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Description Heaven -- angels floating around playing lyres? Not for me. My idea of heaven
includes a neighborhood known as the "Musician's Quarter." Here, musicians
across the ages hang out together trading licks, jamming, telling music jokes, and
co-creating. Suppose the great American jazz composer Duke Ellington sits down with
classical music giant Beethoven. The two find they have a lot in common. Both epitomize
their musical time, place, and culture. Both are powerful pianists widely admired for
their improvisational abilities. They decide to collaborate. Beethoven insists on creating
the introduction and a cadenza (the point near the end of concertos where the featured
musician tries to squeeze in as many notes as possible into a small amount of time).
Ellington agrees to handle the main theme allowing room for improvisation along the way.
Together, they hammer out a piece sadly destined only for celestial ears unless some
mortal can be found to perform it for earthlings. I'm the lucky one they choose. This is
the result.
This video was made at the same time that
the audio track was recorded.
