The Deal with Geniuses

One of the the unfortunate bits about being a musician is the sobering reality that there are lots of folks that are talented and beautiful people that will probably never get enough recognition/money/fame for their contributions to the craft. But there it is; we have the famous musicians that on which our increasingly myopic media focuses attention upon, with the trappings of money and fame (I won't bother naming names, because I'm sure you could think of dozens of examples right now) thrown in.

But also out there are the composers, conductors and performers that will never get that national radio play in any big way, but they are talented and dedicated to their craft. If there was justice, these folks would be rich and famous and recognized to the level of their ability, but since the broader public may not be in sync/understand their work (i.e. there is a level of technical and emotional complexity going on) they just continue to operate as regionally recognized talents and left at that, for better or worse.

Anyway here's a video made by some friends of mine that really deserve recognition.

Joe LoCascio is a friend and mentor of mine that I got to know when I lived in Houston. I would call his playing/compositional style rather a mix of Bill Evans and Chick Corea, although these metaphors are really my crude ways of identifying a sound and style that is really unique. I remember a lesson with him in which we spent most of the hour talking about Berg Op. 1 and when I showed his some of my tunes, he always found a way to push me into notes and rhythms that never even crossed my mind, and for this I am forever grateful.

I got to know Richard Cholakian when he, myself, and Dave Klingensmith used to run a jam session at Munchies in Houston. I had to play this ramshackle piano, but I learned a bunch. Rich was this great and gentle soul who had the world's crappiest drum kit (used and abused!) that we used to kid him about. Anyway this was my first organized exposure to jazz playing, and I'm grateful to Rich et al for being there for me. In this video he looks older and more clean than I remember him (although I think I still recognize parts of the kit!)

Last time I play with Tom Helton was at the Magnolia in downtown Houston, which was actually the last time I played with Mike Lefabvre (just a few months before he died, although I had no idea at the time). It was a fun gig that I remember fondly. I also played with him sporadically at joints like Sullivan's before I left town in '99

Anyway, I hope these guys get to be rich and famous. They deserve it.