David's Journey

I'm 70 years old, retired, and I've decided to take up something I abandoned decades ago - learning about jazz and art. This isn't about reconnecting with old interests. I'm being honest here: I don't remember most of the names I once knew. I'm learning for a second time.

In my teens and twenties, I inherited my uncle's jazz collection. Life happened, as it does, and those records gathered dust while I focused on other things. The one constant through all those years was classical music - at seven years old, hearing Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite at the Kansas City Philharmonic taught me that music paints pictures in my mind. To this day, classical music still does that for me.

Now I'm digging back into jazz, really studying it this time. Musicians like John Coltrane, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk. Albums like "Moanin'" by Art Blakey, Miles Davis' work with Gil Evans. I'm not just listening - I'm researching, learning the stories behind the music, understanding the connections between the players.

The same curiosity extends to visual artists. Francis Picabia, the restless experimenter who refused to be confined by any single movement. Ray Willis Nance, Duke Ellington's versatile trumpeter and violinist who earned the nickname "Floorshow." These are people who worked hard, practiced diligently, became better versions of themselves. Those are values I believe in and try to follow.

I share what I learn on social media - the stories, the connections, the music that moves me. Eventually, I'll be screen printing some of this onto t-shirts and creating art prints. But right now, this is about the learning, the discovery, and sharing that journey with anyone who wants to come along.

We're taking some steps back to move forward with confidence.