Lee Konitz, Elvis Costello and Me...

It was 100 percent music. There was no ego involved, no attitudes, no black and white. It was pure music.

Lee Konitz

That’s my way of preparation—to not be prepared. And that takes a lot of preparation!

Lee Konitz

Very Cool (1958) signed by Lee — ***Very Cool (1958)*** signed by Lee

Born in Chicago, Lee Konitz is a great jazz alto saxophonist and composer. He began playing in big bands, and in 1946, Lee joined a small combo with the very influential though obscure pianist Lennie Tristano. Lee also participated in the seminal Miles Davis recording, The Birth Of The Cool (1950), which influenced many jazz musicians including Art Pepper, Gerry Mulligan and Paul Desmond. In his nineties, Lee continues to record and tour, and some of his later music has been the most challenging in his formidable oeuvre.

Motion (1961) signed by Lee — ***Motion (1961)*** signed by Lee

***Duets (1967) signed by Lee, Dick Katz, Eddie Gomez, Jim Hall, Elvin Jones, Joe Henderson***

A great artist with compelling sidemen, I have seen Lee perform many times over the years. For his 76th birthday, The Iridium in New York City staged a week long celebration. Lee was accompanied by three superb musicians: Bill Frisell on guitar, Gary Peacock on bass, and Matt Wilson on drums. For one night only (Lee's birthday), Elvis Costello was scheduled to sit in with these jazz greats. Elvis, a noted musicologist and sometime misanthrope, had enlisted Lee to play a solo on his (then) recently released North album (2003), and Elvis wanted to repay the favor by sitting in with Lee and his band for a very rare club engagement.

Stereo Konitz (1968) signed by Lee — ***Stereo Konitz (1968)*** signed by Lee

I bought four tickets, and Erin and I took a client to the show. The Iridium, a small jazz club in a basement near Times Square, has seats for maybe 125 people. Unlike other Iridium shows, this show was sold out with a long line of eager fans snaking from the club entrance and down the street. Many of the patrons, I surmised, had never been to a jazz show. They came to see Elvis Costello. Only Elvis.

The excitement was palpable as Lee and his band took the stage. The quartet started to play 'free', which meant each player was playing their own melodies, some discordant, some beautiful, and their solos went in meandering ways. This was not the song structure of typical jazz standards - verse-chorus-verse. This was avant garde. The first song, really a suite, lasted forty-five minutes with impeccable and virtuoso playing. The song finished, Lee introduced his band, then they began to play the second song, a similarly rambling excursion into space and improvisation which lasted thirty additional minutes. Lee then left the stage to a smattering of applause and bewilderment.

Oleo (1975) signed by Lee — ***Oleo (1975)*** signed by Lee

“Where's Elvis?” “ What the fuck was that?” “I want my money back!” These were some of the nicer comments which we heard. In the back of the club, a scuffle broke out. Obviously, there were some very disappointed Elvis fans. The crowd was becoming angry, unruly, and about to disintegrate. My wife helped defuse the fraying situation, as she spoke with the manager, and said, "You have to make an announcement before a riot breaks out. You need to offer refunds to placate this crowd." The manager agreed. He sheepishly told the crowd that Elvis was unable to perform, and he would offer refunds. A long line formed immediately.

Chicago (1975) signed by Lee — ***Chicago (1975)*** signed by Lee

A year or so later, we saw Lee perform again with a nonet (nine pieces), similar to the band he played with Miles Davis all those years ago on The Birth Of The Cool. Lee was very kind and gracious as he signed a bunch of albums. I asked him about the Iridium show, what happened with Elvis? "That was a strange show. At the soundcheck, Gary (Peacock) said he wouldn't play with Elvis. He considered Elvis a pop star, and it was beneath him. So Elvis left during the soundcheck and never came back." I told Lee the show was great. Why did you play free? "I don't know, we just did. It was the only night we played free the entire week we were there." As checkered and spotty as Elvis' reputation is, it was nice to hear that he was undone by a too proud Peacock, and not his own boorishness.