RIP Guru, RIP Jazzmatazz, RIP Brilliant Music Light

Some of you may know that I am a huge music lover. I worked in the independent music business for about 15 years. I have heard things that would make your mind explode. (In a good way.) There are a few recordings that I count as my always-fresh, completely beloved, never-tire-of-listening-ever-ever musical loves. They include (but are in no way limited to) the full length recordings Muddy Waters, Folk Singer and John Coltrane & Johnny Hartmann, and these songs: Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” The Allman Brothers’ “Blue Skies,” Blind Willie Johnson’s “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground,” Vladimir Cosma’s “Sentimental Walk,” Ini Kamoze’s “Hot Stepper,” The Johnson Mountain Boys’ “Christine LeRoy,” Tony Bennett’s version of “The Way You Look Tonight,” Dinah Washington’s “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” The Abyssinian’s “Satta Massagana,” and, even though he’s not a musician per se, I have to include Lord Buckley.

I have no idea what these recordings have in common beyond that I love them. Some always make me cry, others always make me laugh, and all always, always delight me. I can’t count how many times I’ve listened to them. Guru’s first solo recording, Jazzamatazz, Vol. 1 is definitely on this list. So when I heard today that the Guru died of cancer at age 48, I was so sad and also so grateful for having heard his music.

God is Universal; he is the Ruler Universal: may you attain complete realization in whatever realm you choose to inhabit next.

Please crank up the following and wish him well on his journey–

Loungin’ (w Donald Byrd)

Le Bien, Le Mal (w MC Solaar)

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