Chas or any other SZers who care to listen. I wrote in post a few days ago about the late Jazz Pianist James who I got to know going to his gigs in Boston. The following is my piano solo rendition of his tune called "A Touching Affair."

https://soundcloud.com/stephenm52/a-touching-affair-steve-molnar

That was real good, Steve. Nice touch and interpretation. It's obvious you had piano lessons.

Scott

Great. Both the playing and the tune selection. What a beautiful tune that just seems custom made for acoustic piano. I knew if we (me and Tony) bugged you enough we'd wear you down...glad we did.

chas

BTW, I'd love to learn that tune but it sounds so piano oriented and my piano skills aren't up to it.

Beautifully performed.

Scott, Chas and W Tracy. Thanks for the compliments.

Chas yes it’s a beautiful tune,it is very piano oriented. There is a busy left hand in it. You bugged me enough where I thought I’ll post a jazz style tune. If i get the time in the next couple of weeks I hope to post “ I Remember Clifford.” You posted that tune in another tread and I remembered that I had played it many years ago, so I dug it out of the archives.

What a shame pianist composer James Williams who wrote the tune past at 53 years of age I still think he had a lot more to give to the world of jazz.

Scott thanks, I did spend quite a few years with piano lessons. I don’t play it nearly as much as I should since getting an arranger.

Hey, Steve ... Great way to represent lil rhody on S-Z ...
Very haunting melody ...
Really nice job ... way to go, my friend ...

Love it! You are very talented, my friend.

Gary

excellent Steve thanks

Thank you Tony my paesano from Rhode Island!

Gary and Donny thank you my friends from Maryland and Jersey!

Good job liked the melody too.

aaaaaaah, you do have piano fingers. I enjoyed listening --- haunting – got my attention.

Steve, I read all your post, but after hearing play I know much more about you. The song you selected to play; how you played it; I could feel the man inside. Good, do another.

John C.

Sparky thank you.

John, I appreciate your kind words. There’s one thing about piano and I guess it’s from my years working at it I can be more expressive with the piano than I can with an arranger. But it’s the arranger that gives me more gigs.

Very Nice Playing Steven...I really like the response you gave John C...Harold

Hat's off to you Harold, thank you.

Stephen, you are quite the modest fellow! I did not know you could play the piano like that. Keep it up and I hope you share some more soon.

Paul, Many thanks for the kind words, piano has always been my first choice of instruments. In the next couple days I hope to post another tune.

Talk about modesty. Steve complimented me. He's "ad S**T".

Good stuff!


R.

Russ Thank You

Wow, Steve:

James must be smiling as you so capably play his composition. To be able to play like that, my new "friend"... would be such a thing to treasure. Enjoyed this Jazz style so much. We don't get this kind of music except in Fort Worth when the Van Cliburne competition is going on... and it is all, super serious classical piano. Bravo and curtain call. ----Dave

Dave thanks! I have to believe James has a smile on his face. He was a real down to earth guy who would gladly talk one to one with any one of his fans. I wrote a couple of weeks ago how we happened to be in NYC in Greenwich Village James was playing at the Knickbocker. The club had only had 5 or 6 customers in it. When he took a break he sat with my wife and I at a table and we talked piano. We were also able to sit just a few feet away from the piano while he played. Great fun!

Seems I have a renewed interest in piano but really got away from it when I caught the arranger bug.

I’ve read about the Van Cliburne competition those are the best of the best pianists.

I believe, Steve... I'd rather have a front row seat at some quiet little venue with no more than thirty appreciative customer/fans... listening to you belt out an old standard or something jazzy like a showtune. Now that, to me, is entertainment. Naturally, I'd love to be able to attend just one night of the "Cliburne" but as much as I appreciate classical piano... only a few pieces really "ring my chimes" and most of those are by Rachmaninoff.

The other side of that "coin" is a venue like Ernest's in Shreveport where Don Mason performs most weekends... and most admirably, I'd say!

You've certainly livened up the boards here... and I am grateful.

----Dave