Didn't hear about this till last night and I'm shocked. I'm incredibly sad about it and it's a huge loss for everyone who knew him. He was a really big deal to me, represented my favourite things about music and I met him at an impressionable age, a lopsided situation where he went about business as usual and it left a huge impression on me.
Five years ago Jack and Glenn Jones were the first guys my friend&I set up a gig for in Manchester. Their sets, and their warmth and enthusiasm blew away my expectations; debating Fahey sidemen&women as we drove back, going record shopping (Jack acting like a shamed addict when he couldn't resist an unknown Strawbs lp), cooking them breakfast, singing along to Blind Blake in the car. Jack knew stories about sarod players I'd never heard of and funny songs about Bill Monroe; he had the rare combination of an amazing pair of hands and an amazing pair of ears. He was wild-haired&huge, forceful but polite, w/hearty appetites and generous to a fault, making me feel like a friend the couple of times I saw him afterwards. He was like no one I'd met in my 19 years and he was the coolest thing I'd ever seen.
His hollow-necked guitar (so light) was magical to me, watching him hunching over -shaking his hair out the way and coughing- dwarfing it, making it sizzle&spit was awesome and incredibly satisfying. & I'll never forget the volume the first time I saw him, making a joke of our effort to mic him, flooding the church hall (we got a great sounding venue at least). I've seen other guitarists who, yknow, play the guitar, but he could use it to play the room, to burn the acoustics into your brain (Sundogs especially). And yeah, Linden Avenue Stomp is the absolute jam, the keen of Guitar Rag swinging ten times as hard, freedom music.
Just knowing he was out there having a blast made me happy and this is really hard news to hear. I didn't make the trip over to see him on his last tour because I assumed I could catch him again soon. It's been good to read anecdotes and recollections here&elsewhere, it sounds like he went quickly and painlessly, it's obvious a lot of people loved him and it seems like he was content. It's going to be weird to hear the new album&DVD when they come out, but it's kind of nice to have one more thing to look forward to.
― ogmor, Tuesday, 8 December 2009 20:26 (fourteen years ago) link
A slew of wonderful memories up at Terrascope:
http://www.terrascope.co.uk/Features/Jack_Rose_Obituary.htm
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 8 December 2009 21:20 (fourteen years ago) link
And a Facebook memories group went up yesterday. My contribution was to find bits from the interview I did with him for Loose Lips Sink Ships, which isn't online anywhere to my knowledge. Here's his thoughts:
---
"Once something is out there, it's really no longer yours. Everybody has their own interpretations, feelings, and they're free to think or say anything they want about my music. I'm honored to be mentioned along with the Takoma masters, Glenn and Harris. Folk, American Primitive, whatever -- they're just labels."
"I always try to play from my feelings and subconscious. A couple of times I have had reference points to what the song may be about. 'Mountaintop Lament' was recorded for my friend's film about mountaintop removal in West Virginia, so I was thinking about mountains blowing up when recording it. 'Linden Ave Stomp' refers to the place where Fahey made his 1st recordings, although I don't think the song is about that. Most of the time I think my songs are about abstract feelings I have and letting my id run free."
"Scholar might be a good word to also describe what I do. I've been obsessive about pre-war American music for most of my life, so that's reflected in what I do. I always think the best music is music that turns people on to what came before. If it wasn't for the Sun City Girls, I might not have discovered the joys of Indian music and other pan-Asian indigenous musics."
"I think taking yourself seriously is bad for one's music. I hate humorless musicians because usually those folks are too wrapped up in their own egos to create good music."
"I'm always trying to do something different from the last record. I've never been interested in staying in the same place musically for too long. Although the guitar will most likely always be my instrument of choice, I'm always trying to search for something new and unknown."
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 10 December 2009 15:55 (fourteen years ago) link
such a class act.
