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I was eight, sitting in the back of a small rowboat as the grandfather I'm named after was rowing us down the island to pick up the mail. I don't recall the gist of the conversation but my grandfather said something that has changed my life to this day, seven decades later.
I was eight, sitting in the back of a small rowboat as the grandfather I'm named after was rowing us down the island to pick up the mail. I don't recall the gist of the conversation but my grandfather said something that has changed my life to this day, seven decades later.
He said; “You know that if two out of every three decisions you make in life are wrong, as long as you keep making decisions, you will have a fulfilling life.” Struggling with parents bent on raising their perfect children, my grandfather had just given permission, even encouraged me to, make mistakes.
He said; “You know that if two out of every three decisions you make in life are wrong, as long as you keep making decisions, you will have a fulfilling life.” Struggling with parents bent on raising their perfect children, my grandfather had just given permission, even encouraged me to, make mistakes.
In the ensuing years, I was beginning to believe he had put a hex on me that two out of three were going to be wrong. Quite a comeuppance for a kid named wright. This followed me into college when the Vietnam anti-war demonstrations made me a regular visitor to Berkeley and San Francisco. There my love of jazz found me in a hole-in-the-wall nightclub called The Black Hawk. I was underage but they had an exclusive area for us with only cokes available. Once serendipity put me in front of Black Hawk during the day; I peeked inside with the lights on and discovered that no one in their right mind would be caught in that fire trap which appropriately was painted all black inside. In the end, the music was such that I still went back.
In the ensuing years, I was beginning to believe he had put a hex on me that two out of three were going to be wrong. Quite a comeuppance for a kid named wright. This followed me into college when the Vietnam anti-war demonstrations made me a regular visitor to Berkeley and San Francisco. There my love of jazz found me in a hole-in-the-wall nightclub called The Black Hawk. I was underage but they had an exclusive area for us with only cokes available. Once serendipity put me in front of Black Hawk during the day; I peeked inside with the lights on and discovered that no one in their right mind would be caught in that fire trap which appropriately was painted all black inside. In the end, the music was such that I still went back.
There I experienced the likes of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Thelonious Monk, Cal Tjader, Stan Getz, Dizzie Gillespie, Chet Baker; you get the idea. But there was one musician there who changed my whole concept of 'mistakes', Miles Davis. He came over after a set and in the repartee it came out that his belief was that there were no wrong notes; that what the critics would say was 'discordant' was not. That forces beyond the beyond would sometimes cause his wrong fingering, and that was the way it was supposed to be, that was the sound these forces wanted to be heard that night.
There I experienced the likes of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Thelonious Monk, Cal Tjader, Stan Getz, Dizzie Gillespie, Chet Baker; you get the idea. But there was one musician there who changed my whole concept of 'mistakes', Miles Davis. He came over after a set and in the repartee it came out that his belief was that there were no wrong notes; that what the critics would say was 'discordant' was not. That forces beyond the beyond would sometimes cause his wrong fingering, and that was the way it was supposed to be, that was the sound these forces wanted to be heard that night.
A couple of years later, in a jazz magazine I saw this quote; "Do not fear mistakes; there are none. - Miles Davis” Seven decades later I would add; “There are no mistakes, only lessons.” Out of love, I sometimes say or do something that is taken offensively. Only in the end to realize I was “the sound these forces wanted to be heard that night.”
A couple of years later, in a jazz magazine I saw this quote; "Do not fear mistakes; there are none. - Miles Davis” Seven decades later I would add; “There are no mistakes, only lessons.” Out of love, I sometimes say or do something that is taken offensively. Only in the end to realize I was “the sound these forces wanted to be heard that night.”
Love is . . . . . mistake free
Love is . . . . . mistake free
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