Which is why I have made it a goal to return to Monteton, year after year (this being my 4th.) “Once Is Not Enough” is also the title of a piece I wrote and dedicated to this 10th anniversary of the Dordogne Jazz Summer School. Back in January, a warm, breezy, latin-style tune started emerging. Looking at all of the scratch-outs, shifts and revisions on my manuscript paper, I know it didn’t come to me easily. What I thought I “should” do, which was return to the opening phrase at the end of the head, did not work. I kept at it until I realized that there was one more thing to say, a high point 25, in order for the arc of the piece to be satisfying.
I had been thinking about it for months, and it finally made sense that a trumpet was the necessary lead instrument. Quentin, Ian, Jonathan, Ferg, and Guy joined me to perform the piece during my Tuesday morning presentation. We had to opportunity to play it again for the big Friday night concert, when the entire village comes to eat paella and listen to the music the various groups had been rehearsing throughout the week.
Once is not enough, because. . .
- A once-in-a-lifetime experience should be repeated.
- I’ve connected with people who have become some of my best friends.
- The paella
- I can’t get enough of the British, Irish, Scottish, French, Italian, Swiss (and more) sense of humor.
- It’s a fabulous place to try out new music!
- There is so much to learn in jazz, and the teachers are wicked good!
- I need another view of the countryside to provide another year’s worth of inspiration!
- I haven’t learned enough French yet.
Listen to audio of both performances at: http://www.mediafire.com/?4zw6087ll4e5k
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