― Trip Maker, Thursday, 10 December 2009 16:03 (fourteen years ago) link
ny times obit - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/arts/music/09rose.html?_r=2&em
― tylerw, Thursday, 10 December 2009 16:19 (fourteen years ago) link
'Mountaintop Lament' was recorded for my friend's film about mountaintop removal in West Virginia
been wanting to see this, it was made by a local baltimore filmmaker http://www.blackdiamondsmovie.com
― too shart (am0n), Thursday, 10 December 2009 16:22 (fourteen years ago) link
Every day this sucks just a little bit more.I encourage everyone to check out the Dr Ragtime and His Pals record on Tequila Sunrise. So beautiful.
― Trip Maker, Thursday, 10 December 2009 16:47 (fourteen years ago) link
For anyone who hasn't seen it, Byron Coley on Jack- http://www.arthurmag.com/2009/12/08/one-for-jack-by-byron-coley
He's also on the DVD Glenn Jones and Jack have coming out next year. An hour long set each and then a half hour guys-hanging-out interview thing.
― ogmor, Thursday, 10 December 2009 20:58 (fourteen years ago) link
Memorial services are announced:
Saturday, December 12, 2009Visitation: 1:00 PMService: 2:00 PMVisitation and services taking place at:Bringhurst Funeral Home225 Belmont AvenueBala Cynwyd PA 19004610-668-9900Interment to follow at:West Laurel Hill Cemetery215 Belmont AvenueBala Cynwyd PA 19004610-664-1591Please feel free to bring photos of Jack to display during the service.There will be a Memorial Gathering in Philadelphia on the evening of Saturday December 12, 2009, following the services.Details regarding the Memorial Gathering will be announced at frontporchproductions.org when confirmed.
Visitation: 1:00 PMService: 2:00 PM
Visitation and services taking place at:Bringhurst Funeral Home225 Belmont AvenueBala Cynwyd PA 19004610-668-9900
Interment to follow at:West Laurel Hill Cemetery215 Belmont AvenueBala Cynwyd PA 19004610-664-1591
Please feel free to bring photos of Jack to display during the service.
There will be a Memorial Gathering in Philadelphia on the evening of Saturday December 12, 2009, following the services.
Details regarding the Memorial Gathering will be announced at frontporchproductions.org when confirmed.
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 10 December 2009 21:02 (fourteen years ago) link
The link to Front Porch Productions adds this:
Please join us to further honor our kin, friend and teacher Jack Rose following the official services in Bala Cynwyd. We will be gathering at the Latvian Society of Philadelphia on Saturday December 12th from 8pm to 2am to keep company, share memories and say further goodbyes. For Jack, friendship was an art, bringing people together another of his gifts. We warmly welcome all to stop by, catch up with friends and family, and enjoy the company of those brought together by our dear Jack.Latvian Society of Philadelphia531 North 7th Street (7th and Spring Garden)Philadelphia, PA 19123-3501
Latvian Society of Philadelphia531 North 7th Street (7th and Spring Garden)Philadelphia, PA 19123-3501
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 10 December 2009 21:03 (fourteen years ago) link
Finally, an overall tribute site is now up:
http://www.drragtime.com/
Thanks for all the info and links, Ned.My heart still hurts from this...
― sknybrg, Thursday, 10 December 2009 22:32 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah, it really sucks -- i didn't know anything about the guy personally before he passed, but it seems like he was a pretty beloved figure ...
― tylerw, Thursday, 10 December 2009 22:33 (fourteen years ago) link
My strongest memory of Jack: he was playing midway on a bill of folk-pop bands at the Garage in London. Glenn Jones was on directly before him, and a lot of people in the audience had talked through the whole set; someone said to Glenn, "Why don't you tell them to shut up?" and he replied, "Oh, I can't do that." Then Jack came out, stood in the middle of the stage and shouted, "Shut the fuck up you fucking limeys!" at the top of his voice. He then proceeded to play the most intense set of solo, instrumental folk songs I've ever heard. After a couple of pieces he snapped a string and had to switch to his backup instrument, a huge 12-string guitar. It was hopelessly out of tune and he ended up playing a long atonal improvisation, which didn't go down too well.
