A much loved, respected and influential member of the music community Jack had an influence over many genres
Some reflections from Tina Harrod, James Greening and Hamish Stuart on the eve of the inaugural music lecture, competition and concert.
“Jack had a gift of recognising what other musicians had inside them long before others. He would go and check them out and then recruit the ones he really liked.. They were great, but it was Jack that drove everything and could make the music a force to be reckoned with.
No one in the band took their eyes off Jack and if they did, they did so at their own peril!” Tina Harrod
“Jack was so special because… he had a high level of Commitment , talent ,creativity and personality , didn’t suffer fools but was very generous with his time, knowledge and experience if he thought you were worthy of it .
I think most musicians who were lucky enough to work with Jack for a period of time took away with them some enhanced version of the fundamental concepts about playing and writing music that he was able to impart most of the time by example ie on the band stand where you could experience these ideas night after night on the gig . .. not in a class room enviroment …” Hamish Stuart
“Jack, in leadership, was the perfect combination of individual brilliance and commitment and at the same time he fostered an overpowering sense of community in his bands. You didn’t take your eyes or ears off Jack for an instant or you got the look. You didn’t want to get the look|| This training has been the foundation of everything I have done since.” James Greening
If you have a special memory we invite you to share them with us. We know that Jack touched the lives of so many musicians and of course audiences.
If you want to catch the gig, its on May 10th at the Basement MORE INFO
