From the documentary, “Who Killed Jazz” by Ben Makinen.
“When I die, a friend of yours is going to die and you're gonna feel bad because you're not gonna have me in your life and it'll be a little different and you know you'll get used to it -- but we were in each other's lives and it was a beautiful thing. For me everybody I've ever loved in my life is going to die on the same day. It seems like there should be a word for that.” - Ron Bucknam (1949-2015)
Ben, Ron, and other jazz musicians believe that word is — jazz.
For the person who dies, it’s true, everyone in their lives dies all at once. For the person who lives, they lose a friend. The experience of time changes for each person based on their perspective. Ron believes this perspective is “jazz.” That makes sense.
Jazz is multi-dimensional.
For the performer — it’s a collection of many beautiful moments that are born and destroyed by the merciless arrow of time.
For the listener — a ripple is experienced. They experience awe, shock, and wonder. They may not have the words to describe what they experience, but they know they love it. Sophisticated listeners pick up on the nuance, and perhaps they experience a bit of envy or desire to participate.
Death, like jazz, is a multi-dimensional experience differentiated by the perspective of the person living it.
Watch Ben’s beautiful 23-min documentary on YouTube.