Mentors

Within the space of of a month, we have lost two great mentors of jazz. Hal Malcolm and John "Coach" Moawad were pioneers of vocal jazz education. Beyond that influence, they touched thousands of lives with their passion, humor and loving care. They were more than great musicians and teachers. They were great motivators of people.

For me personally they were mentors and friends. They reached out to me and gave me many opportunities and challenges to foster my growth as a musician and as a human being. I am a better person for them having been a part of my life and this is a better world for the great legacy they have left behind.

Rest in Peace.

Christmas in the Tropics

This is not my first Christmas in a place where a "White Christmas" would be impossible (rather than just unlikely), and the whole experience altered by climate and culture. I remember some creative attempts at Christmas trees as a kid, including one year using the branch of a mango tree. The one family tradition that I remember with fondness, but never have seen elsewhere or attempted to replicate as an adult, was the home-made banner decorations using white tissue paper as the banner and cut stars in red and green foil.

This Christmas will be one of the most unusual. Although all my friends have left town and my family is celebrating on the opposite side of the world, I am sharing it with one of my favorite dogs and she always has her own way of adding color to events. For Christmas Eve, I'll be eating an Italian Christmas meal and joining in with hundreds of others in the Christmas Eve Midnight Carol Service at St. George's Cathedral. Then I'll have a Christmas breakfast and probably a seafood brunch on the beach.

I'm looking forward to experiencing a different kind of magical event which Christmas always seems to bring. Merry Christmas to all, and as Tiny Tim would say. "God bless us, everyone!"

Chennai update

Five months in Chennai and I’m finally catching up. I think I would have been better about updating if I was here for a short visit, but I live here and it doesn’t feel extraordinary most of the time. Of course, there are times when I step back and realize that I’m in an exotic country and I can marvel.

It’s an amazing feeling living in a place and actually doing the “tourist thing.” I’ve found that in most places I’ve lived, I’ve only visited the high spots to show visitors from out of town how cool it is. This time around I am striving to be an unabashed tourist.

For instance, I visited this beautiful church on a Saturday morning and realized that they were setting up for a wedding. I just went on snapping pictures left and right, “oblivious” to the fact—American tourist at his best. In fairness, they were at a very early stage of preparations and I wasn’t in the way.

St. Andrews Kirk is a “youngish” church, (about 1821). It’s loosely based on St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Trafalgar Square, London).

I also have the luxury to go back if I miss something. I’ve been to Mammalapuram three times so far, and I have plans to go back. The second time I went, I barely had time to see the sights. We settled into a beachside restaurant for a brunch that lasted for several hours—seafood, great conversation and a great view. I ended up skipping most of the photographs I wanted to take that day and went back another time. There are some other destinations that I will re-visit with friends, as that tends to color your experience.

The 7th Century Shore Temple at Mammalapuram, as viewed from Bob Marley's beachside restaurant.

Perhaps the best plan will be to abandon chronology and share experiences of different places and events in my time here so far.

Happy updating!