Photo by Bill PerraultAs I cut and paste links and prepare information for Stone Soup's tribute on the 25th, Jack's obituary has just been posted. I thank Bryan Marquard for his care and his research (he told me he had gone to Stone Soup sometime in the 70's).
My own words about Jack Powers are going to come very slowly. My history with Jack Powers began as his health and ability to communicate was fading. It is a complicated story with a happy or even clear ending perhaps nonexistent. I'll be pondering this as I gather and share tributes written by other longtime attendees of Stone Soup.
Start with arguably the first tribute to be written D.A. Boucher, a.k.a. Da Butcha.
Then move to Tim Gager's.
Then Erik Tate's.
As a near act of cowardice, I'm going give a link for Ian Thal's memories of Jack, which I clearly have empathy for. Though I experienced nowhere near the amount of difficulties Ian did, my time with Jack was difficult and sad. I am flattered that Ian credits me for helping him move towards making amends with Jack.
I am hesitant to ask Ian to let me post his essay on the Stone Soup site because it isn't the most positive of recollections of Jack. Also, I may be too biased to make a judgment, given that I valued Ian's outlook over the years as his was the closest to mine, both of us having met Jack in his decline rather than anywhere close to his prime. Many people from longtime scenesters like Doug Holder to my ex-girlfriend had the fortune to witness several palpable examples of the magic. I envy the memories they have more than ever.
1 comment:
I understand your hesitation, Chad. I'm also not certain how ready some people are to read my account of events. These are not the warm remembrances I had for Brother Blue or my brief encounter with Marcel Marceau, whose passings I have also noted.
Part of the reason I was able to sustain such a degree of loyalty as long as I did despite my negative experiences with Jack is that there was still some of that magic in evidence.
Of course, as you said, Jack was a very complex character, and that complexity means that different people had radically different experiences. My experiences are part of the story, especially when we talk about the history of the organization he founded and of which you are now captain. (Though to be fair, a real history would have gone into far more details.)
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