“Born in Watertown, NY, I’m a retired scientist and largely self-taught jazz musician. My career took me to South and Central America and West Africa where acoustic pianos were rare. I’m thrilled to be able to play the Steinway at the AAM. This model B is rumored to have belonged to Diana Wortham and played by artists such as Emanuel Ax. Someone said that art is frozen music. I strive to provide an acoustic dimension for AAM’s exhibits. I improvise chord progressions that often transition to compositions by Lyle Mays, Pat Metheny, Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett or some old standard such as Polkadots and Moonbeans, that take advantage of the museum’s excellent acoustics. I don’t necessarily stop and start between pieces unless there is a meaningful resolution. I love astute listeners. When people sit by the piano to listen, my playing may change as I’m more likely to play something they might recognize. It starts to feel more like a performance instead of a meditation to accompany visual art. And that’s cool. It’s an interesting gig.” -Steve Lapointe