An ad agency president friend of mine told me once he doesn’t believe incredible talent dwells only in rich and famous superstars. “You can go to church and hear a guitar player who’s just as good as anyone,” he offered. While the conversation started around great advertising, his point about guitarists struck a sensitive cord (chord?) with me. He’s probably right, I surmised.
I witnessed this fact Thursday night at a local wine bar. Two local jazz artists I know were ripping through jazz standards with incredible skill, branding the tunes with their impressive techniques. Before long, I closed my eyes and was in Greenwich Village, maybe at a showcase like Smalls, far away from the suburban piedmont Virginia wine bar.