Drinking, Drunken-Touring A German Riot June 24, 1978 Pro Piano Baldwin Grand Model L
The Jefferson Starship and Grace Slick, its beautiful lightening-bolt superstar, icon, writer, singer, magnetizing performer, appeared in Loreley, Germany. BIG Problem: Grace was unable to perform. An unamused audience stormed the stage, trashed band gear, and …threw the piano off the stage. (This Model L was our 2nd and last Baldwin Grand. The 1st was an SD-10). Thankfully, Artist Quality Pianos are hard to kill. The Model L was resuscitated for the next night’s show in Hamburg. Sadly, Grace was again unable to perform, Paul K. didn’t dig it and that more or less ended her era with that specific version of the band. Of course the life and brilliance of a great artist is not easily cancelled. Therefore Grace Slick is herewith declared once and for all time, A Legendary Lifetime Pro Piano Artist.” b. 10/30/1939 –
Even More Baldwin Model L Factoids … Pro Piano’s Baldwin Model L was the piano-centerpiece of Scorsese’s brilliant documentary of The Bands’ Farewell Concert Appearance, The Last Waltz, The Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976. Among many Other Iconic Performers: *Bob Dylan, *Neil Young, *Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters and Neil Diamond shared the stage. From load-in to load out. Pro Piano’s 1st Legendary Lifetime Piano Technician Brian Alexander was in service to that great piano. As artists who went on to tour and/or record on Pro Piano Instruments, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell are herewith declared once and for all time, Legendary Lifetime Pro Piano Artists.
But This Time, Ricard Did Help! True Dat!
Maurizio Pollini, with whom Pro Piano Hamburg Steinway D-274 Grand Pianos and I toured for most of the 80s, was incredibly important to Pro Piano and to me, personally. Accompanying Maestro Pollini, almost annually we traveled over his circuit which was not limited to but almost always included sold-out appearances in Carnegie Hall, New York, Symphony Hall, Boston, Orchestra Hall, Chicago, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, Kennedy Center, D.C., Music Hall, Philadelphia, Davies Hall, San Francisco, etc. Maurizio Pollini was extremely discerning in Hamburg Steinway Model D-274 grand piano selection, and also in hotel selection.
So through those many tours, I too honed my appreciation and expectations for the finest North American 5 Star hotels. However, Mr. Pollini’s discernment also extended to black-out darkness and complete silence, and importantly …so does my own. In case his preferred suite was unavailable he would move from one to another, or even switch hotels if his quarters could not be absolutely dark and absolutely silent. A sensitive if stern gentleman, his concerns were also that others not be disturbed by his long and intense practice habits.
One time, staying at the Beverly Hills Hotel, we happened to be swimming laps in its Olympic sized pool. Passing one another in adjoining lanes, he abruptly stoped me and sincerely asked, mentioning such a thing for the first time ever, “But could’t you lower the prices just a little?” As I recall, my always deflective “Ho, Ho, Ho” response ruled that moment, and we resumed swimming.
But latter that same tour, back inside America’s First Mecca of Hamburg Steinway Model D-274s, Pro Piano Headquarters on Jane Street, New York City, 10014, whilst Steinway itself was still trying to convince artists that NY and Hamburg pianos were the same; ergo, no need to request (or import) Pro Piano instruments from the Hamburg factory, Mr. Pollini visited to select a piano …though he almost always preferred the same aging instrument year after after year, we were briefly reminiscing as he practiced, and I reminded him of our Beverly Hills Hotel pool conversation and jokingly said, “Now I’ve seen you as an artist, an athlete and a businessman,” to which he roared with knowing laughter.
But here’s a Maurizio Pollini adjacent incident unparalleled in the entire classical music universe: Mr Pollini, especially on initial rehearsal-laden days of an orchestral soloist engagement, routinely came very early to the hall to practice on stage before orchestra members began arriving. Well, that means what? It means your fearless correspondent, RDLR, had to be at the hall preparing the piano, probably 5-hours before his arrival …let’s say at 3-4 am to be accurate.
On one infamous day, previously blessed from many encounters at Symphony Hall in Boston, to have been given a master key to that hallowed building …a key which granted literal 24-7 access, having routinely let myself into the building, I was tuning wildly away, when suddenly, pumnng, the steel shaft of my tuning lever broke cleanly at the tuning-tip …a star socket that threads onto the tuning lever shaft, one used throughout the entirety of any piano tuning procedure. My heart sank …yet its heartbeat hastened …lips pursed …thoughts congealed with terror, fear and catastrophic realization!
In that long ago pre-digital communications era, nothing worse could have befallen me. There was no place to run …no place to turn …no cell phones …nobody to help me and …I knew nobody to call, anyway.
