I’ve played jazz music since I was nine years old. My first private piano teacher thought I might have a knack for it because I picked up on theory and chord changes so quickly. He pushed me to play jazz, blues, ragtime–anything in that nebulous American jazz wheelhouse. I just loved it. It’s almost seventeen years later and I’m still obsessed with jazz. I write jazz. I play jazz. I seek out shows where I can music direct or perform jazz. It’s a lifestyle.
Amy Winehouse is a big part of why jazz, blues, and soul influences have made it back into contemporary hit radio/mainstream media. She ushered in this minor wave of retro artists from England. Without her, it’s unlikely artists like Duffy and Adele would have been given a fair shake in America.
But this isn’t about who she did or didn’t pave the way for. This is about my relationship with her music.