John's First Grand Piano
"Market Street is their concert hall. The clanging streetcars their backup singers.
Several times a week, self-taught musicians John 'Thatcher' Boomer and John Morgan hoist their upright Craigslist freebie piano into the back of their 20-year-old Jeep, and drive from the West Oakland brick warehouse where they split the rent on an unheated room to play for tips on Market Street and Union Square." - Meredith May, SF Chronicle. Feb. 2010
I am John Morgan, formerly the pianist of "The John Brothers Piano Company." This is where it all started - on the streets of Oakland and San Francisco, with my best friend, cutting our teeth, playing piano for our lives - we've played two monterey jazz festivals, went on a national tour and played almost every gig imaginable. Seven years later and I am still here, in Oakland, playing my original compositions full force, but now alone, and now back on the streets, still playing for survival.
After five years with the John Brothers, I amicably parted to pursue new ventures, new ways of applying my abilities on the piano. Since 2015, I've completed two new albums - one experimental black metal album[Releases Mar.2017](in which Ive attempted to redefine my instrument in a new context, sold everything I could to fund it, and pushed myself mentally and physically beyond my wildest dreams) and one solo piano album (the tunes you hear me playing at BART stations in Oakland, GG Park in San Francisco and elsewhere).
A living doesnt come easy for musicians, artists, photographers, writers, etc... BUT I am lucky - I am lucky because of all the good folks in the Bay Area helping me dollar by dollar, BART station to BART station ... I am able to keep a music studio to create, write and dream in. There IS food on my plate and if I need drumsticks, or piano strings, or gas for my van I've got it. I have no need for regular luxuries - I sleep on a couch in my rehearsal studio, keep my clothes in my van and shower at the local ymca - I'll do anything as long as I can keep writing music and playing piano. I save and save for rainy days to fix my van, acquire new street pianos, pay for tunings, buy sheet music, microphones, cables etc... - to keep the music flowing. It has been a tough road but my creativity and production has never been higher - I am so happy to be able to play every day, each moment and minute and hour all dedicated to music, to anything related...even if I have to learn a van repair with my dad in order to keep showing up to gigs and BART stations. Music is my deepest passion, my personal best expression - from sadness to rage, nostalgia to ecstacy, memories to fantasies. I am smitten for the piano and want to improve always, I want to get closer to pure expression - direct emotional projection, seamless connectivity with the people around me and the instrument itself.
Since I started playing, I've always used whatever piano was around and tried to make it sound good, no matter the condition - let's just say, as politely as possible, that the pianos I work with are less than stellar. Any of you who have seen the instruments I am playing on the street can attest to that. Sure, they sound old, and "honky tonk", but no one would ever comment on the beauty of tone and grandeur of sound. Rarely am I able to jump on a fine instrument, a grand piano of serious quality. I have been sponsored by and maintained a great relationship with DC Pianos in Berkeley, a family run business solely dedicated to the art and craft of fine piano restoration, for six years. In 2012, I stumbled upon a 6'8" Bechstein Model B Grand piano from 1905 on their showroom floor. When I sat down to give it a whirl, I was transported back through time, the tender ghastly sound was like the mist over the pine forest in the Olympic Peninsula, the rainy evergreen state bordering on pugeot sound - spirits seemed to whisp through the lush greens and greys. Then, intensifying, it would take on the sound of Beethovens crunchy, fiery melodies - as if the waves were cracking over the cliffs and drowning the forest while simultaneously catching fire. I was blown away - this Bechstein hadn't been restored or fixed since 1905 when it was finished at the factory in Germany and here I am, over 100 years later, rocking out on it, in its poor, but playable condition. DC Pianos said they were going to restore it eventually - I told them that I wanted it when it was done - that this was the piano I want for the rest of my life, for beyond the rest of my life. The sound is eternal, is from the heavens. I have never played something like this in my life. They all looked at me funny but said "OK" and for years, I've always checked in with them and for years, they said "We will get to it eventually..."
Two weeks ago, I walked into DC Pianos to drop off copies of my new solo piano album "Songs For Other People " - lo and behold, the Bechstein, after 5 years, is sitting in the back room waiting for tuning, all restrung, with new hammers, new everything. I am on the verge of tears in my excitement as I sit down to hear it again and BAM!!! - same thing, same experience - I feel the crushing weight of the world lifted off my back once again. The notes push and pull space and time in an awesome way.
Fast forward to right now: I am sitting here in a room and writing this GoFundMe story after having handed over $500 only a day ago just to hold the piano so I can make a down payment within the next few months. I basically emptied my bank account. That money doesn't come easily to a guy like me playing on the street, trying to stay afloat, but I know that I need a professional instrument - not only a professional instrument, but a master crafted piano that I have a connection with. There are brand new Steinways, Kawais, and Yamahas out there for $60,000+ but those are a dime a dozen. This piano is unique, it is one of a kind, it is old but brought back to life so that it will even outlast me - It has the absolute best Bechstein sound because it is from the era in piano production where Bechstein was the making the finest pianos in the world. It will be custom restored by DC Pianos, now with me in mind! They said they could even fine tune it to my style of play! I guess I fancy these old instruments - I like the history, the design, the sound and especially the thought that it has been played by people for over 100 years. Who knows who played on it, but now I am playing on it - its special, theres a quality there to the sound - something ethereal. Dennis and his son Matt at DC Pianos are giving me a special price of $30,500 (about the price of parts, labor, and acquisition) and a few months for a down payment (which is ridiculous) because they care about me and know how much I love this particular instrument - they're basically holding it for me because as soon as it hits the showroom floor, it will disappear. Most of all, they know that I'm getting them the money by breaking my hands in the streets playing for hours and hours in the cold and rain to make it up to them.
This is where you all come in - I am asking for $10,000 which is half of the down payment I need to get the piano in my possession. I will cover the other $10,000 by playing any and every gig, saving all my money, and busting my chops hard on the street, keeping rent low by sleeping on a couch and holding onto that gym membership haha! If I end up getting more than $10,000, it would be a miracle! In fact, any help would be a miracle! I aim to buy this piano no matter what. It is very clear to me that this instrument will take my playing and appreciation for pianistry to the next level - but it is a large undertaking for my small operation. I figure, why not ask for a little help at this juncture.
I have a deep respect for this instrument and will cherish it for the rest of my life because all of you will have given to me - every time I sit down to play it, I will remember that. I will remember that the community, my friends, and my family thought to throw something in the pot so I could write and play on the most beautiful, profound instrument I have ever come across. My own blood, sweat and tears will be there too - all the days of working at BART in the cold, in the heat, and in the dark will be in that piano. All the trivial tasks and errands that revolve around the production of music will be there, every last detail. Finally, all the support and love over all this time will be physically manifest in this instrument - which then can be turned into more music, for more experiences, for a better quality of life. Thank you all for every penny thrown in that hat and for every smile that kept me playing - please know that the money went to good use and that I will continue pushing forward and sharing. It is my greatest pleasure to do so.
MAIN COVER PHOTO: my street performing setup (Wurlitzer spinet piano) at Rockridge BART 1/12/2017
