Thinking of the Mighty Jack Rose

The first snowfall of this winter.

I was coming from my studio in kensington on the el towards 69th street and the train exited the tunnel at 46th street. My recently acquired cell phone rang and it was my best friend Chris. He said I have bad news and literally as he told me the snow began to fall. Big, fluffy, beautiful flakes around 3 pm on the 5th of december, the first snowfall this winter and Jack Rose is gone. Chris and I only spoke for a stop or two and then I rode the rest of the way looking out the window thinking of Jack. The snowfall held fast while I transferred to a trolley and even when I walked the few blocks to the house. I was in a trance really absolutely stunned that the Mighty Jack Rose was gone.

I often joke that i have the musical taste of a 15 year old girl (from the valley circa 1982, manchester/glasgow 1985-89, or even new jersey circa 1997-2007) yet that is only partially true. I do have a wider fondness for music due in part to my close friends Chris Smith, Jack Sloss, Steve Gunn, Dan Murphy and many others whose own musical obsessions have tipped me to varying corners of sound. That is how I got to know the music of Jack Rose. I went to see him play numerous times, at first because friends were appearing on bills with him, yet quickly realized he was the main draw. I remember fondly sitting on a floor in a bookshop just watching his nimble fingers so effortlessly coaxing the most beautiful music.

This summer I got to hang out with Jack and eat his delicious pizza at a real record head party. Chris set his tube amp system up and everyone gathered around to hear the great sounds. There were alot friends their so even I got to play three songs like everyone else. I started with Marianne Faithfull's 'Easy in the City' and Harmonica Dan remarked that he had bought an autographed copy for super cheap that very morning and I told him I had bought this exact record from record exchange years ago. This was days after Michael Jackson died so I of course went next to 'Billie Jean' (also Thriller is an amazing sounding record) and Jack Rose immediately left the room. He was so mad I played Michael Jackson, but it was funny. It was totally cool, it was just that he had his standards and Thriller was not under consideration. Jack would probably hate for me to be talking about him alongside Michael jackson but I am going to anyway. They both were immensely talented, driven, complex and yes, kind people taken from the Earth far far too soon. Jack Rose was the coolest dude, a tough yet tender comrade. I was able to talk to him about my work and he sought me out at shows to say hi. I saw him last a week or so ago when he was DJing and he seemed so great. It is so terrible that he is gone, he was an inspiration and friend to so many and a dear dear husband to Laurie. I am so shocked and saddened that I won't get to see him again.