3 Questions for Today's Jazz Musicians

Pannonica de Koenigswarter’s book "Three Wishes," reports her fascinating story and displays her vast photo collection of her musician friends. Lilian Dericq’s book "Three Questions" concentrates on the responses of the 334 musicians, which frequently rise to the level of brilliance.

The first question brought two types of answers: one type picked an existing group like the 1965 Miles Davis quintet; a second group started listing their favorite musicians of all time, some of them naming upwards of 30 greats.

The second question led to many wonderful stories about a concert they were involved in, such as Anat Fort who played on Paul Motian’s last gig, or several who played at the White House for the Obamas.

As for the third wish, the very first entry by Aaron Parks sets the tone by asking for “a collective evolution of consciousness to realize that we are all here together;” It is remarkable how thoughtful and eloquent the responses are, and how they carry a deep sense of community, empathy, and generosity.