it’s ok Bobby, stay there.” He reached over my shoulders to touch the keys, giving me a clear viewpoint of his smooth midnight-hued hands on the slightly worn black and white ivory. His ease, fluency and depth on the keyboard surprised me, since I didn’t know him to be a pianist. What he played fused my mind like musical fireworks with unexpected colors and directions. With my understanding of music theory, I could clearly see the exact shapes his fingers painted on the keys. I gasped, totally fascinated and feeling extremely fortunate to have this front row seat. He played polychords, superimposing chords on to ???????????????)??????!???????????????????)???????????????ÊP?????????)???????????????????????????)???????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????)Q????????????????????????????)??????????????$????????????)??????????????????????????????)????????????????????????)???????????????????????????)?????????????????????????5???????)????????????????????????????)???????????????????()5???????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????)Q???????????????????????Q?????+?q???w?Q?????????????????????????)%???????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????)???????????????????Q????????????)????????????????????q]??????)????????????????????????????????t)???????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????)???????]??????????????????????)??????????????????????????????)?????e??????P?????????????????)%????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????)????????????5????d????????????????)??????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????)????????????????????????Q???)?????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????) ?????????????????????????)????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????)???$?????????????????)????????????????5????????????)?????????????????????????????) ?????????????$???????????????)????????????????????????????????)??????????????5????????????????)?????????????????????????????????)??????????????+?qe?????????e??????????????????t((??()$??????5????d??????????????????)????????????????????????????)?????????????????????Q?????????)M?????5?????????????????????)9???? ????????I?????5???????)?????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????? ?)??????????????5?????5?????????)???????????????????????????Q???)??????????????Q???????????????)????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????)???????????????????????????5???)??????????5????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????)??????????M??????$???????!???)????5????????????????????????)????????????t?????!????????? ?????()5????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????)???????() 1 ,?I9%MM9 ?9=%I()5?????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????)$?????????????????????????)??????????????????$?????????????)?????????????????????????????)?????????????????????5?????)????????????????????????????????)????????????e??????????????????)??????????????????????????)????????? ????????????????e?????)??????????????????????????)??????????????????????%??????)??????????????????????????)??????????????$?????????????????)???????????????????????????)???????????$?????????????)???????????????????????????)????????5??????????????????????)????????????????????????????????() I8?10????????????((???????????4((0