NEW YORK—Listeners gathered around as the calm music of a piano trickled through Bryant Park.
Composer and pianist Joel Forrester played for the crowd which gathered to read and enjoy a break on the grass. Dressed in a tuxedo and bow tie, Forrester said that he pulls his inspiration from a teacher in his youth.
It was close to 35 years ago that he studied under renowned jazz musician Thelonious Monk. A lasting lesson that was passed to him was to “write music that hadn’t been written before,” Forrester said.
Since that time, Forrester has written more than 1,500 compositions. He added that, “I accept work that allows me to play my own compositions.”
The daily musical performance, of which he was participating on Wednesday, is part of the ongoing “Piano in Bryant Park,” which features pianists from Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians, the Music Performance Fund, and Sam Ash Music Stores.
He added that his musical life stretches far beyond the park.
Regularly, Forrester leaves his home in New York to play music in Paris. Often, he plays accompanying piano for silent films in venues and museums, including the Louvre.
“The silent film directors had to make films artistically because they had to tell things without words,” Forrester said.
Aside from his musical movie career, he is part of a trio in Paris and a quintet in New York.
In his own practice, Forrester holds strong to the lessons of his teacher. His unique musical portfolio consists mainly of stride, boogie woogie, bebop, and trance.
“A lot of my music relies on repetition,” Forrester said.
He added that his love of musical repetition is related in part to his career back in the 1960s, when he supplied music for the films of Andy Warhol, “Which were also long and repetitive,” he said.
When playing his unique piano trance music—normally a music form limited to electronic beats—Forrester said that he keeps a steady rhythm with his left hand and improvises an accompaniment with his right.
He said in such music, he tries for a musical effect similar to that of Gregorian chant. Forrester added, “Some people love it and some people can’t stand it, and that’s fine with me.”
Composer and pianist Joel Forrester played for the crowd which gathered to read and enjoy a break on the grass. Dressed in a tuxedo and bow tie, Forrester said that he pulls his inspiration from a teacher in his youth.
It was close to 35 years ago that he studied under renowned jazz musician Thelonious Monk. A lasting lesson that was passed to him was to “write music that hadn’t been written before,” Forrester said.
Since that time, Forrester has written more than 1,500 compositions. He added that, “I accept work that allows me to play my own compositions.”
The daily musical performance, of which he was participating on Wednesday, is part of the ongoing “Piano in Bryant Park,” which features pianists from Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians, the Music Performance Fund, and Sam Ash Music Stores.
He added that his musical life stretches far beyond the park.
Regularly, Forrester leaves his home in New York to play music in Paris. Often, he plays accompanying piano for silent films in venues and museums, including the Louvre.
“The silent film directors had to make films artistically because they had to tell things without words,” Forrester said.
Aside from his musical movie career, he is part of a trio in Paris and a quintet in New York.
In his own practice, Forrester holds strong to the lessons of his teacher. His unique musical portfolio consists mainly of stride, boogie woogie, bebop, and trance.
“A lot of my music relies on repetition,” Forrester said.
He added that his love of musical repetition is related in part to his career back in the 1960s, when he supplied music for the films of Andy Warhol, “Which were also long and repetitive,” he said.
When playing his unique piano trance music—normally a music form limited to electronic beats—Forrester said that he keeps a steady rhythm with his left hand and improvises an accompaniment with his right.
He said in such music, he tries for a musical effect similar to that of Gregorian chant. Forrester added, “Some people love it and some people can’t stand it, and that’s fine with me.”
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