My music columns are always about one musician or a Key West music venue. A few weeks ago, I was at Viv\u2019s Wine Bistro listening to Larry Baeder and Terri White. While they took a break, I walked down to Andy\u2019s Cabana to listened to Sam Carlson. Sam asked who was at Viv\u2019s and when I told him it was Terri and Larry, he asked, \u201cHow long have they been together?\u201d He gave me the idea to write this column about this amazing duo.<\/p>\n
Terri White was born and raised in Palo Alto, California. She grew up in a family of musicians and vocalists and has been performing since she was 8 years old. She started out as a tap dancer, aka \u201choofer.\u201d She moved east to New York and sang in theater, plays and soon Broadway musicals for most of her career.<\/p>\n
Larry Baeder was born in Philadelphia and raised in Kansas City, Kansas. Many of the older jazz greats from Kansas City (Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Lester Young) were still alive while Larry was growing up and played a significant influence.<\/p>\n
As a teenager, Larry played a classical violin. At 15, he could not even get a date. Larry learned to play the guitar and two years later, he was playing regular guitar gigs and had a girlfriend who drove a Corvette. He studied and graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in 1979.<\/p>\n
From Larry\u2019s perspective, \u201cYou can\u2019t play American music without feeling you\u2019re a link in the chain.\u201d<\/p>\n
A musician needs the understanding of musical history, not just who played what or when but an understanding of the subtle and not so subtle intricacies, and sometimes slight differences, that separates musicians from one another.<\/p>\n
In the late 80s, when Larry wasn\u2019t on the road, he had a steady gig at Arthur\u2019s, located on Grove Street in New York\u2019s Greenwich Village. Next door was a piano bar called Rose\u2019s Turn where Terri performed during Broadway\u2019s off-season. Music began at midnight at Rose\u2019s and both venues were open to 4 a.m.<\/p>\n
Arthur\u2019s allowed smoking but the piano bar was a non-smoking area. When on a break, Terri would go next door for a smoke and invariably, Larry would invite her to sit in for a song or two. Over many years, they became very good friends and would hang out after work. Sometimes, it became a marathon of fun that would last to the next afternoon. During their time in the Village, they never gigged together.<\/p>\n
After the election of Rudy Giuliani in 1994, various enforcement actions were taken, including the resurrection of a 1926 Cabaret law. Combined with the impact of the 9\/11 attacks, many of the piano bars, that were once off-season employment for Broadway actors, were closed.<\/p>\n
The piano bars that stayed open seemed to want younger talent. Terri White could no longer make a living singing in Greenwich Village. Rose\u2019s Turn closed its doors in 2007 and Terri found herself without many opportunities and income. She was evicted from her apartment of 14 years, became homeless in the summer of 2008 and living in Washington Park. David Taylor, a police officer and long-time fan of Terri\u2019s, found her a place to live. Through the help of her many other friends, Terri landed in Key West. She helped open the Keys Piano Bar on Duval Street. It reminded her of being in the Village again. Terri began singing her heart out once again and finding new love.<\/p>\n
She recovered quickly, and was cast in \u201cFinnian\u2019s Rainbow,\u201d returning to Broadway in 2009 and a number of other plays soon followed. She married Donna Barnett in 2011. Her career was skyrocketing again. She performed all over the country. Unfortunately, six years later in October 2015, after performing a cabaret act at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Terri announced that she was retiring from live performing because of a chronic eye illness which resulted in blindness.<\/p>\n
Shortly after Terri retired, she returned to Key West and began singing at the Little Room Jazz Club and other venues. She reconnected with her old friend, Larry Baeder, from the Village. He was now a full-time Key West jazz and blues music star. They began performing an amazing jazz duet which has continued for the past ten years. Larry also played a duet with Bill Blue around the same time. He loved his two great duets.<\/p>\n
Larry is humbled and honored to perform with Terri. They complement and feed off of each\u2019s musical prowess during their duets. They have been together so long and have studied each\u2019s musical talent, correcting and improving constantly. They truly dot their i\u2019s and cross their t\u2019s.<\/p>\n
Both musicians have a special regard for their audience. To them, it\u2019s all about \u201cwho hears the song.\u201d<\/p>\n
They are two old-school entertainers, taking on new tempos, with always new very interesting dynamics of Larry\u2019s accompaniment. Their \u201chappiness factor\u201d relaxes the audience with their extremely well bonded entertainment. They are two true musicians that enjoy their friendship immensely. They are best friends, a very cool duo, and the audience really \u201cgets it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n