I guess I'm starting to feel like my father. It pains me to say that. You see, my dad gets upset when people he admired (or was a fan of) die. He goes through this ritual where he gets really, vocally, physically upset. Then he scours newspapers and the internet looking for the obituaries to read, and even print off to keep. Well, I've had some personal giants to me die recently, and they seem to be dropping like flies as of late. And two of them, I already know my Dad is reeling over.
The jazz guitarist Jim Hall died last week. Now up until two years ago, I didn't know much about him. However, when I start liking a musician, I start to try and unearth all of their recordings to collect and listen to. Jim Hall was one of those musicians. His guitar work is impeccable, and hard to be matched by anyone. Moreover, he was great person. You never read anything negative about him at all. If anything, every story talks of how endearing and personable he was. Luckily, I was able to see him live at Blues Alley in DC just last year. I went with my wife to see him play in a quartet known as Grand Slam. A grand slam it truly was, featuring Hall, Joe Lovano, George Mraz, and Lewis Nash. I took the one cd with me that they released. As Hall exited the stage, he was being escorted by someone helping him get along. He was up there in age, 82, and needed some assistance. He saw I had the cd on the table, and asked "Would you like me to sign that?" I replied "Of course!" He was so gracious and talked with us a bit, and I was able to get the rest of the band to sign it as well. It's a shame that he's gone, that I won't be able to see him play again. Also a shame that his death wasn't featured on the news and that many people don't know his music. Another jazz great died today as well, Horace Silver. I didn't know Silver until I viewed the documentary "A Great Day in Harlem" many years ago with my Dad. Even at that time, Silver was only one of a few folks left that were featured in that iconic jazz photo of 1958. He was a kind, gentle, intelligent man who had such respect for music in general, let alone jazz. He was always one I wanted to meet, or see live. Unfortunately that never happened. Yet, I can always listen to one of his great pieces, "Song for My Father." That way his legacy will stay around. Every time I listen to it I tear up a little as it reminds me of my Dad in many ways. A great piece of music! And as the same with Hall, a shame that his death wasn't featured on the news and that many people don't know his music. With plenty of questionable stuff out there like Miley Cyrus, Beiber and the like, expose children to positive role models that are serious musicians such as those mentioned above. It just might be a small step in making the world a better place.
1 Comment
Benjamin Schmitt
3/5/2014 10:42:57 am
Ok...after several rounds, days, weeks of research, it seems as though the Horace Silver thing was a hoax. Not really happy about that because of the hoax. Had me in a bit of a slump. However, happy that he's still walking the earth with us. An amazing man and musician.
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