In the lobby at the Brightview assisted living center, the sounds of Fats Waller, Cole Porter or Scott Joplin that resonate in the lobby is not the background sound system, it’s lifetime musician Harvey Jacobson, 88, hammering out the classics on the grand piano over on the side. It’s a sound that’s appreciated by the residents and reminds people of the role jazz played in the United States.
“Mostly what I play is show music,” Harvey said, “it speaks to the consciousness, it’s uplifting,” he added. “They love my playing,” he added of his fellow residents. He used to live in Hybla Valley and gave piano lessons at Fort Belvoir at that time.
Everyone enjoys the music at Brightview Woodburn, said Vibrant Living Director Lisa Semonick. “Harvey flourishes when his peers enjoy his performances. It's amazing seeing his smile just light up when he finishes and everyone loves it,” she said.
These moments in the lobby might be a moment in time for some, but for Harvey, it’s the culmination of years at the piano in places as far as Carnegie Hall, Gloucester, England and John Hopkins University.
Piano was not only Jacobson’s livelihood, but music was his life passion as well. When COVID hit in 2020, everything came to a halt when the concerts and venues closed, leaving Jacobson without work. He found himself in a living situation with no access to a piano, separating him from his music. This was devastating for Jacobson. Music wasn’t just his career, it was his way of connecting with the world around him.
Jacobson moved into Brightview in early March, and since then, he has found a new community in both his fellow residents and staff.
As he was enveloped in all this musical experience, his immediate gravitation to the piano came naturally to Harvey. When he arrived, he immediately sat down for a song or two, or three. He rediscovered his love for piano and plays for staff, residents and visitors every day.
Jacobson doesn’t just play the piano, he brings joy to everyone around him.
