BeBop...glad you're feeling better.

I've sort of been there, but, because of Ray Brown's influence, stayed away from all hard drugs (except the kind we all smoked in college).

I drank four 4-four ounce old fashioned glasses of brandy six nights a week (minimum) for nearly 30 years. My favorite bartender estimated that it was over 3,000 gallons! That scared me to death, and I quit in 1988. The hardest part was listening to myself at 1:00 AM stone sober.

Ray took me to see some of the giants of Jazz
working in LA in 62-63. I was a wet behind the ears 16 year old and too stupid to appreciate what I saw and heard, but the list
included Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, Charlie Byrd,
Monk, Cannonball, Clark Terry and many more. What I saw were lonely, sick, unstable, unhappy old players. He told me to learn from, but never be like them. I didn't want to be like that, and I didn't think I was good enough to cut it, so I became a"full time" "part timer". With most types of music, you need to be adequate...with jazz you need to be the top of the heap if you have any chance of making it.

Jazz is so intense, potentially dark and destructive, but involves enjoyment and incredible highs if approached correctly.

If you haven't "been there", you'll never understand.

I'm really glad to know you, and I'm REALLY glad we're both survivors.

With great admiration and respect....


Russ




[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 03-20-2006).]