A Most Senior Piano Recital

A Most Senior Piano Recital
– by Vince Cavallo

On Saturday, April 23, about a dozen members of the Denver Shambhala Center were privileged to attend “A Very Senior Piano Recital” with David Harewood at the Denver University Lamont School Of Music. What David is getting at with the title is that there was a considerable gap between his first college studies, and the completion of his undergraduate work.

In the beautiful DU recital hall, the performance began with Davids composition for large ensemble. He told me that this work is an expression in music of the cultural experience of his ancestors in Africa, the Caribbean, and the States.

The second part of the performance was high energy, straight-ahead jazz with bass and drums. The compositions were from Kenny Dorham, Charles Mingus, J.J. Johnson, Ornette Coleman and George Shearing.

Every part of this performance was strong and precise, and we were impressed with Davids skill and integrity as a musician. The evening was a gift to our members and the other friends and family in attendance. Davids parents traveled from the East to be there.

At the reception I congratulated David on the success of his recital, saying “you are a jazz musician and a Shambhalian — it doesn’t get any better than that.” He seemed to agree.