His feathery keyboard touch is coupled with a lot of power and passion, a complete understanding of the blues and improvisation, and Terrasson is also a gifted arranger, putting his own personal stamp on well known tunes. He's been one of the jazz world's most talked about piano player/composers since he captured everyone's attention when he won the Thelonious Monk Competition in 1993.
Born in Berlin to a French mother and an American father, Terrasson's distinctive piano style reflects his old and new influences. In his youth, he spent years studying and listening to recordings by Bud Powell, Bill Evans and Thelonious Monk. He began playing piano at age five, and his parents were always playing classical music on the stereo. He began listening intently to Billie Holiday and Miles Davis records that belonged to his mother when he was 11, and at that point, he was hooked on playing jazz piano.
He studied jazz at the Berklee College of Music in Boston with many other new traditionalists as classmates, including people like Danilo Perez. After graduation, he spent a year jamming at clubs in Chicago and New York before hooking up with ensembles led by his mentors, including Arthur Taylor and Betty Carter. At a recording session, Terrasson met Carter. The vocalist told him she needed a pianist to begin a tour the next day, and he accepted, spending nearly a year on the road with her.
Among many other sessions, Terrasson performed on Jimmy Scott's 1996 release, Heaven, for Warner Bros. He also did arranging for that record. Terrasson continues to perform around the world as leader of his own trio, and has made several European and Japanese tours. He's one of the most sought-after sidemen in jazz, constantly in demand for touring jazz bands and recording dates. On his 1996 sophomore effort, Reach, he's ably backed by the same musicians who accompanied him on his debut: bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Leon Parker. Rendezvous followed in 1997, and a year later Terrasson returned with Alive. 1999's What It Is emphasized Terrasson's compositional skills as well as technique. Paris followed two years later.
Oh My Love
Jacky Terrasson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My eyes are wide open
Oh my love for the first time in my life
My eyes can see
I see the wind
Oh, I see the trees
Everything is clear in my heart
Oh, I see the sky
Everything is clear in our world
Oh my love for the first time in my life
My mind is wide open
Oh my lover for the first time in my life
My mind can feel
I feel the sorrow
Oh, I feel dreams
Everything is clear in my heart
I feel life
Oh, I feel love
Everything is clear in our world
The lyrics of Jacky Terrasson's song "Oh my love" speak of newfound clarity and perception. The singer expresses that, for the first time in his life, his eyes are wide open and can see everything clearly in his heart. He mentions how he can see the wind, the trees, the clouds, and the sky. This newfound clarity extends to his mind as well, and he feels like he can perceive everything with a newfound sense of understanding.
The lyrics also speak about emotions, which the singer can now feel with more intensity and clarity. He feels sorrow and dreams, but also acknowledges that life and love are clear in their world, suggesting that he has found someone to share this clarity with. It's a song about clarity, perception, and emotional openness.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my love for the first time in my life
This is the first time in my life that I have experienced such a strong feeling of love.
My eyes are wide open
I am seeing things more clearly than ever before.
My eyes can see
I am able to perceive the world in a new and enlightening way.
I see the wind
I am able to observe the invisible forces at work in nature that were previously hidden from me.
Oh, I see the trees
I am able to appreciate the beauty and complexity of the natural world in ways that were previously unknown to me.
Everything is clear in my heart
I am experiencing a deep emotional clarity and understanding.
I see the clouds
I am able to observe the constantly changing nature of the world around me.
Oh, I see the sky
I am able to perceive the vastness and majesty of the natural world.
My mind is wide open
I am experiencing a newfound openness and receptivity to the world around me.
My mind can feel
I am able to comprehend and experience emotions and thoughts more deeply than ever before.
I feel the sorrow
I am able to recognize and feel the pain and suffering of others in a way that was previously inaccessible to me.
Oh, I feel dreams
I am able to tap into my own unconscious and access my deepest desires and aspirations.
I feel life
I am experiencing a newfound sense of vitality and energy flowing through me.
Oh, I feel love
I am experiencing a deep and profound sense of love for another person.
Everything is clear in our world
Through my newfound sense of understanding and perception, I am able to see the world in a more lucid and meaningful way.
Contributed by Ella B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.