"I just got up," says Harry Connick Jr., laughing. "You¹re throwing these tough questions at me."
      To be sure, this not quite boy wonder is capable of handling anything that is thrown at him. As one industry observer suggested in the early 1990s, it was Connick defying all the logic of the synthesizer-dominated, dance-oriented era by becoming an improbable pop star in performing music of the big-band era and compositions of his own that recall that romantic period of the 1940s and 1950s.
      Along the way, he won Grammy awards, an Oscar, became a film star, played the White House, gave a command performance at Windsor Castle and sang to Sinatra on his 75th birthday.
      Beyond all the comparisons to Sinatra, Thelonious Monk and Fred Astaire, what does this vocalist/pianist¹s music mean, really mean, to him? "Oh, man, I just don¹t think about it like that," Connick replies. "I just love playing so much. It gives me a great sense of enjoyment."
      While he acknowledges that the communications aspect of music is important to him, he says that is so obvious that he doesn¹t even think about it. The artist says he just wants people to have a good time with his music.
      "I do so many different kinds of songs, some sad, some happy love songs, I just want them to leave a concert feeling better than when they came in," he adds.
      By now, his fans have come to expect him to keep them off guard with his recording projects. "Every day you grow a little bit," he explains. "A year from now hopefully I¹ll be a year better than I am now. I worked my whole life for my music. I just love it."
      Only You, his latest CD, is a continuation of that love affair, drawing on his talents as vocalist, pianist, composer, arranger and orchestrator to reexamine some classic ballads from the 1950s and 1960s. In part, Connick says, he wanted to focus on songs that had their second success in the 1950s. That includes "My Prayer," a hit for the Platters in the 1950s. The Ink Spots had done it in the 1930s.
      He chose songs like "My Blue Heaven" and "I Only Have Eyes For You", material, he says, which has a solid history, because he remembers hearing them as a boy.
      A love of music is apparent in every one of Connick¹s albums. He began as a New Orleans-style jazz pianist, adding his touch to standards on his first two albums, Harry Connick Jr. and 20. His big break came with the soundtrack to When Harry Met Sally, the romantic comedy directed by Rob Reiner and starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. Connick¹s soulful voice on a dozen standards, accompanied by Marc Shaiman¹s orchestral arrangements, gave a timeless feel to the film and made Connick a star.
      He next gave voice to his own compositions, both vocally ("We Are In Love") and instrumentally (the trio album Lofty¹s Roach Souffle), but it was the big band album that followed, Blue Light Red Light, that stands as one of Connick¹s grandest achievements.
      Featuring a dozen originals, all arranged and sung by the artist, the album allowed him to take his big band out on the road for the first time and wow audiences who hadn¹t heard this style in some time.
      Though big band is one of the genres he¹s explored, Connick says he is not trying to bring back to prominence that or any particular kind of music. "I grew up playing different kinds of music," he recalls. "I¹m not into a 1940s revival. That generation¹s over with. It was a great time, from what I hear, but music can¹t grow if you¹ve got to revive stuff all your life. I¹m real happy where I am. I have the benefit of listening to all that great music [of the past] on records and I¹m living in a very exciting time."
      Connick would like to have seen the big band era first-hand, but that¹s not the only music he missed. "It¹s just like I would have liked to have seen Led Zeppelin live or Queen. The 1940s have no special meaning to me."
      In the same context, he does not think that the many younger people who attend his concerts are trying to experience an era they missed. "I think people like sincerity, and we are sincere about our music. I don¹t know if audiences are comparing it to anybody. I¹m just glad they are coming."
      Connick concedes that, for some people, there may be a historical or societal correlation to their being drawn to his music. "It¹s tough to generalize. Some people probably want that; some people could probably care less. They just want to have a good time at the show. I don¹t think it makes a difference when I came along."
      He speaks of entertainers and artists striving to be "artistically controversial," and he¹s done his share of that. For example, he followed up his successful Christmas album in 1992 with She and Star Turtle, two hard-rocking funk albums.
      At the time, he said he did not want to disappoint die-hard jazz fans, while expressing hope that people would recognize that he is serious about everything he does and give the approach a chance. "Every album I¹ve done is music I grew up with. Funk was just a different style," he explains. "I¹ve been really happy playing music I¹ve played my whole life. I love to perform and play music, try new things. I think people respect that sincerity. That¹s really all I know how to do, give it all I got."
      He loves rock and roll too, he says. "I hope people will associate me with [just] music. It¹s not about pigeonholing, I guess. But I can understand that I¹ve definitely established myself as a jazz musician. Some jazz fans might raise an eyebrow [when he plays another genre]. I¹ve got to do what is right for me. People are more than welcome to come along for the ride."
      It would be easy to be controversial running down the street with no clothes on, Connick says. "I¹d probably get some press on that. People would talk a lot," he says, laughing. "But to do something artistically controversial, something worthy within one¹s own art form, people have been doing that for a long time. It¹s hard to think of anything that¹s new that¹s controversial artistically, something that will shock even yourself. It¹s something that either happens or it doesn¹t. If people approve or not, I¹ll keep playing."
      Connick says he loves playing, whatever the style. His Harry for the Holidays collection of Christmas music was a hit last fall and winter, and he loved taking that music to people live. "Just to get up there and play is a great thrill to me," he says. "It really is the greatest feeling I know. Every night I get the same thrill. It¹s a really great feeling that I don¹t think I¹ll ever lose."
      Perhaps it is because he first generated those feelings at such an early age. At 6, he played the piano well enough to perform "The Star-Spangled Banner" at his father¹s swearing-in ceremony as district attorney of New Orleans. He later would be asked to perform the national anthem at both a Super Bowl and a World Series.
      Before he was 10, Connick debuted with a New Orleans jazz band. Working in clubs in the French Quarter, he studied piano with Ellis Marsalis and James Booker. While a student at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, he won several piano competitions and performed with the New Orleans Symphony.
      The late jazz legend Buddy Rich, impressed with then 9-year-old Harry¹s piano style, asked him to tour. Connick¹s parents suggested that he should at least finish elementary school first. (Harry¹s mom, a judge, died when he was 13.) Harry was but 18 when he released his self-titled debut album on Columbia Records.
      The impressive diversity of his work, crossing mediums of expression, has not gone unrecognized, including three Grammy awards and his nominations for Tony, Emmy, Oscar, Golden Globe and Cable Ace awards.
      He says he loves to perform in any medium. Connick¹s films include Memphis Belle, Hope Floats and Independence Day. Early in his career he played a lovesick musician with a crush on Rebecca Howe (played by Kirstie Alley) on TV¹s Cheers. He was showcased in the ABC TV production of South Pacific and he has a recurring role on NBC¹s Will & Grace. "TV is a kick," he says.
      He made his Broadway debut in 1990 with his orchestra. "That was a show in its own category in my life," he says. "It was one of the most special times."
      He likely is accustomed by now to hearing people tell him how special is his artistry. And while he concedes, "compliments feel nice," he tries not to be distracted by the assessment of others. "I just try to play the best I can. Everyone loves compliments, but I don¹t spend any time trying to apply someone else¹s definition to myself."
      He just wants to improve, he says. "There is a lot of music left to be played, a lot of piano left to play. I want to develop my voice really strong. I just have got a real strong drive to be a good musician. What I¹m specifically trying to do changes all the time."