A week of deep loss...

Earlier this week I buried one of the sweet women of our town - for some reason her death hit me hard. But the news that Bert Jansch died this week, too knocked me on my ass.  I LOVED his music:  his guitar playing - and combination of blues, jazz and Celtic folk songs - changed the way I thought and played and even heard music.  I suspect that his songs were the first jazz I ever embraced. (Well, ok, maybe Vince Guaraldi and the Peanuts tunes and "Cast Your Fate to the Wind.") But Jansch - a Glaswegian along with his side-kick John Renbourne - lit up my world when they played in Pentangle.  They had the sweetest sound to my ears...

And now I just read that dear Steve Jobs has passed, too - another man who changed my world - and the world of so many with his brilliant computers and IPODs and all the rest.  The world will sing the glories of brother Jobs, so let me just say the Jansch was a genius and I am grateful that he shared his gifts. 

Rest in peace, dear brothers.  Maybe I can dedicate a song to you tomorrow night as we open the Pittsfield Jazz Festival...

For more background, check out: http://www.spin.com/articles/british-folk-pioneer-bert-jansch-dead-67