Beverly Ritz

As a pianist at an assisted living facility in Crescent City, California, I had one of the most miraculous experiences. A resident, Jerry, who supposedly no longer spoke, rushed to the piano while I was immersed in some blues improvisation and asked me if I played the blues. I said that I did and would practice a song for him for my next performance. That was when I first learned "Blues in the Night." After absorbing a song in its original form, I try different arrangements every time I play. Not long ago, I decided to combine my first blues composition, "Walk Away from the Blues" with Harold Arlen's classic tune.