When I was still in Chicago, I worked with a guy named Robert Irving III, while I was employed by Guitar Center. "Baabe" as he was nicknamed had played keyboards for Miles Davis during the 80s. Robert produced two Miles Davis albums ("Decoy" and "You're Under Arrest").
During that time, I had the opportunity to play some of my original instrumental music. To my pleasure, he agreed to write a letter of recommendation for my music when I asked him to do so. (As Jesus said, "Ask and you shall receive." If you don't ask, people rarely ever volunteer to write such letters.)
To get an idea of the musical talents Robert Irving III had, and why Miles Davis deemed him worthy of working for him as his "Musical Director", check out the following web addresses, including some YouTube videos of the band in concert.
http://youtu.be/ZY-H_rto3Kg
http://youtu.be/axe12AFkI5Q
Note: I'm running out of time at the Internet cafe, so I'll add more links to this post later.
The following text was copied and pasted from the following web site: http://jazzzology.blogspot.com/2009/08/robert-baabe-irving-iii-jazz-homage-to.html. It pertains to a concert I attended while still living in Chicago.
The Jazz Institute of
Chicago presents "Sketches of Brazil: Robert
Irving III's Orchestral Homage to Miles and Gil" in Chicago and its
free!!! I have been a fan of "Baabe" for a long time and have seen him
play/conduct at various venues around Chicago...he never fails to delight and
this event should be another one he delivers on with his unique brand of
"musicality"...don't miss this!
Thursday, August 13th
6:30
PM
FREE
Millennium Park: Jay Pritzker Pavilion
Composer, pianist
and educator Robert Irving III conducts the newly formed Sonic Portraits
Orchestra in the world premiere of Sketches of Brazil, an orchestral homage to
his mentors, Miles Davis and Gil Evans. The concert features Robert Irving III
(composer, conductor, piano); Sonic Portraits Orchestra (a blend of 33 classical
and jazz musicians); Wallace Roney (trumpet, flugelhorn); Fareed Haque (guitar),
Dede Sampaio (percussion), Felipe Fraga (percussion), Charles Heath (percussion)
and Miles Evans (trumpet).
Special panel: Earlier that day from noon to
1:30 pm, the Chicago Cultural Center hosts a panel "50 Years from Sketches of
Spain to Sketches of Brazil: A Symposium on the legacy of Miles Davis & Gil
Evans" in the Claudia Cassidy Theater. Admission is free and open to the public.
Professor Fareed Haque moderates a conversation with Sketches of Brazil
composer/arranger Robert Irving III. Additional panelists include Wallace Roney,
Vince Wilburn Jr. (nephew of Miles Davis), Miles Evans (son of Gil Evans), Dede
Sampaio and Felipe Fraga.
NOTE
http://secretjazz.com/baabe.htm contains more detailed information re: Baabe Irving III.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Justice And the Church
Today I went to Fred Meyer to get a refill on my prescription, which is necessary if I want to avoid another stroke. While there, I saw a rack of video DVDs. There were some cool titles, but I wanted to feel that I'd really gotten my money's worth, so I chose carefully.
Ever since I moved to Bellingham, I'd had an extra interest in the Civil War, on account of the fact that Bellingham had a strong connection to George Pickett, well known for Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg. Pickett had lived in Bellingham (when it was still a fort), and in fact, the home in which he lived at that time in his life is within easy walking distance of the Lighthouse Mission, where I currently sleep at night. It's the oldest house in Bellingham, I have learned. There is also a bridge, within easy walking distance, which Pickett built. It crosses over a small but rather boisterous creek which leads to a salmon fishery.
To make a long story short, I decided to buy a 3 DVD set of the movie "The Blue and The Gray". It had a wonderful cast of famous actors, including Stacy Keach, Gregory Peck, Lloyd Bridges and others. It cost me $10, but I regard that as money well spent.
Watching the movie, I am reminded that the Civil War took place, in part, because some men (such as John Brown) regarded the words of the Bible as relevant to the issue of slavery issue in a way which obligated them to fight for the purpose of defending the rights of innocent human beings ... and because others who also considered themselves to be Christians saw fit to defend and rationalize the practice of slavery. That episode in the history of America, and in the history of the Christian church, was shameful.
We would love to think that such things are behind us, and that we "enlightened" people would never do such things anymore. But my own recent experiences when dealing with my brothers and sisters in the faith have persuaded me that nothing much has changed in certain crucial respects.
Morally obtuse people in power, even in the church, somehow manage to continue to rationalize policies and practices and attitudes which are utterly contrary to the values taught and demonstrated by Jesus Christ when he walked the earth.
David Wilkerson, who founded Teen Challenge, was a great influence on my life. Sadly, before he died, he presented a message he called "Anguish". He looked at the current state of the church, and he did not like what he saw. If he had lived in the days prior to the Civil War, I suspect that he would have felt the same way, just as I do.
It breaks my heart when I consider the potential which exists in the church, and when I consider how far we still have to go in terms of achieving the goal of living lives which conform to Christ's expectations. Healing of relationships can never take place unless and until we repent of our shared guilt. Yes, God can and does forgive, but there can be no forgiveness without contrition and true repentance. Our life legacies will depend, in part, on whether or not we stood up for true righteousness and justice.
The issues of the day change from era to era, but the fundamental need for true discipleship and humility remains.
Ever since I moved to Bellingham, I'd had an extra interest in the Civil War, on account of the fact that Bellingham had a strong connection to George Pickett, well known for Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg. Pickett had lived in Bellingham (when it was still a fort), and in fact, the home in which he lived at that time in his life is within easy walking distance of the Lighthouse Mission, where I currently sleep at night. It's the oldest house in Bellingham, I have learned. There is also a bridge, within easy walking distance, which Pickett built. It crosses over a small but rather boisterous creek which leads to a salmon fishery.
To make a long story short, I decided to buy a 3 DVD set of the movie "The Blue and The Gray". It had a wonderful cast of famous actors, including Stacy Keach, Gregory Peck, Lloyd Bridges and others. It cost me $10, but I regard that as money well spent.
Watching the movie, I am reminded that the Civil War took place, in part, because some men (such as John Brown) regarded the words of the Bible as relevant to the issue of slavery issue in a way which obligated them to fight for the purpose of defending the rights of innocent human beings ... and because others who also considered themselves to be Christians saw fit to defend and rationalize the practice of slavery. That episode in the history of America, and in the history of the Christian church, was shameful.
We would love to think that such things are behind us, and that we "enlightened" people would never do such things anymore. But my own recent experiences when dealing with my brothers and sisters in the faith have persuaded me that nothing much has changed in certain crucial respects.
Morally obtuse people in power, even in the church, somehow manage to continue to rationalize policies and practices and attitudes which are utterly contrary to the values taught and demonstrated by Jesus Christ when he walked the earth.
David Wilkerson, who founded Teen Challenge, was a great influence on my life. Sadly, before he died, he presented a message he called "Anguish". He looked at the current state of the church, and he did not like what he saw. If he had lived in the days prior to the Civil War, I suspect that he would have felt the same way, just as I do.
It breaks my heart when I consider the potential which exists in the church, and when I consider how far we still have to go in terms of achieving the goal of living lives which conform to Christ's expectations. Healing of relationships can never take place unless and until we repent of our shared guilt. Yes, God can and does forgive, but there can be no forgiveness without contrition and true repentance. Our life legacies will depend, in part, on whether or not we stood up for true righteousness and justice.
The issues of the day change from era to era, but the fundamental need for true discipleship and humility remains.
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