I went to Pike Place Market to grab some cheese from DeLaurenti’s Specialty Food & Wine. I got a new CD.
It was about three o’clock and I had intended to make it a quick trip and get back home before the University of Washington football game ended and the traffic ran like a pack of wild dogs.
As I was walking through the market, headed for the cheese, I began to hear the calming dong of the piano. It had a singsong feel, the music danced around itself.
I could not see where the music was coming from at first because the walkway was so crowded with patrons of the market.
I decided to step outside and have a look around.
Right away I spotted the man and his piano. He had an unmistakable look, half-hidden behind his slightly worn, upright piano. A large, graying ponytail, pulled loosely behind his neck, his face was warm and he was bundled up, to stay warm on the brisk day.
He was located right across the street from Beecher’s cheese.
I went over to hear more of the song.
When I approached the piano there were several people crowded around. One woman was purchasing a CD and asked if she could take his picture.
“Go ahead,” he said, welcoming the woman’s interest
His name is Jonny Hahn, a pianist who has “been playing since he was a very young boy.”
I was inquiring about his music and learned that not only was he a musician, he incorporated political messages into many of his CD’s.
He told the lady taking his picture that not all of his music was political.
“Some people just want the music, they don’t want my political input,” he said.
She said she would take one of the political CDs, as did I.
When I got back to my car, I put in my new CD and listened to it for a while (I didn’t beat the football traffic).
The music was intriguing and the lyrics were interesting and informative, with a bit of a comedic tone.
So next time you are in the mood for politics with a beat, take a trip down to the market and look for the man with a piano, Jonny Hahn, and allow your ears to dance along with the message.
Until next time,
C