Fortunately, having been in the hall scores of times, especially on breaks to the basement where the unionized but then still free thinking carpenters, mechanics, and everyone not administratively or musically involved denizened, I vaguely thought there’d been a welding machine.
Recalling that welder of course gave me a moment of glittering hope. Rushing downstairs, I discovered not only an acetylene welder, but an arc welder. As a kid, I’d seen enough welding to know which would be easiest for me, a complete beginner.
So gulp, grabbing a mask, gloves an electrode or two and an available welders’ clamp to hold it, I began clumsily arc-welding the busted-off tuning tip to its matching-grizzled tuning lever shaft, letting it cool a bit, tapping my work upon the steel work bench every once-in-a while to discern from each resultant sound how thoroughly, solidly, deeply my weld had cured, taken, or succeeded, repeating the process till the sound and the feel were moderately convincing.
BUT, the most horrific test was yet to come. Though it seemed an eternity, probably only an hour or so had elapsed. I needed to begin tuning again, with a patched-up, once-professional tuning lever. Fortunately, I knew there was (still now?) a lobby payphone, with huge phonebook, and of course it came with yellow pages advertising all kinds of things that included piano tuners. Yes phonebooks did it all back then.
I fumbled through the book, found a lady-tuner listed, left a message telling her what I faced, offered to leave $200 & 2 tickets at the backstage door, if she’d bring a tuning lever for me to use for the rest of the day. Of course I wondered when or if she’d even hear the message, and if she’d ever come, but … I HAD TO GO TRY TO TUNE THE PIANO …REPAIRED TUNING LEVER AND ALL.
I asked Seiji Ozawa’s driver my good friend Peppino to let the lady know where to claim her money and tickets, all to be left at the box office, and they’d take it from there. She came I was told, and was thrilled with the entire enchanted encounter.
Well, as a badge of pride, honor, valor and chutzpah, I used that repaired tuning lever for about another 3-years, without incident …though at all times I carried a spare. Finally, it broke again and rather than fearlessly resuscitating it, I eventually just wrote this true story for you.
Thank you! RIP Maurizio Pollini, herewith declared once and for all, “A Legendary Lifetime Pro Piano Artist. 201d Jan 5, 1942 – March 23, 2024
Metaphysical Pro Piano With Keith Jarrett – True Dat!
Well, this one is really on another metaphysical plain. The amazing pianist Keith Jarrett had visited Pro Piano San Francisco at its 2nd Headquarters. The 1st, was 2685 Diamond Street, the 2nd, 3916 18th Street, the 3rd and current, still in San Francisco is at 760 Tennessee Street.
Regardless, he visited on a day in 1978, when previously departing visitors had included hugely important Keith Emerson of ELP, and the super talented legend, Barry Manilow …each was there to select a piano for their tours and performances.
However the 2-Keiths loved the same piano, a certain HSTD-274, that Pro Piano later sold to Herbie Hancock. It is now a resident of Min-On Music Museum, Kobe, after being removed from their more historic antique classic-piano collection in Tokyo, Japan.
Because of its brilliance and immediacy or attack, Mr. Manilow went for a nearly brand new High-Polish White Yamaha C7.
The story here mysteriously unfolds whilst Keith was practicing in the ground floor shop of Pro Piano San Francisco. Imagine a piano and a pianist seated 10’ feet from you, about 45 degrees behind your right shoulder. There he’d been practicing as I whiled away the time bench-regulating a grand piano action. Selection went on long enough that I was certain he loved that piano.
At some time during his selection process, I casually but quickly glanced-back and over to witness Keith astride his piano bench and the piano itself …all levitating slightly off the ground. I knew for years I’d seen it, but never thought too much more about it …no verifiable Hippie would have done so.
In 2016, about 40 years later, Steve Cloud, then still his North American agent, called and asked if I had a similarly enthralling instrument for Mr. Jarrett’s appearance in San Francisco.
Somewhat fearful, because one of the biggest death traps in the concert piano provision universe is to assume what you had 40 years earlier, will match-up in the rear-view-memory of an artist’s recollection. He was near the height of his creative and artistic reign all those 40 intervening years. Would the piano live up to his expectations?
I was full time at the helm of Pro Piano New York, so all this intrigue was handled strictly on the phone between Mr. Cloud and me. Never one to flinch, how could I flinch to be writing story after story like these, I confidently accepted the gig and offered to bring a few. Steve wisely left the judgement to me, so only one was dispatched.
Well, everything went amazingly smooth for the entire day, including when Keith had nearly finished rehearsal, I gradually and warmly moved into the arch of the piano, and leaned onto the rim with my elbows, listening politely and respectfully.
