6/12/2023 0 Comments Music prodigy 60 minutes![]() ![]() “But, you know, once I started playin’, I felt good.” “Honestly, I was a tiny bit nervous,” Whitaker said. But even with all his talent, Whitaker said he still feels some nerves before a big show. The sheer complexity and spontaneity of his sets make the most seasoned musicians sweat and jazz fans go wild. Whitaker plays with his shoes off so he can feel the pedals and his head turned so he can feel the crowd. Like, this is where jazz started,” Whitaker told 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. This past spring, Whitaker made his first appearance at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. It’s acoustic acrobatics performed over 88 keys and it is not for the faint of heart. Twisting melodies, crafting complex harmonies and improvising at lightning speed. Whitaker doesn’t just play music, he plays with it. He’s been called a prodigy and his talent is so extraordinary he’s also caught the attention of scientists who are now studying his brain and trying to understand his vision of music. ![]() Matthew is a jazz pianist who is blind, and since the age of 11, he’s been performing around the world. He may be blind, but a neuroscientist has found Whitaker’s visual cortex goes into overdrive when he plays.Įvery so often, someone so young does something so amazing you can’t help but wonder, how do they do that? That’s what happened the first time we heard Matthew Whitaker play piano. It will be fascinating to see what the future brings.Matthew Whitaker has been rocking crowds with his improvisational piano playing for most of his short life. With bits of spoken word between songs to tell his story, Matthew Whitaker is an inspiration as a person and as an amazing young artist. Then there’s a serious dance-a-thon awaiting with his Latin jazz take on Duke Pearson’s “Jeanine.” There’s plenty more, with 16 tracks in all, including “His Eye Is On The Sparrow,” a beautifully rendered spiritual where Whitiker shows deep roots. The same can be said for Whitaker and violinist Regina Carter swinging through Duke Ellington’s “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.” Whitaker also does a crazy take on Chick Corea’s “Spain,” playing Hammond B-3 on the opening strains, then switching over to keyboards when the band kicks in. The chuckle at the end of the song says it all: two amazing musicians simply having a good time with one of the greatest piano tunes in jazz. He and Jon Batiste go at it like kids in a sandbox on Thelonious Monk’s “Bye-Ya.” It’s a treat trying to figure out which musician is playing which part. ![]() In part, he credits Hodge for pushing him to be more adventurous and it shows on tunes like the uplifting opener “Journey Uptown” the organ trio jam “A New Day,” where he and guitarist Marcos Robinson fly through unison lines the pensive title track and the sweet, humbling “Stop Fighting.” Whitaker also delivers some terrific takes on jazz classics. Beyond his playing chops, his compositions have taken a leap forward, also. The fleetness of finger, the touch and taste, the grit and grime when he needs it, the lightness and airiness when it’s called upon - Whitaker has it all. ![]() We’ve been listening to Whitaker take our breath away with all of the promise he showed on the first two albums. Hear for yourself on Connections (Reliance Music Alliance), his third album, this one produced by bassist Derrick Hodge. But what this prodigy can do better than anything else, and arguably anyone else, is play piano, organ and keyboards. His story has been well-documented by shows like 60 Minutes. He was born prematurely and blind, given little chance of surviving with doctors saying that, even if he did, he probably would not be able to crawl, walk or speak. That 20-year-old pianist Matthew Whitaker is alive is a bit of a miracle. Matthew Whitaker Connections (Resilience Music Alliance) ![]()
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