Entertainment
A young man starts playing jazz piano when old man jumps in for spontaneous duet
The results were magical!
Jessica Adler
01.21.21

The world we live in has undergone some huge cultural and social shifts.

Sometimes the best way to see it is to observe the generational gap that emerged from the millennial lifestyle. Having that in mind, it’s inevitable to feel warm and endeared after seeing how these two different generations found a common language– jazz.

At least, that’s what happened in this performance!

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

It only took one piano and two open-hearted men who love music.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

The beginning of the video is fairly simple—you see a young man playing piano in the middle of the street in Paris.

He’s focused, devoted and lost in the world of all those piano keys in front of him. And what’s his story? As it turns out, his name is Dotan Negrin and he makes his home in New York City.

instagram.com/pianoaround
Source:
instagram.com/pianoaround

In 2011, Negrin quit his 9-to-5 job to turn his life around.

He started playing at Union Square Park in New York and admits that he wasn’t good in the beginning. Today, he is an inspirational man that’s been living out of a van for six years. He has traveled to more than 500 cities, and made a lot of progress in the meantime. The man who joins Dotan at the piano is Frans Bak, a Danish composer, saxophonist and pianist.

In this video, the two outstanding men shared a seat at the piano together.

instagram.com/fransbak
Source:
instagram.com/fransbak

The result was spontaneous, lovable and uplifting.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

As the video begins, Dotan is approached by a man who simply asks, “Can I join you?”

Dotan replies, “Yeah” with a huge smile on his face. Who wouldn’t join him after a welcome like that? They sync together quickly and grab the attention of those passing by. There is a crowd around him, but they don’t seem to see it.

The way they loved playing that piano captured our hearts.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

For a moment, it looked as if Frans was playing piano with his past self.

It must be an honor for both of them to be able to play together. We imagine the conversation they had afterward. It’s almost as if Dotan set the mood and Frans told the rest of the story—that’s how well they blended. These two musical gentlemen are definitely speaking the same language!

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

You know the music has taken you over when you hear a car accelerating in the background, and the sound goes well with the tune they’re playing. Suddenly, you hear the rhythm in everything!

You may or may not like jazz, but you’ll probably love this duet.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

The sheet music for the piece they’re playing is in the video description.

If you find yourself swaying, tapping and finger-tapping in time with the music don’t worry—you’re not alone. The tune is catchy and it caught us off guard too. You just have to love the international language of music!

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

Speaking of international, Dotan’s new album “Piano Around the World” has just been released.

It consists of 12 tracks of original studio recordings composed by Negrin, recorded between 2014 and 2018.

This is how the world should be—with people filling each other in.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

The way the young man gave up his seat to the older guy is a great example of respect.

These two strangers improvised and made beautiful music together, and it’s phenomenal how we all can connect through music. We hope these men will have a lot more success in the future!

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

They’ve set the bar high, but we could learn from them: enjoy life and try to click in with people around you!

As they’ve shown in this video, there are plenty of pleasant surprises around every corner.

Check out their full performance in the clip below:

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Article Sources:
To learn more read our Editorial Standards.
Advertisement