By all accounts that incident was far from representative; I saw him play twice more, and he was extremely amiable and laidback on each occasion. But I still remember it with some fondness. RIP
― The Boxing Pretzel Wizard, Saturday, 12 December 2009 04:25 (fourteen years ago) link
Chris Scofield of Strange Attractors Audio House just sent around this description of the forthcoming DVD with Jack and Glenn Jones, and with his permission I'll post it here -- he apologizes for any grammatical errors, and says there will be more information forthcoming as the time draws nearer:
Yes, the completion of this DVD is just around the bend. This has been inthe works since the idea germinated last August, the sessions shot in Sept2008. A very experienced filmmaker named Jesse Sheppard approached Glennabout his wish to capture he and Jack on film. There are many folks who areperforming today as part of a "new guard" celebrating the solo acousticsteel string tradition by moving it forward - Steffen Basho-Junghans, JamesBlackshaw, Harris Newman, Sean Smith, Sir Richard Bishop, just to name a few- but Jack and Glenn are two of the most traditional leading the pack, andunique in the sense that they are friends and collaborators who representtwo generations of the idiom, share many similarities in their styles, butalso share just as many marked differences. Jack and Glenn both took to soloacoustic early in their lives, abandoned it for rock and experimentalhybrids, yet both came back and embraced it later on, which I findinteresting. The tandem is a well-rounded representation of solo guitar,past, present and future, and its two leading lights, and this is what thefilmmaker sought to achieve, which I believe he has done impeccably.
The filmmaker's core idea was to document them in performance but not infront of an audience, rather in an intimate setting, in which the musicianscan tell their story to the camera through their art. The sessions tookplace in a loft in Brooklyn - three cameras, and the musicians, creating astudio in someone's lovely home. Each one plays a set of music, each songmarking "takes" just as in the recording studio, the best performances beingused. The way it was shot aims to evoke the atmosphere of performance, asif you the viewer were watching the performer, live and alone, with someflourishes of what the eye may focus on (the playing, close ups of facialexpressions, in between takes a wandering eye to the surroundings, etc),using a blend of multiple angles. It was shot impeccably, on film, notvideo.
Jack nailed all eight songs in the first take, save for one which he got inthe second. Jack's playing, especially the 6-string stuff, is so monstrous,very big and ballsy, whereas Glenn's is especially cinematic and complex.There are two songs of Jack and Glenn performing together as well, which arejust awesome ("Linden Avenue Stomp" and "Miss May's Place"), eight from Jacksolo and six from Glenn solo (about 35 minutes each). The sonic and filmquality is INCREDIBLE.
Our own Byron Coley interviewed Jack and Glenn for a 36 minuteconversational. This is just brilliant in my opinion, because the interviewquickly becomes an informal talk amongst three people who are obviouslyfriends with one another, and so it comes across very comfortable andsincere. Three dudes shooting being asked questions and shooting the shit,telling stories, joking with one another, etc. I learned a lot from it,about the musicians themselves, inspirations, the solo acoustic tradition,and how each musician feels about each other's playing (especially revealingand endearing stuff here). Glenn is such a scholar of the idiom, and hispersonal stories about Fahey and Basho are wonderful, and Jack's personalityjust shines. My heartfelt thanks to Byron for doing this, it really isamazing stuff.
"Bonus" footage does capture Jack and Glenn playing live at a gig both werebilled on in Philadelphia, in March of this year. Three songs by each. Allin all, the DVD clocks in at nearly 2 1/2 hours.
Graphic design is by Josh Pfeffer (who is responsible formany of the great designs on Strange Attractors BTW, including all of theGlenn Jones and all of the Cul de Sac releases except "ImmortalityLessons"). The cover is literally being finalized now, and it is lookingwonderful. DVD will be housed in a cardstock-style amaray.
Glenn endearingly entitled the DVD last week 'The Things That We Used toDo'. Heartwrenching.
