Robert Gentel’s Blog

After dinner with friends last night we stopped for a drink at Jazz Café in San Pedro. It’s the only spot in San Jose to listen to Jazz that I know of, and the only Jazz bar I know of in Costa Rica to be honest.

In any case, Tuesday nights are their “Jam Session” nights and some locals were playing when we arrived. There was a drummer (whose drums were too loud) and a bassist (whose bass was too quiet), a pianist (who played clumsily) and a saxophonist (whose sax looked like a child’s sax and who had no lungs).

It was amateur hour but still fun, they were jamming away and their enthusiasm was fun to watch and the moment I wondered if they’d play my favorite (’Round Midnight) they started playing it. They butchered it, playing it too slowly, too soft and with bad timing on all parts but I was happy to hear someone play it live for the first time in ages and ages.

I sense an hour of ‘Round Midnight renditions coming on….

I’m caught in a loop of various renditions of Thelonious Monk’s ‘Round Midnight right now. Miles Davis just more than did it justice with Thelonious on the ivory in the last version I listened to and I have to give it its due and declare it the greatest jazz standard of all time.
My favorite renditions include Mr. Monk himself, but so many great jazz musicians have taken it on and played the hell out of it.

I so very much wish to see a jazz giant perform it live one day…