TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp On Jazz.
When you watch a jazz pianist, it’s easy to focus on the notes—but there’s so much happening behind the keys. In solo performance, every choice belongs to the musician: phrasing, dynamics, and timing become a personal conversation with the audience. There’s freedom, but also responsibility, because there’s no one else to lean on.
In an ensemble, the story changes. The pianist must listen constantly, respond to others, and find space to contribute. Every chord, every rhythmic choice is a conversation, a shared creation in real time.
Whether solo or with a band, the keyboard is where each performance tells a story unique to that moment.
This has been Rapp On Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and SC Public Radio, made possible by Layman Publishing Partners, celebrating 50 years of expert content creation, authoritative information management, and standards-driven print and digital production.