At one point he glanced welcomingly and we began to talk a little about this and that, and why he’d wanted my piano and me on the date …
I knew it was my time: “Keith, do you remember visiting that time on 18th Street when everybody had come to try the same piano, etc.? “Sure I do” he replied to which I continued, “Well I glanced around and swear you, the bench and the piano were all-3 levitating.” He paused just barely and looked me dead in the eye “You’re the first person who has ever confirmed it, but I’ve often thought I was levitating while at the piano?”
About that legendary piano, Keith soon thereafter wanted to purchase it, but was annoyed to learn that ELP had instead taken in on a world tour. Maestro Claudio Arrau also loved that piano so very much and told me “Ricard, please bring this instrument to New York” which prompted PPNY’s beginning there in 1979.
Herbie eventually bought it out of our Pro Piano New York Headquarters, used it in his own magical ways, then bequeathed it to the museum in Japan …they wanted to have his piano, as well as Beethoven’s.
So, Jump ahead 40 years or so, I was walking around Tokyo in a horrible typhoon-like wind and rain storm.
Way, way, way-off in the distance, I saw a big new modern office-looking building whose front doors appeared to have a sizable roofed overhang that could protect me from the storm. So I wandered over there, only to find the doors locked until opening time, let’s say 1:00pm. It was probably 12:15pm. Long distance vision distortion had tricked me; the awning was actually on an adjacent building. So, I was hunkered down under my umbrella, when a friendly staff member came out to position umbrella sheaths and containers for soon to arrive guests. Incorporating my best if primitive Japanese language ability, I offered my business card, and a conversation ensued. I was graciously invited in to freshen-up until opening time.
At the moment I didn’t realize why or what was about to unfold. I was startled but gradually realized I had serendipitously discovered a historic piano and keyboard instrument museum.
Climbing upstairs and glancing straight toward the back of 2nd floor, maybe a distance of 125 feet, precise observation led to such realization that my immediate thoughts were “I know that grand piano …way back there on that 12” riser. I recognize it because of its purfeld legs, lyre and rim …and its general chiseled-gothic look.
Those characteristics are extremely rare, and I’ve known that piano from the day we purchased it used, from Norm Rotenburg, Palo Alto, CA.”
Sure enough, the doorman-staff member, my new best friend, brought a museum brochure to me… BINGO!!! it was none other than the Hamburg Steinway Model D-274 that Herbie Hancock purchased from us after opening the Pro Piano NYC shop at 17 W. 60th Street, shipping it to his home in Los Angeles.
It was the same piano Keith J. wanted years before, but ELP took it on the road …and it finally went with an initial truckload of instruments bound from Pro Piano San Francisco with Brian Alexander at the helm, to their new home at the immediately opened Pro Piano New York, 17 W 60th Street NYC 10023, ½ block from Columbus Circle, directly across the street from the old New York Coliseum, where the initial lease was to be $400 per month but it was independently raised to $800 per month when we actually signed, early 1979. F.M. Ring was always a fair and cooperative if stern landlord who taught me all you need to know about Manhattan Real Estate: Don’t be late or casual about rent payments!!! RIP Frank!
Herbie had bequeathed that piano to the Keyboard Instrument Museum in Tokyo, and had actually called me to ask about its provenance …a fact of which only much later did he remind me.
Oh Yeh! Photographic Reversal of Double Pro Pianos. And Much, Much, Much More True Dat!
Well this one is comical, historic, iconic and archival samples of it are nearly impossible to find, However, Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea toured with two concert grands from Pro Piano. Those 2-pianos were again serviced throughout the tour by Brian Alexander, our very first employee and First Hall of Fame Piano Tuner-Technician of All Time!
The album(s) in question are an Evening with Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea on Columbia Records, 1978, or an earlier album, Corea-Hancock, Polydor, 1978. Both albums feature black and white photography but the cover I reference seems to have been a one and done mistaken negative-print style that resulted in pianos pictured side-to side, but with the negative actually reversing the image to reveal the side-by side piano lids opening to the left instead of the actual way they must open, to the right, to the audience, rather than to the left …upstage, to the back of the stage.
The pianos in question were Pro Piano’s first, only and last Yamaha CF 9’ grand, vintage somewhere around 1975 and a Hamburg Steinway Model D-274 that previously described unit that Herbie eventually purchased and we delivered to his home in LA where it resided for many years.
I need a biographer! Good Bye, but True All Dat!!!
I’m writing this tired and nearer blind, after a long 18 hour day, but do you get the serendipity of my Pro Piano life? That piano came to me through this same providential strength and determination that guide every single motion I, we and Pro Piano ever make.