Bowie and Beyond with Mike Garson
No musician performed longer and more frequently with David Bowie than pianist Mike Garson. The now 73-year-old Garson hooked up with the late British singer-songwriter back when the keyboardist was in his mid-20s, in the early 1970s, after Bowie heard his work with an experimental artist named Annette Peacock. The singer never joined Bowie on tour, but Garson signed on for Bowie’s first U.S. trek behind the album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and shortly afterward provided the unforgettable avant-garde keyboard solo for the 1973 song “Aladdin Sane.” Garson performed with Bowie for about 1,000 concerts around the world, spanning two long stints, including the singer’s first American show and his last one in the U.S.
Following the singer’s death in 2016, Garson – who has also worked with a huge list of stars from the rock, jazz, and classical worlds, including Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, and No Doubt (all of whom grew up listening to his piano work with Bowie) in addition to running his own jazz bands – has put together and served as music director for A Bowie Celebration, an ongoing tribute that features an ever-shifting array of artists, from other former members of Bowie’s bands to a roster of guest artists that range from Gavin Rossdale to Sting. A greatly altered version of that band forms the backbone of a special concert this Friday night at the Lobero called “Cancer: The Urgency of Now,” to raise awareness and raise funds for the Hammeras Group, specifically the organization’s effort to help children who have brain cancer get the help they need (founder Candy Hammeras will also speak at the event).
Garson will be joined by several singers, including the Grammy award-winning Gaby Moreno, Joe Sumner (Sting’s son), Lebanese-American Mayssa Karaa (who covered “White Rabbit” on the American Hustle soundtrack, plus drummer Denny Seiwell (Wings in the 1970s), and upright jazz bassist Marlon Martinez. Garson talked about the concert, his days with Bowie, and more over the phone earlier this week.
Q. You were the only musician who stayed with Bowie through that prolific period in the 1970s when his style kept evolving. How was that experience for you to witness and help create?
A. David Bowie was the original renaissance musician of the century. He was always changing. But our creative processes were similar. Over the course of two years between 1972-74, he fired five bands and I was the only one he kept because I could change styles with him, whether it was rock, gospel, jazz, or pop. He was going from heavy English rock to neo soul music to avant garde. And my training was classical, jazz, and pop, so he took advantage of that. He was like the ultimate casting director. Whichever musicians he chose – and there were hundreds – were always perfect for what he played on. He just had that instinct.
How much did you influence what was happening? Were you helping to shape the music by advising him, just implementing his vision, or something else?
I was the genius behind the whole thing. (Laughs)… No. Let’s put it this way: He always had a vision of what he wanted for his music. But because I was coming from the jazz and classical world, I knew more about those areas. So he was always asking my opinion. At the same time, I was always asking him what he wanted from me because I thought that was what he wanted. But later, I read in a book from others who knew him that he wanted to know my thoughts because he wanted something fresh. So, no question I was his collaborator.
How did you put together the band for this show?
Three of the singers are with me on the Bowie alumni tour for more than 50 dates coming up in January. The bass player and drummer are different because it’s a small hall, and I didn’t want to overwhelm the audience with a heavy rock concert and a blistering electric guitar, but it’s still got all the oomph we need. But it’s a different vibe. I’m bringing in a violinist for some of the songs, even.
I’ve always put many different types of bands together. I’ve been music director for about 500 bands over my life, going back to 1974 with Luther Vandross and Dave Sanborn in Bowie’s band… I like the freshness of bringing in new people. This time, we’re creating a band in three days. It’s not as tight, of course, but that freshness prevents me from getting bored, which I can do easily. So, maybe it’s just purely selfish. (Laughs)
I’m getting a sense that your way of working comes from the same concept you had with Bowie: having a vision for where you want to go, picking the musicians, and then also following their desires and capabilities. Is that accurate?
That’s a very good perception. It’s also just the way I am. If I’m doing a duet, I find the vibe of the other person and work within their level and expertise. You need to be kind and compassionate enough to use the gifts of the people you are working with. This band feels right for what we’re doing on Friday night. But I’m used to shifting quickly. I was playing with an opera singer in Tanglewood two years ago, and two days later, Trent Reznor had me performing with Nine Inch Nails at the Wiltern in L.A. Go figure.
What can we expect to hear at the Lobero?
A lot of songs that I was well-known for with Bowie back in the day: “Aladdin Sane,” “Five Years,” “Ziggy Stardust.” Joe will sing “Life on Mars,” which is maybe the best Bowie song. We’re trying something really crazy, the Bowie/Freddie Mercury song “Under Pressure” but with Gaby and Mayssa singing it. We’re also throwing in some other things. Gaby and I did a new version of The Hollies song, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.” Mayssa will sing one we co-wrote called “A Million Ways.” The trio will do a jazz piece, maybe one of mine or one by Miles, which lets me really improvise, which I love to do. The encore is “Imagine” by John Lennon but in four languages: English, Spanish, Italian, and Arabic.
Bowie died of cancer. Is that what sparked your interest in this benefit?
Cancer is almost a no-brainer. Everybody has been affected in some way. But just as an artist, I’ve always believed in the healing power of music. It doesn’t matter what the form is, as long as it has the intention to bring some healing, whether physical, mental, or spiritual, it all comes together for me. There will be some cancer patients there, and I hope our music brings them a little joy.
