Tristano was born in Chicago into an Italian immigrant family from Aversa. At six years of age he suffered an attack of the measles. His eyesight, weakened at birth by influenza, grew weaker. Adept at mathematics and placed in classes where finally he studied piano and music theory from pre-teen years, he graduated with a bachelor's degree from his home town's American Conservatory of Music in 1943.
His interest in jazz inspired a move to New York City in 1946. Tristano's advanced grasp of harmony fit with the prevailing bebop movement, and he earned a reputation as a gifted pianist, performing and recording with bebop's preeminent figures, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.
Tristano formed a sextet, featuring saxophone players Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh, that recorded a number of acclaimed compositions, including 1949's "Intuition" and "Digression." Both songs were completely improvised, with no prearranged melody, harmony or rhythm. These two songs are sometimes cited among the first examples of free jazz and earliest free improvisations. Tristano's compositions – sometimes classified as cool jazz – are noted for their sometimes unusual structure, including use of counterpoint, a feature still rare among jazz performances.
Lennie Tristano released two important albums on Atlantic Records. "Lennie Tristano", from 1955, included a tribute to Charlie Parker after his death: "Requiem". "The New Tristano", from 1962, is regarded as one of the more important solo piano recordings in jazz. Some of his live performances were recorded and have been released. Among these are live performances from the Half Note Club in New York from the 1950's, and concerts in Europe from the 1960's.
Tristano was one of the first musicians to start his own record label. This label, Jazz Records, is still in existence and is run by Lennie's daughter, Carol Tristano, a great drummer.
By the mid-1950's, Tristano focused his energies more on music education. He can be regarded as one of the first jazz teachers, who taught jazz in a structured way, starting from the late 1940's until his death in 1978. His innovative tutelage has inpired an eclectic group of artists: Charles Mingus, Bill Russo, Connie Crothers, Lenny Popkin, Sal Mosca, Herbie Hancock, Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh, Sheila Jordan, Bill Evans, Billy Bauer, Fran Canisius, Betty Scott, Jeff Morton, Willie Dennis, Don Ferrara, Peter Ind, and even rock guitarist Joe Satriani.
A book by Peter Ind, who played with Lennie Tristano live and at recordings, Jazz Visions: Lennie Tristano and His Legacy, was released in October 2005. The book documents and discusses Tristano's contributions to jazz music.
April
Lennie Tristano Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll sigh goodbye to all we ever had
Alone where we have walked together
I'll remember April and be glad
I'll be content you loved me once in April
Your lips were warm and love and spring were new
I'm not afraid of autumn and her sorrow
The fire will dwindle into glowing ashes
For flames live such a little while
I won't forget but I won't be lonely
I'll remember April and smile
The song "April" is a beautiful ballad written by Lennie Tristano and Lee Konitz. The lyrics describe the transition of a day in April from morning to evening, and how the singer will remember the memories of the past with a sense of appreciation and nostalgia. The opening lines “This lovely day will lengthen into evening, We'll sigh goodbye to all we ever had” evoke a sense of reflection on past romances or relationships and how they have come to an end. The singer then goes on to reminisce about a past love that occurred in April, recalling the feelings of newness and warmth that accompanied the relationship.
The second verse "I'm not afraid of autumn and her sorrow, For I'll remember April and you" suggests that even though time has passed and things may have changed, the memory of the past love will never fade away. The final lines “I won't forget but I won't be lonely, I'll remember April and smile” bring a sense of hopefulness and closure to the song, indicating that the memories of the past relationship will always be cherished and will bring a smile to the singer’s face.
Overall, the song “April” is about nostalgia, memories, and how the past experiences shape who we are today. The lyrics are beautifully written and the melody, though simple, is hauntingly beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
This lovely day will lengthen into evening
The beautiful day we are experiencing will eventually turn into night
We'll sigh goodbye to all we ever had
We will sadly say goodbye to everything we ever shared
Alone where we have walked together
I will be by myself in the places where we used to walk together
I'll remember April and be glad
I will recall our time together in April with happiness in my heart
I'll be content you loved me once in April
Knowing that you loved me in April will bring me peace
Your lips were warm and love and spring were new
I remember your warm kisses and the feeling of new spring love
I'm not afraid of autumn and her sorrow
I am not afraid of the sadness that comes with autumn
For I'll remember April and you
I will remember the love we shared in April and you
The fire will dwindle into glowing ashes
The passion we once had will fade away
For flames live such a little while
Passionate flames do not last long
I won't forget but I won't be lonely
I will never forget you, but I will not be lonely either
I'll remember April and smile
When I remember our time together in April, I will smile
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON RAYE, GENE DE PAUL, PATRICIA JOHNSTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind