Ravi Shankar 1920-2012

can't believe so recently, 92 year olds Dave Brubeck, and now Ravi Shankar. The same age, and both legends in their genre. RIP #RaviShankar

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2012/12/11/avi-shankar-dies/1762831/





I can't lie in that I have known about his legend for many years, and have listened to some of his music, sparingly, but NOT NEARLY AS MUCH AS I SHOULD.

I even purchased, for like $1, his Live at Monterey International Pop Festival record on Vinyl. According to my friend John, he more or less was the best performer at Monterrey in '67, besides Hendrix.
But since I don't own a turn table yet, I can't play the record yet.

And of course he toured frequently, and eventually retired, but then came back, maybe more than once according to my friend.

Damn, Brubeck, Ray Charles, and many other legends who peaked long before my time, but still were around and played my hometown, and I never saw them :(.

His daughters are still around of course, Norah Jones and Anoushka Shankar. Although from my friend's accounts, when Anoushka would play with Ravi, the shows would always dropoff when Ravi wasn't playing.

O well, he did live a full life. RIP and Godspeed Ravi. There likely won't ever be a sitarist like you again.

Dave Brubeck 1920-2012

http://news.yahoo.com/jazz-great-dave-brubeck-dies-170159725.html


Upon seeing this news on Mike Portnoy's forum, I added this little background about him in the thread:

oh man.
 
I should share a little Dave anecdote personally. About 12 years ago, I went to the inaugural ProgPowerUSA in Lansing, ILL and got to chatting with a journalist of a sort by the name of James Bickers. And we got to chatting about music, prog metal and then other music we thought was relevant. And James stressed to me about how Jazz is a form of music people who love progressive stuff should listen to. And he specifically stated, start out and listen to Dave Brubeck. "He's an older fella, and we don't know how many more years he will be with us. We should cherish him while he's still around. But the spirit of progressive music is in his music."
 
And ever since then, especially given I was trying to get into more Jazz at the time and soon after, I always associated Dave with progressive music and his old age. Kind of sad, as I guess I always kept wondering how much longer he had left. And thankfully, he remained with us for nearly 12 more years after hearing about him in that conversation. I sadly, meant to, but never got to see him live. Although at least his sons are still carrying on his legacy and the tradition of his music.
 
RIP. 

I have always meant to really spend more time with his music, as I only really recall listening to Time Out (and at least knowing of many of his others, 1 being Brubeck Goes to College I recall) But James Bickers was right. Perhaps my Brubeck fandom will go up a lot in the next 2 or at least 12 years.
I wish Dean Magraw had known about this last night, as he may have thought to try and cover something by the man. I imagine it could happen soon anyway.

edit: Check Out James's personal account here, of his experience with Mr. Brubeck. Wow, he sounds like such a wonderful guy, I really wish I had been able to see him live, :(.