As David Letterman's bandleader and sidekick, Paul Shaffer has obviously hobnobbed with some of the greatest musicians of our time. But get this... [Spoiler Alert] as a young boy, Shaffer actually shook hands with Martin Luther King Jr. Wow, I was so blown away by that! His life is one of great charm and amazement, well worth reading about.
What a cool cat! (That's the kind of hep talk Paul likes to use.) I have always been a huge fan of his keyboard prowess and his shining personality. A lifelong keyboardist and a soul music enthusiast extraordinaire, Shaffer takes a walk down memory lane, starting with his early years but jumping around in a great nonlinear storytelling fashion. I love the way this book is composed. And not only was I fascinated by Shaffer’s life story, I also learned a great deal about music, especially soul music, as Shaffer lists a long lineup of his favorite musicians and groovy tunes.
In addition to hearing about Shaffer’s journey as a musician, it was interesting to hear how he made friends – and irritated some of the more temperamental star artists – as he wrangled talent for shows as both bandleader and music director.
Throughout the book, Shaffer describes what James Brown calls “The Pressure of the Time.” Shaffer could really relate to that concept of the pressure of the time as he tried to get last minute details squared away for star acts on Letterman. In contrast, he tells a story about his experience with Sammy Davis Jr., when Davis had urged Shaffer not to share his pre-recorded arrangement with him before an otherwise unrehearsed show they were doing that night. After Paul insisted that Sammy listen, Sammy approved of the arrangement, but replied how groovy it would have been if he wouldn't have heard that recording, i.e. a completely unrehearsed and spontaneous show would have been so carefree and...well...groovy, baby. So this was my biggest takeaway from the book. The deep philosophical question, “To be a James or to be a Sammy?” To feel the pressure of the time or ride the groovy wave? That could be the biggest thing since Myers Briggs in psychological testing: ”Are you a James or a Sammy? Fill out this ten question survey and find out today!”
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