This film has always intended to be a celebration of the work of two veryimportant artists and a particular musical style. The passing of Jack in noway alters this intent, if anything it reinforces the importance ofcelebrating his work. I feel very fortunate that his playing was capturedon film, if anything because as Glenn pointed out to me, footage of Fahey isrelatively sparse given his canon of work, and with Basho its basicallynon-existent. I am very humbled to help bring this project to fruition andto further spread the gospel of Jack and Glenn.
I tried to send a photo from the sessions to share with everyone on thelist, but I think the file was too big. Anyone with a Facebook account cancheck one out posted here:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Strange-Attractors-Audio-House/140771171629
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 17 December 2009 18:41 (fourteen years ago) link
Just posted my radio tribute to Jack over at the Holy Victrola weblog. Songs from Jack in all his ensembles and solo, plus other things that may or may not have been the kind of music he dug.I mean, I'd read his praise of the Pigpen led Dead burner "Easy Wind" before, and obviously Fahey was an influence, but I just kinda figured that maybe he was a Charalambides fan, and I just got to hear Market Square for the first time, so...anyway....One of his friends told me to play something from Link Wray's self-titled, so I've got faith in that, at least.
― Trip Maker, Saturday, 19 December 2009 16:17 (fourteen years ago) link
cool! looks like a great playlist. Not that it would fit in with what you played, but judging from some of his friends' remembrances, Jack was quite the Doors booster ...
― tylerw, Saturday, 19 December 2009 16:37 (fourteen years ago) link
Damn. Missed opportunity. We've got Strange Days at KOPN.
― Trip Maker, Saturday, 19 December 2009 16:38 (fourteen years ago) link
A Valentine for Jack Rose
http://issueprojectroom.org/2010/01/18/a-valentine-for-jack-rose/
Wow, Michael Chapman playing in Brooklyn. I wouldn't think that happens often.
― Thus Sang Freud, Friday, 22 January 2010 17:03 (fourteen years ago) link
He played in Harlam a few years ago!He might be playing at the store too, but it's unconfirmed as of yet...
― Joint Custody (ian), Friday, 22 January 2010 17:18 (fourteen years ago) link
lol harlam.
Yikes! Don't let me miss that one. The in-store, I mean.
― Thus Sang Freud, Friday, 22 January 2010 17:41 (fourteen years ago) link
i'll keep the internet posted.
― Joint Custody (ian), Friday, 22 January 2010 19:58 (fourteen years ago) link
Feb. 13, Philly: A Record Release Party and Memorial Concert for JACK ROSE
"Jack Rose passed away suddenly at home in Philadelphia on December 5, 2009. He was widely regarded as the most profound exponent of acoustic guitar playing of his generation. Jack grew to be loved and admired by a great many people through his live performances, electric personality, serious cooking skills and a general mastery in the art of friendship. This concert is a release party for his new album Luck In The Valley and an occasion to celebrate and remember the good Dr. Ragtime. The artists performing were all dear friends of Jack’s and admired by him musically."
Saturday, February 13, 2010 – 7:00 PMLatvian Society of Philadelphia – 531 N. 7th Street
Tickets: $18Available now: http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/4067
Performers:D. Charles Speer & The HelixThurston Moore | Paul Flaherty | Chris CorsanoMichael ChapmanPeltThe Black Twig PickersGlenn JonesByron ColeyMeg Baird | Chris ForsythMegajam Booze BandDJ Ian NagoskiVideo clips curated by Tara Young
More info: http://www.arthurmag.com/2010/01/19/memorial-concert-for-jack-rose/
― jaybabcock, Friday, 22 January 2010 23:06 (fourteen years ago) link
Meanwhile, Strange Attractors has put up the first teaser trailer from the forthcoming DVD. Looks like it should be a winner and a half:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0r3weDRgKE
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 23 January 2010 03:50 (fourteen years ago) link
whoa, that philly memorial show sounds great. i hope tickets are still available in two weeks, i don't think i can afford it now...
