Dramatic white and silver drapes framed the makeshift stage at the Featherstone Center for the Arts exhibit space Wednesday evening. Chandeliers made of Christmas bulbs and shiny tinsel decked the hall. Four accomplished musicians sat quietly waiting for the program to begin. But on this night, it was not the performers, but the piano that was the star.
Ken Armstead and his two daughters donated the Steinway grand (a Steinway M living room piano for Steinway afficionados) to the arts organization in memory of his wife, Lorna Giles, who died in 2016. The instrument is 100 years old this year, and sat for decades at the Arbor Inn in Edgartown, where Ms. Giles was the innkeeper. The piano was restored at the Steinway factory in New York about 20 years ago.
“My wife Lorna, you may have had a chance to visit with us in Edgartown, and have spiritual, emotional, musical connection,” said Mr. Armstead, just before the musical program began. “She sort of lived her life that way.”
The idea for matching Featherstone with this piano came from Island piano artist and restoration expert David Stanwood.
“We were trying to find a home for this piano,” Mr. Stanwood said. “It’s what I love to do, matching up people, pianos, and community. It’s a wonderful combination.”
Island jazz artist John Alaimo opened the program with his delightful style of improvisational music, accompanied by bassist Eric Johnson. Mr. Alaimo lent a festive air to the occasion by playing a Vince Guaraldi composition from the Peanuts Christmas special, as well as Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
“I remember this piano from years ago,” Mr. Alaimo said. “I went to the Arbor Inn and played it there. It’s a birthday for the piano, 100 years.”
Mr. Johnson switched from bass to guitar to accompany Jeremy Berlin for a reflective jazz set. Mr. Berlin demonstrated his versatility by departing from the set list for his final number.
“We’ve got a long list of songs and styles to contemplate for this occasion,” Mr. Berlin told the audience. “What I’m about to play is not on that list, but I just feel this piano should have a little bit of an initiation in different kinds of music, so here we go.”
He then launched into a raucous boogie woogie tune that had toes tapping from the front to the back of the hall.
“I figured that I better hit all 88 notes,” said Mr. Berlin later. “There’s nothing like boogie woogie, which is basically orchestral piano with a beat. It gets everybody going and it’s a lot of fun to play.”
Next at the keys was Kemp Harris, a family friend of Ms. Giles from her college days in Cambridge, where she attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He played and sang a touching set of popular and show tunes, ending with a medley of songs he called hopeful tunes for worrisome times.
“I wanted to play things that Lorna would have liked,” Mr. Harris said.
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