MONTREAL – Jazz pianist Oliver Jones was tickling the ivory of a public piano in a small park in Little Burgundy, the Montreal neighbourhood where he grew up.
“Right there to my left is where I spent the first seven years of my life,” said Jones. “This area is an area that I knew very very well.”
He was on hand in Park Sainte Cunégonde to unveil a piano he has sponsored as part of a city-wide initiative to give all Montrealers access to pianos.
Jazz musicians Susie Arioli and Lorraine Klaasen also sponsored pianos, at Atwater Market and the Notre Dame du Perpetuel Secours Church respectively.
The idea was inspired by the Britain-based artist Luke Jerram, who started the project in London, England.
Since its conception in 2008, the “Street Pianos” project has reached over two million people, with over 800 public piano installed in 35 cities around the world, all bearing the words, “Play me, I’m yours.”
It’s a project that that City of Montreal officials are hoping will connect Little Burgundians to their roots, Montrealers to their heritage, steeped in jazz music, and local residents to the simple joys of music.
“A lot of people who would love to play piano and don’t have one in their house,” Jones said.
“You can see the smile on their face when they sit down to play.”
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