Mentors

[allan_evett]

Hi all,

 

A few of you know that, on Friday Jan. 29th, I lost a good friend and mentor. He was taking a late afternoon/early evening walk in a park in Nashville, with his wife and a couple of friends; it was a pretty, snowy evening from what I've heard. Unfortunately, my friend fell back, and dropped dead in the snow; massive coronary incident. His name was Tom Howard; he was 59, just shy of 60.

 

I'd known Tom for 32 years. We met when he was a solo artist in the late 70's (vocal, piano, guitar). Over the years, as our respective playing careers moved around the country, we kept in constant touch. Several times, when Tom was in the Chicago area, we'd corral a piano somewhere for a few hours. Always something to learn from that guy: He was an accomplished pianist/keyboard player, composer, arranger, and conductor. Tom was my first mentor, and probably my biggest influence as a keyboard player. When we met, I was in college, and trying to figure out a major; music was a hobby, and I'd planned to keep it that way. After hanging with Tom a few times, watching him play live with various acts, and taking a few lessons with him, the die was cast: I was going to go after music full-time; play it, teach it, work wherever I was needed. Over these past 32 years Tom continued to be a friend and mentor. We had awesome discussions about music, our respective lives, and - of course - gear.

Though we had just talked prior to NAMM, the last time I saw Tom was in Nashville - June of '06. He was playing piano for an Italian place in Brentwood. I got there in time for most of his first set. While we were having a drink together on break, I asked him what he was planning to play to start his second set. He said that he wasn't too concerned about that, as I was going to be starting the set... What a night that was. Later, as we stayed out quite late - hanging with various N'ville friends - the conversation went to some wild, and memorable places. It was one of those nights, hanging with 'buds', that you always remember.

 

To honor Tom's memory, and thank him, again, I thought it might be appropriate to start a thread about mentors. As I look through the group, I wonder about each of us: Who is it that has had a big influence in helping us along, musically ? I'll bet there are a lot of great stories, humor, food for thought, and so on... Another friend and mentor, Dave Holmbo (also now gone), said it well in a song of his in which the Chorus had the lead line "Ain't nobody, can be a one man show..." He knew well how much those who influence and guide us have a profound effect on what we become.

 

So let's pay tribute to and discuss those folks - living, and gone - who have helped and guided us along the way, and continue to do so.

 

BTW: I've played a couple of Tom Howard's songs for many years. I'm in the process of recording them, and will be posting them to one of the listening threads here soon.

 

[yannis D]

RIP for a dear friend and a mentor.

My mentor was my piano teacher. He died too young when AIDS was still a un common illness concerning few people. He was a classical teacher/pianist but we was giving me tapes with some great jazz players (from Corea to Pheneas Newborn), a not very common thing among classical musicians. He also played Debussy and Satie beautifully, had a great sense of humor and was a nice human...

[Joe Muscara]

Do you know it right away? I just started studying with a guy a few months ago, and I feel like this relationship already has changed me and will continue for a very long time. He's a great and well-respected player, and he's a great guy in general too.

 

The sad part is, I thought about trying to study with him 16 years ago when I first heard of him, but for some reason never did until late last year. OTOH, maybe the time for me just wasn't right until now.

[allan_evett]

Do you know it right away? I just started studying with a guy a few months ago, and I feel like this relationship already has changed me and will continue for a very long time. He's a great and well-respected player, and he's a great guy in general too.

 

The sad part is, I thought about trying to study with him 16 years ago when I first heard of him, but for some reason never did until late last year. OTOH, maybe the time for me just wasn't right until now.

 

 

I feel that, for one of those strong teacher/mentor relationships, it takes a combination of a few things:

A teacher/mentor that balances the technical side with the human side. Joe, you seem to have found this; your statement, " He' a great and well respected player, and he's a great guy in general too " shows that you have found an instructor who, for you, provides that balance. My favorite teacher was a middle school science instructor who was very bright, a cool and fun guy, yet dead serious about learning. The D- on my first report card proved that I had mistook his friendliness and interest in each of us as a pass for an easy grade. A good teacher should have solid people skills, but also provide the discipline for learning well and making progress. I have good relationships with my students. We have fun, even wacky moments in some of the lessons; but I also have strong expectations for effort/progress on their side of the bargain.

A teacher/mentor who takes the time to learn who you are, and what exactly it is you're trying to accomplish; then considers those things carefully before moving forward with a long term working relationship. When taking on a new student I consider the first few weeks (sometimes more) a trial period for both of us. For a teacher/student relationship to work well, both need to feel comfortable and confident in working together.

A student who is in a place of openness to learn. There's a Zen expression, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears...". There are many facets to being 'ready' . I thought that I wanted to resume studying about a year ago, even writing to two different players/teachers in the area about setting up lessons. But neither situation worked out, and I've discovered things about myself over this past year that confirmed a few things that needed to be sorted out before I could be an effective student. After last night's gig, and the technical feats I attempted (on a few americana/bluegrass tunes - at warp speed: the comping was fine, the riffs/solos were half there,half not...), I'm getting a better idea of the sort of teacher I need. Wise statement, Joe, about the time not being right until now for your studying with this teacher.

 

[Joe Muscara]

Thanks, Allan. That's the kind of thing I was thinking. Paul is really easy going, and this is the first teacher I've had that usually starts things with, "what have you been working on?" He doesn't really care what I've been doing, as long as I'm doing something (don't read into that too much; continue reading). I mean, he looks for deficiencies and provides direction and specifics, but it seems he knows that it's important that it's what I do and I need to gain my own familiarity with the instrument. He has given me a ton to do, and it's up to me to sort through it all and do it. In other words, we're all adults here. Not to brag, but I've noticed myself being able to do things and spot things that I hadn't before.

 

"When the student is ready, the teacher appears..."

 

I like that. It's true for more than just the literal meaning, too.