The K2B Show

Sept. 15, 2010 is the 30th anniv. of Bill Evan’s untimely death.

Something that happened during Bill Evan’s visit to the former NTSU Jazz Dept, now called UNT, that made me realize I was, in general, on the right track with music. (Thanks, btw, to the brilliant Dan Haerle, Bill’s friend, for bringing him in for us). At the time (Spring 1980?), my dad was dying from cancer and I was questioning my path in life.

Bill came to UNT and played for an assembly of all the 1500 or so jazz students. His playing was, of course, awesome and inspiring. Several times he said that he really appreciated playing for people that were dedicating their lives to jazz, as most of us were. You could tell it wasn’t just another concert for him.

Anyway, he played for us about 40 minutes and then, in the middle of a piece, he abruptly stopped, shook his head and there was a moment of silence before the gasps and murmurs started from the crowd. He then turned to the audience, stood up, and
raised both of his hands chest-high. He looked at his hands and then back to us. Then he said, “I’m sorry, really sorry. I can’t play for very long anymore before my hands puff up like this.”

Indeed, his hands were like over-inflated rubber gloves, more round than anything with small protruding digits. He seemed as if he was on the verge of tears and again said that he was sorry and that we were the people he really wanted to play for but couldn’t any longer. Then he said that since he couldn’t play any more, he could at least answer some questions from the audience, which he did.

I didn’t find out till later why his hands blew up like that, but at that very moment, I confirmed that music was the way for me. Not sure why really, it simply seemed right. Since this guy was overcoming amazing physical ailment and anguish just to play for us and to let us know that there was a flame to be passed on and carried on, I got lucky just then and figured that I should wake up and welcome it.

Dan did an amazing amount for jazz students back then (still does) and one of the most life-changing things he did for me was to bring his friend Bill Evans to NTSU. Thanks Bill, for dedicating YOUR life to the flame of creativity and for generously and graciously passing it on. And thanks, of course, to Dan for making it happen.