New Jack Rose album? (Dec 2009: RIP Jack Rose)

Root Blog has a cool raga up that Jack had named as one of his faves: http://rootstrata.com/rootblog/?p=2567

I'm definitely going to do a tribute radio show but I can't this week, too busy with finals. Next week, I hope.

I am doing one right now!

empty bell
ringing in the sky

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.

A slew of wonderful memories up at Terrascope:

http://www.terrascope.co.uk/Features/Jack_Rose_Obituary.htm

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."

such a class act.

ny times obit - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/arts/music/09rose.html?_r=2&em

'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

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.

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.

Memorial services are announced:

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Visitation: 1:00 PM
Service: 2:00 PM

Visitation and services taking place at:
Bringhurst Funeral Home
225 Belmont Avenue
Bala Cynwyd PA 19004
610-668-9900

Interment to follow at:
West Laurel Hill Cemetery
215 Belmont Avenue
Bala Cynwyd PA 19004
610-664-1591

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.

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 Philadelphia
531 North 7th Street (7th and Spring Garden)
Philadelphia, PA 19123-3501

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...

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 ...

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

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 in
the works since the idea germinated last August, the sessions shot in Sept
2008. A very experienced filmmaker named Jesse Sheppard approached Glenn
about his wish to capture he and Jack on film. There are many folks who are
performing today as part of a "new guard" celebrating the solo acoustic
steel string tradition by moving it forward - Steffen Basho-Junghans, James
Blackshaw, 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, and
unique in the sense that they are friends and collaborators who represent
two generations of the idiom, share many similarities in their styles, but
also share just as many marked differences. Jack and Glenn both took to solo
acoustic early in their lives, abandoned it for rock and experimental
hybrids, yet both came back and embraced it later on, which I find
interesting. The tandem is a well-rounded representation of solo guitar,
past, present and future, and its two leading lights, and this is what the
filmmaker sought to achieve, which I believe he has done impeccably.

The filmmaker's core idea was to document them in performance but not in
front of an audience, rather in an intimate setting, in which the musicians
can tell their story to the camera through their art. The sessions took
place in a loft in Brooklyn - three cameras, and the musicians, creating a
studio in someone's lovely home. Each one plays a set of music, each song
marking "takes" just as in the recording studio, the best performances being
used. The way it was shot aims to evoke the atmosphere of performance, as
if you the viewer were watching the performer, live and alone, with some
flourishes of what the eye may focus on (the playing, close ups of facial
expressions, in between takes a wandering eye to the surroundings, etc),
using a blend of multiple angles. It was shot impeccably, on film, not
video.

Jack nailed all eight songs in the first take, save for one which he got in
the 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 are
just awesome ("Linden Avenue Stomp" and "Miss May's Place"), eight from Jack
solo and six from Glenn solo (about 35 minutes each). The sonic and film
quality is INCREDIBLE.

Our own Byron Coley interviewed Jack and Glenn for a 36 minute
conversational. This is just brilliant in my opinion, because the interview
quickly becomes an informal talk amongst three people who are obviously
friends with one another, and so it comes across very comfortable and
sincere. 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 revealing
and endearing stuff here). Glenn is such a scholar of the idiom, and his
personal stories about Fahey and Basho are wonderful, and Jack's personality
just shines. My heartfelt thanks to Byron for doing this, it really is
amazing stuff.

"Bonus" footage does capture Jack and Glenn playing live at a gig both were
billed on in Philadelphia, in March of this year. Three songs by each. All
in all, the DVD clocks in at nearly 2 1/2 hours.

Graphic design is by Josh Pfeffer (who is responsible for
many of the great designs on Strange Attractors BTW, including all of the
Glenn Jones and all of the Cul de Sac releases except "Immortality
Lessons"). The cover is literally being finalized now, and it is looking
wonderful. DVD will be housed in a cardstock-style amaray.

Glenn endearingly entitled the DVD last week 'The Things That We Used to
Do'. Heartwrenching.

This film has always intended to be a celebration of the work of two very
important artists and a particular musical style. The passing of Jack in no
way alters this intent, if anything it reinforces the importance of
celebrating his work. I feel very fortunate that his playing was captured
on film, if anything because as Glenn pointed out to me, footage of Fahey is
relatively sparse given his canon of work, and with Basho its basically
non-existent. I am very humbled to help bring this project to fruition and
to further spread the gospel of Jack and Glenn.

I tried to send a photo from the sessions to share with everyone on the
list, but I think the file was too big. Anyone with a Facebook account can
check one out posted here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Strange-Attractors-Audio-House/140771171629

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.

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 ...

Damn. Missed opportunity. We've got Strange Days at KOPN.

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.

He played in Harlam a few years ago!
He might be playing at the store too, but it's unconfirmed as of yet...

lol harlam.

Yikes! Don't let me miss that one. The in-store, I mean.

i'll keep the internet posted.

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 PM
Latvian Society of Philadelphia – 531 N. 7th Street

Tickets: $18
Available now: http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/4067

Performers:
D. Charles Speer & The Helix
Thurston Moore | Paul Flaherty | Chris Corsano
Michael Chapman
Pelt
The Black Twig Pickers
Glenn Jones
Byron Coley
Meg Baird | Chris Forsyth
Megajam Booze Band
DJ Ian Nagoski
Video clips curated by Tara Young

More info: http://www.arthurmag.com/2010/01/19/memorial-concert-for-jack-rose/

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

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...

The memories continue:

http://citypaper.net/articles/2010/02/11/blues-for-jack-rose

Miss this guy. Really looking forward to the posthumous album this year.

Long form trailer for the upcoming DVD now up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ5tSbLZdfM

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.

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

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.

http://uabab.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/jack-rose-luck-in-the-valley.jpg

jesus christ

what a joyous, mystical, wonderful record

Agree -- it's fabulous.

:(

i was just listening to opium musick this morning.

I played Raag Manifestos the other night. Really great album.

http://delta-slider.blogspot.com/2010/03/jack-rose-brickbat-books-bootlegs.html

A year ago today.

Rest well, sir. We all still miss ya.

^^^^^ this

^^^^^^

love this guy 4eva

Yo La Tengo dedicated a song to him at Maxwell's last night.

can't believe it's a year already. listened to z.m. dagar playing raga yaman the other night and thought of him.

dedication in the new Six Organs of Admittance record:

"Missing you, Dr. Ragtime. Now who will call bullshit on the bullshitters?"

Coming this month:

Thurston Moore - VDSQ Solo Acoustic Volume Five
12 String Meditations For Jack Rose

Solo, untreated, 12-string compositions in tribute to one
of 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.