My Dreams of Thomas Chapin

On February 13th 1998 I lost a dear friend. Everything leading up to that date was nothing short of some of the greatest musical offerings in my life. Thomas Chapin was one of my favorite saxophone players and also a person who was there when I needed to talk or just when I was feeling to talk music. He grew up in the next town over from me. He was much older then I, but I used to see him at a restaurant on Thursdays, Fridays and sometime Saturdays. He would do two sets a night and he was great. My friend introduced me to him in the spring of 1993 and it was one of the best introductions ever. Thomas was a very modest man, but he was also a man who was always up for a conversation about anything. Music was my escape and he talked music with me forever. What I did not know until I graduated from the community college in 1996 was that my history professor was his babysitter growing up. When he showed up at the community college commencement to watch me graduate and say hello to her, I was quite honored. That is the same day he met my parents. My father, like Thomas had long hair. My father was growing it because of a mid-life crisis. Thomas grew it because of to be hip.

My father and mother and Thomas and another friend of mine watched me graduate from community college. Thomas and my father had great conversation about Jazz. They both shared the love of the Saxophone. My dad told me afterword that he would like to see Thomas perform a that restaurant I go to. He would perform at this restaurant like twenty weekends a year. Every time I see him I would walk out of there in a daze. I could not figure out how he did it. My father was so impressed that he wanted to pick up the Saxophone and play again. Thomas was very, very good at what he did. Over the time I knew him he would play the Knitting Factory in New York City. I would go down there. I would meet other cool musicians like Don Byron, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Bill Ware (vibraphone), Ron Miles, Tim Berne and basically the whole Knitting Factory scene. It was a great scene and it was always fun talking with these musicians at a personal level. We could talk music, food, gigs we saw or were at or just what is going on right now.



Over the years I think I saw Thomas live about hundred times. One day I went to New York to see him and he came up to me and had to tell me the bad news. He was dying. He had Leukemia and it was only a matter of time that he would lose his hair and his pony tail. It was a shock to me that at the age he was 39 at the time that he was struck with this horrible disease. It was a very inspirational concert. It was also the last time I would see him play publicly. He even told the crowd of this and we all gasp. Over the year that he had it he would come out and visit and meet me for lunch here or there. The long pony tail was now gone and he had a cap to cover the baldness on his head. He even told me that he no longer looked like my father, but like Isaac Hayes. We laughed and cried, and I talked to him like it might be his last conversation. He went through a lot.

One day I got a letter in the mail from him. It was not a normal letter, but something that resembled a invitation. I opened it up and saw that he was inviting me to be part of a concert in his honor at this small theater. The theater hold about 200 and he wanted me to help with people to invite, and music to be played. It was quite an honor to be a part of it. I quickly called him and told him "yes" I will be there. This all happened on the first of February, 1998. It was a great night I will never forget. I met people I never thought I meet. I heard music that was played with such passion that I never knew existed. It was a great time. Sadly I cried all the way home.



Thirteen days later, I was at his funeral. I did not speak, but I was there among all his friends and the people who knew me through Thomas. It was rough for a while. I mean I wish I could still see him play or just talk with him. He was such a great friend and musician. The music world is lost without him. He was a good guy.

So what prompted me to do this post. It was my Ipod's fault. When the random play stopped at Thomas Chapin it gave me a flashback of the time where I would go to New York to hear anything I wanted to. It was a time that I had a choice to see Jazz, Rock, Blues or anything I wanted. It was a time I would go see Thomas and have fun talking music or seeing some of his friends play and have a blast. "Chapin was a player of great generosity and authentic spirituality. He played with rare humor, passion, and intelligence. At the end of his life, he was just beginning to receive attention outside the realm of experimental jazz. Indeed, had he lived, it's not inconceivable that Chapin's amalgam of freedom and discipline might have become a force in the jazz mainstream." (AM) I always liked having fun with the musicians that I could look at like a normal person, but still have this high level of respect and in some circles were some of the best in their field. If you find this album make sure you send me a copy too. My copy is in bad shape and surprised that it actually played well on my Ipod. This is a great album and shows how much the New York Music scene was in the early to mid 90's. Have fun with this somewhat local gem who reached the Jazz world like no one can. I am sure you will like it as much as I do. Enjoy!