I have been thoroughly enjoying your Trane writings. They almost perfectly mirror my own experience. I discovered Trane at 14 (1965) when I walked into the Sam Goody's in Manhattan and asked the clerk, "I just discovered Eric Dolphy. What should I listen to next?" and he handed me a copy of A Love Supreme. For some intuitive reason, I then devised a ritual where I would sit in meditation posture, enter a meditation state, and put the needle to the disc. I did this for days and had an utterly transformative experience that turned my life inside out. When Trane died a few years later, I cried for days. He influenced me in so many ways, including adventuring into "the bardo," and I wound up among many other things spending around 60 days in formal bardo retreat. Thanks for sharing your own experience so eloquently.
I feel somehow close to you, Bret. Very wise decision, going to Mexico.
Our shared passions so much converge. Yes, I too have written books that are part of my life. Lately I've been getting offers from non-agents, some kind of "readers' group facilitators. They want fees. I don't think I'll go there. I wonder just what IS the new mechanism for getting books before the public. I think it may be just dumb luck. How many of US are there, Bret. I mean those whose lives have been impacted by Coltrane? Not that many. And this particular sub sub sub group is small but you got the dialogues going, amigo. You really did.
I studied spanish in a school called La Cociña. My name was El Jefe. That was before life around me had turned to ICE. Workers, mostly trying to navigate the immigration system were also working to learn english. We made a deal, you teach me spanish I teach you english. I developed a good vocabulario but not so much grammar. Nevertheless it made me many friends and ingratiated me to local people wherever and whenever I was in Mexico. I’ve lost a lot of it, struggle to not lose it all. Hispanic peoples don’t want to speak spanish in public so much around here lately? Reality.
But I wish you the best in your pursuit to aquire the language. i also want to wish you and yours a wonderful winter solstice as well as the best for the coming new year. Your writing has been and continúes to be a great companion for me. Looking forward to reading into this coming, brave new year (world) with you. Thank you. Gracias con mi corazón. ♥️
I have been thoroughly enjoying your Trane writings. They almost perfectly mirror my own experience. I discovered Trane at 14 (1965) when I walked into the Sam Goody's in Manhattan and asked the clerk, "I just discovered Eric Dolphy. What should I listen to next?" and he handed me a copy of A Love Supreme. For some intuitive reason, I then devised a ritual where I would sit in meditation posture, enter a meditation state, and put the needle to the disc. I did this for days and had an utterly transformative experience that turned my life inside out. When Trane died a few years later, I cried for days. He influenced me in so many ways, including adventuring into "the bardo," and I wound up among many other things spending around 60 days in formal bardo retreat. Thanks for sharing your own experience so eloquently.
I feel somehow close to you, Bret. Very wise decision, going to Mexico.
Our shared passions so much converge. Yes, I too have written books that are part of my life. Lately I've been getting offers from non-agents, some kind of "readers' group facilitators. They want fees. I don't think I'll go there. I wonder just what IS the new mechanism for getting books before the public. I think it may be just dumb luck. How many of US are there, Bret. I mean those whose lives have been impacted by Coltrane? Not that many. And this particular sub sub sub group is small but you got the dialogues going, amigo. You really did.
I studied spanish in a school called La Cociña. My name was El Jefe. That was before life around me had turned to ICE. Workers, mostly trying to navigate the immigration system were also working to learn english. We made a deal, you teach me spanish I teach you english. I developed a good vocabulario but not so much grammar. Nevertheless it made me many friends and ingratiated me to local people wherever and whenever I was in Mexico. I’ve lost a lot of it, struggle to not lose it all. Hispanic peoples don’t want to speak spanish in public so much around here lately? Reality.
But I wish you the best in your pursuit to aquire the language. i also want to wish you and yours a wonderful winter solstice as well as the best for the coming new year. Your writing has been and continúes to be a great companion for me. Looking forward to reading into this coming, brave new year (world) with you. Thank you. Gracias con mi corazón. ♥️
Thanks so much for your continuing support. Let's hope for a healthy, saner 2026.
Life is unpredictable? Who whudda thunk?
HAPPY NEW YEAR - if we live that long ;)
Yeah, it's only a week, but anything can happen. And usually does.