Great jazz violinist John Blake Jr. passed away today. John was a great friend to me and to my string camps all through the years, teaching in each city I held them in several times. I had many great times and conversations with John over the years. One of the most important times was at the Music of the Heart and original Carnegie Hall benefits for the Harlem violin program. He said to me after we both had played our 10 minutes on stage sandwiched in between all of the classical greats - we are the only ones who played American music tonight, and it was for the Harlem violin program! It made me really think about what we could do and I began my string camps the following year and thinking about the central vision that places American violin playing and literature in its rightful place at the center of violin education now, no longer being held back by the status quo. Thank you John, especially for all the stories and research of string playing in Africa that you did and how it influenced American music through the fiddle. He shared a lot of it with me on a plane trip all the way back from overseas one time. We must have talked for 6 or 7 hours straight about it. I love you and your music and your spirit, your friendship and your inspiration for me and all of the kids that look up to you. Thanks for the many years of being at the string camps and inspiring generations of new players with your music and knowledge. I loved getting a tour through the Philadelphia Center Clef Club for Jazz that you were so proud of and getting to play there with you. Rest in peace John Blake, sincerely one of the greatest people I have known. The memory of me and the kids jamming late night at the Bell Tower at the Johnson City String Camp is the spirit that you left us with.
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 03:41:52 +0000