Even the deepest tragedy can sometimes bring with it some shades of light.
Sometime over a year ago when my good friend Andy was diagnosed with cancer, this terrible situation started to reenergise old friendships that had grown less engaged and less intense over time, distance and circumstance. We have now been drawn closer and deeper than perhaps we ever were before.
Andy’s plight also built new friendships because his tight circle of friends who were not all known to each other were all brought together and mobilized to work together to do whatever they could to support the charity efforts initiated because of Andy’s belligerent & brave fight against bone cancer.
One of those people who I can call a friend now was one of two fabulous musicians who helped make Andy’s funeral probably the most beautiful and affirming ceremonies I’ve ever attended…actually the word “attended” doesn’t really express the feeling of the day…”shared” is closer to the mark.
Sublime trombonist Carol Jarvis played beautifully that day as a tribute to the positive influence Andy had been on her life as a musician and more broadly as a human being.
So…why am I revisiting this story about Carol and Andy?
For one thing, Carol is battling too. Her fight is with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and that part of her story is outlined on her site at the base of her biography.
The other reason is to explain that Carol is no ordinary run of the mill trombonist. She’s absolutely at the top of her game, playing with the likes of Seal & Sting, and a host of other luminaries in every genre going.
So much so that Carol is up for a Grammy…or 10...for her debut solo album “Smile”, who’ proceeds go to Macmillan Cancer Support.
If you are a member of the Academy (I know you all read my blog!), show Carol some love by voting for her in the ten categories she’s been nominated for.
