Guess who's listening?

My Favorite Instrument; Oscar Peterson, piano

I’ve always liked the tune “Someone To Watch Over Me”. It’s one of those great old torch songs where the fair and beautiful maiden knows that her golden, handsome prince awaits her just around the corner; if he could only hurry to be at her side. George and Ira Gershwin adorn this place setting of overt sentimentalism with the following outstanding verse:

There’s a saying old, says that love is blind

Still we’re often told, seek and ye shall find

So, I’m going to seek a certain lad I’ve had – in mind.

Searching everywhere, haven’t found him yet

He’s the big affair I cannot forget

Only guy I’ll ever think of with regret

I’d like to add my initial to his monogram

Tell me, where is the shepherd for this – lost – lamb?

Once, while furnishing a proper musical backdrop at a function at the White House with my comrades in the nebulously titled “String Ensemble With Piano” from “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, I chose to take a stroll among the elegant twists and melodic turns of this lovely chestnut. Just as the tones were dissipating from the White House Steinway, none other than master documentary film director Ken Burns poked his head around the corner and proclaimed, “THAT is my favorite song. I’m sorry, but I only heard the last twenty measures or so. Can you play it again, please?” Well, absolutely, Mr. Burns. So, I stumbled through it again while he kept watch. When I finished, he smiled at all of us and said, “Thank you.”

Mr. Peterson doesn’t have time for the verse on this opening track to an all solo piano recording. But it doesn’t mean that our fair and beautiful maiden takes on the look of a plain Jane. In fact, with all the pyrotechnics in his musical arsenal at his disposal, our young lass is lit up like a Christmas tree. No chance that our hero is going to gloss over her.

Do you remember that Presidential portrait of President Kennedy where he stands with his arms folded while looking down at the floor? Frequently that painting hung on the wall behind me while I played at the White House. It looked like he was peering over my shoulder to see which notes I was playing. Usually I charge for that.

Credits: To Ken Burns, for masterful brushstrokes as an American history archivist. All of your documentaries are great, sir, but I truly enjoyed “Lewis and Clark”.