Chicago, like most large American cities is a microcosm of our general American inattentiveness and ennui. The “south side” has been a problem since before I was born and musicians have always had to navigate their way thru this for many decades. Yeah, it’s gotten more intensely dangerous especially since the Reagan years, but it was no picnic before him either. The AACM has been a sustaining force since the mid-60s, but, to be honest, it may not have even developed any further than Muhal’s band if it weren’t for the political and economic upheaval that developed quickly right after the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

I’ll tell you tho: Roscoe knows how to wear a suit!

Logan and Grimes were just discovered favorites of mine recently. Within a few years our living jazz greats are going to be reduced to who exactly? Ughhh.

I'm dreading the demise of Pharoah, Sonny, and...

Cecil Taylor, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter...

ummm... Cecil's been gone a while now.

I had completely forgotten he died two years ago. F*cking hell.

lol

It’s hard to keep it straight any more, though, tbh

I spent several hours going over his discography to acknowledge his passing.

Of the jazz artists who died in my time Max Roach probably saddened me the most. I read or heard or maybe just assumed he was no longer aware that he was one of the greatest drummers ever because he died of a brain disorder that caused serious mental impairment.

I hope I was wrong. I hope he knew to the end how much better he left the world.

To be fair, I forgot a lot of stuff.

I never remembered which one of my aunts and uncles were dead until they all died. That greatly simplified the matter. I still don’t remember their ****ing names.

I have not spoken to my cousins who I grew up with until I was ten in about 15 years and they have been about seven miles away the whole time. My family likes to isolate. We're made for this kind of world right now. Yesterday I stopped by my parents house to get some paper towels as they had a good amount and my dad literally threw them out the front window and said "This was your mothers idea. I love you but f*ck outta here please thanks."

I lol'd. He's a pisser.