Home » Member Page

William Giery

About Me

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because...Can't explain. I was first exposed to jazz..in 1954. I was 14 and I was given a copy of Dave Brubeck's "Jazz Goes to College." for my 14th birthday. I still listen to it regularly but now it is on CD. I met [musician name]...Errol Garner at a reception when he signed with Mercury Records; Miles Davis at a concert at Wolf Trap. People may say that he was aloof and stand-offish but I must have thanked him for his music on a good day because we had a good three to five minute conversation. The best show I ever attended was..1956 Newport . What made the show fantastic was Paul Gonsalves and Duke Ellington's Orchestra doing Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue. He and his Orchestra owned Newport that day The first jazz record I bought was...Red Hot and Blue by Dave Brubeck Quartet. Then came records by Miles, MJQ, Mingus, Coltrane and Ellington. My advice to new listeners..Broaden your listening and don't give up on jazz. Sooner or later it will get into your soul..