The Romantic Jazz Standard: A Personal History

                                                                      
I had no idea what romantic love was about when I first stumbled on the jazz standards in the songbooks my parents had on the piano. Sure I had heard beloved artists like Streisand and Louis Armstrong sing them on TV and on albums as a kid, but at age 12 I jammed through the "Harms Songbook of Standards"with my father Milton Barnes accompanying me on keyboard and the whole world seemed to expand.I found my heart alive with the joy of expression. And my love of the American Jazz Standard was born…..Thank you Daddio!
Although Billie Holiday was my secret guide through the classics I also listened carefully to Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole during my teenage years. Afternoons and evenings were spent hours clunking away at the piano learning the songs I would begin to perform in public, starting at the very tender inexperienced age of 14.

                                                                    What was it in these romantic words by Johnny Mercer and Cole Porter that attracted my young heart? What was I hearing in those melodies by Gershwin and Irving Berlin? After all love was something I could still only imagine at that point? I can't honestly say except that my head and my heart were a swirl with the beauty and the magic of these songs that seemed like sacred texts handed down to me personally from the universe as a way to make sense of the world and understand life.

Feb 9th I am honored to be sharing the stage with Jackie Richardson and top notch musicians again this year at Hugh's Room for our annual JAZZ VALENTINE concert in Toronto. An opportunity to explore the material that so inspired me in my youth..and led to so much in my life and my career..

Details and Reservation info here:http://hughsroom.com/2012/10/micah-barnes-and-jackie-richardson-a-jazz-valentine

Hope to See you at The Show!