Growing up playing classical violin, I have been exposed to jazz later in adulthood. It sounded strange to me at first, a mishmash of foreign melodies evolving spontaneously. Only after some years later, with limited efforts to learn some theory and practice, I could finally appreciate the nature of jazz and the mental gymnastic required in the process of improvisation.
Committed to a lesson once every two weeks, and uncommitted in the regularity of practice, my progress in jazz has been slow and sporadic. Pressured by occasions to perform, I learn a few new songs now and then. Gliding over wrong notes while controlling my honest facial contortions, I try my best to put it together like a performance and always considered myself lucky to have an extremely forgiving and encouraging audience.
Musical notes are dancing, like tiny bubbles in the glass. I could hear music in my heart, which my brain is too slow to translate for the rest of the world to listen. I struggled with expression, because of my limited vocabulary, and the lack of regular practice that is essential to mastery.
I always need a glass of bubbly after my performance, sometimes between and/or before. It calms the nerves and relaxes control, resulting in me sounding less accurate, but more free.
The selection of champagne at jazz bars are usually limited, especially compared to their extensive whisky collections. Somehow, jazz and whisky are deemed a better match. This chic bar, Maduro, has some good bottles, including a Ruinart Rosé, 2013 Dom Perignon and 2013 Pol Roger, Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill!
Of course, these bottles are not cheap, although the Rosé, in my personal opinion, may still be within the budget for a romantic Friday evening. Rosé is the romantic champagne. You should read my other post on Looking Through the Rosé Champagne Glass if you have not done so yet.
Since I mentioned Churchill, who is a real fan of champagne too, it is the perfect place for a quote from him:
"A single glass of Champagne imparts a feeling of exhilaration. The nerves are braced; the imagination is stirred; the wits become more nimble."
- Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Note the key words to highlight here is "a single glass" and I wonder what happens when it is more than one. Case in point was that night because I did not have the benefit of this foresight / hindsight. I started with a glass for fear of getting too intoxicated for the stage (wise and prudent like Churchill) and ended up having three by the end of the night. My fingers were surely not as nimble but all was fine like the bubbles.
Maduro only has Louis Roederer Collection 243 Brut by the glass and I am not complaining. This collection of multi-vintage blend is, according to the maker, motivated by a desire for freedom, resulting in a champagne that is vibrant and contemporary. Their selection of the house-pour champagne was not a matter of pure coincidence.
I really love reading their notes. If you have time, check it out with the champagne too. I cannot resist the allusions to music infused in the writing. A perfect blend of music and champagne making. Whoever wrote these must love music. Whoever wrote these must love jazz.
I had a wonderful night pairing jazz with a jazzy champagne, bubbling with music notes dancing.
Kommentare