― spastic heritage, Saturday, 23 January 2010 04:16 (fourteen years ago) link
The memories continue:
http://citypaper.net/articles/2010/02/11/blues-for-jack-rose
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 11 February 2010 19:29 (fourteen years ago) link
Miss this guy. Really looking forward to the posthumous album this year.
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Thursday, 11 February 2010 19:33 (fourteen years ago) link
Long form trailer for the upcoming DVD now up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ5tSbLZdfM
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 15 February 2010 05:08 (fourteen years ago) link
I've been fortunate enough to receive an early review copy of the DVD with Glenn Jones. It's a treasure, and it's just nice to see Jack again, in some way.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 7 April 2010 03:48 (fourteen years ago) link
Meanwhile, here's the information again on the tribute collection, due for release in a couple of weeks online:
http://www.fina-music.com/catalog/index.html?id=104712
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 7 April 2010 03:52 (fourteen years ago) link
Good to see some more Jack stuff being released. I admittedly still need to pick up Luck in the Valley -- will do that this week.
― I just wish he hadn't adopted the "ilxor" moniker (ilxor), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 13:04 (fourteen years ago) link
http://uabab.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/jack-rose-luck-in-the-valley.jpg
jesus christ
what a joyous, mystical, wonderful record
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Tuesday, 12 October 2010 19:26 (thirteen years ago) link
Agree -- it's fabulous.
― more than ever convinced ilxor is a sock (ilxor), Tuesday, 12 October 2010 20:07 (thirteen years ago) link
:(
― am0n, Tuesday, 12 October 2010 20:11 (thirteen years ago) link
i was just listening to opium musick this morning.
― not everything is a campfire (ian), Tuesday, 12 October 2010 22:16 (thirteen years ago) link
I played Raag Manifestos the other night. Really great album.
― more than ever convinced ilxor is a sock (ilxor), Tuesday, 12 October 2010 22:18 (thirteen years ago) link
http://delta-slider.blogspot.com/2010/03/jack-rose-brickbat-books-bootlegs.html
― tylerw, Tuesday, 12 October 2010 22:22 (thirteen years ago) link
A year ago today.
Rest well, sir. We all still miss ya.
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 5 December 2010 17:48 (thirteen years ago) link
^^^^^ this
― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Sunday, 5 December 2010 18:16 (thirteen years ago) link
^^^^^^
― Stockhausen's Ekranoplan Quartet (Elvis Telecom), Sunday, 5 December 2010 20:56 (thirteen years ago) link
love this guy 4eva
― i genuinely thought when i first joined that he was the admin (ilxor), Monday, 6 December 2010 15:47 (thirteen years ago) link
Yo La Tengo dedicated a song to him at Maxwell's last night.
― Chonus, Monday, 6 December 2010 19:10 (thirteen years ago) link
can't believe it's a year already. listened to z.m. dagar playing raga yaman the other night and thought of him.
― ogmor, Monday, 6 December 2010 21:38 (thirteen years ago) link
dedication in the new Six Organs of Admittance record:
"Missing you, Dr. Ragtime. Now who will call bullshit on the bullshitters?"
― Damn this thread seems so....different without ilxor (ilxor), Saturday, 12 February 2011 01:35 (thirteen years ago) link
Coming this month:
Thurston Moore - VDSQ Solo Acoustic Volume Five12 String Meditations For Jack Rose
Solo, untreated, 12-string compositions in tribute to oneof the greats. An album of instrumentals in requiem.
Really miss Jack. The few times I had the privilege of seeing him live are forever burned in my memory. A truly savage loss.
― Badmotorfinger Debate Club (MFB), Saturday, 12 February 2011 07:59 (thirteen years ago) link
http://www.decal.org/file/2443
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 22 August 2012 04:24 (eleven years ago) link
Nice syllabus
― Trip Maker, Wednesday, 22 August 2012 13:45 (eleven years ago) link
would enroll
― tylerw, Wednesday, 22 August 2012 22:18 (eleven years ago) link
idk what he wld have made of this. i wonder if it means money for his estate.
― ogmor, Friday, 24 August 2012 11:47 (eleven years ago) link