Music & Gratitude: The Gifts That Keep On Giving

Frank Fitzpatrick 11/25/2020

“The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.”

– Friedrich Nietzsche

A few years ago I attended a rare concert by the late Johnny Mandel at Vitello’s Jazz and Supper Club in Los Angeles. Although he may be less of a marquis brand than your favorite pop star, Johnny was a musical genius. He also played a significant role in the formation of American music and in the careers of many of those pop legends that have since become household names.

Following his early days as a sideman with greats like Jimmy Dorsey, Buddy Rich, and Count Basie, Johnny went on to become one of the most in-demand arrangers for countless artists including Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones, Barbra Streisand, and Frank Sinatra. Even if you have never heard of Johnny Mandel, you have probably been touched by his music, which includes all-time-standards like “A Time for Love”, “The Shadow of Your Smile” and the theme for M*A*S*H.

The intimate room upstairs at Vitello’s offered a unique opportunity to enjoy the music and, more importantly, the man himself. We sat within inches of the 17-piece big band, right beside Johnny. Each time he turned around from conducting, he literally became the 5th person at our table. We could read along with the music by looking at his conductor parts just a few feet in front of us, and listen in as he gave cues to the players. It had been 20 years since I first met, and had last spoken with Maestro Mandel. That night, however, I got to see inside the man and his music in a whole new way.

Near the end of the show, Johnny let the audience know it was his birthday. Quickly doing the math, I realized that would be number 88 – the number of keys on the piano and the same number of years my recently deceased father enjoyed on this earth. At that moment, the evening took on a deeper level of meaning with me, reaffirming what I had already intuitively sensed.

I resonated with deep gratitude for that opportunity to be there with the Maestro, my dear friends, and the beautiful music. Closing my eyes to listen more deeply, I found myself on a sonic journey back through my life – reflecting on loved ones and fond memories.

It was Johnny himself, however, who brought the true power of gratitude into the spotlight. Beyond his mastery, he had an innocent pride and profound sense of humility. After the last number, he turned and thanked us for sharing the greatest birthday gift he could have asked for – another chance to make music, spend time with friends, and relish in the experience of having his compositions performed by world-class musicians. You could viscerally feel the joy in his heart and see the sparkle in his eyes.

That sense of deep gratitude and the humility that makes it possible are two of the most inspiring qualities that I have discovered in my work with other visionaries and masters of their domain. Several times throughout the performance, I thought of my late friend and mentor, the great French film composer Georges Delerue. Even at the very top of his game, and right up to the day he spoke his last words (to the orchestra upon completing his recording of the score for Rich In Love), gratitude and humility emanated from his being. Georges would always express to me how lucky he was to be able to create music, and how grateful he was for all those who helped him to bring it to life.

The feeling I had that night at Vitello’s was more than just nostalgia or the pleasure from great entertainment. It was a journey into the deeper meaning of our existence. It was a reflection of the values and experiences that have allowed me to more deeply connect to the joy and richness of life. It was a reminder of the lesson my mother taught me about the power of humility and of what I learned from a great yogi who told me ‘gratitude is the shortest road to joy’.

Maybe not all great artists are humble or grateful, but I believe that true musical mastery, like gratitude itself, requires a kind of humility and a recognition that something far greater than us is at play.

And then there’s the music. What a gift. One one of my spiritual teachers once told me ‘there is no journey without the music”.  Music can also awaken and amplify feelings of gratitude. Think of all the hymns, songs of praise, and love songs that help reconnect us to the beauty and treasures of this precious fleeting life.

No matter where I find myself in my life, I know can always find the road back home to joy through music and gratitude.

Thank you Johnny for sharing your gifts, and your heart. I hope I can give half as much joy and inspiration to the world as you did when I’m 88.

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About the Author 

Frank Fitzpatrick is a Creative Visioneer, Engagement Expert and High-Performance Coach on the Faculty of Singularity University’s Exponential Medicine.

To connect, go to FrankFitzpatrick.com

To learn more about working 1-on1 with Frank, go to BeyondPerformance.Life

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