I'm blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life, as we all are.  People come in your life for periods of time and share things with you and help you to discover things about yourself and the world.  We all face challenges continuously, and it is these life lessons that we acquire from others along the way that help us to process and deal with the challenges we face.

Jazz is an important part of my life.  Jazz musicians that are dedicated to sharing their music have to learn how to embrace and utilize influences from different people throughout their careers.  It's difficult to maintain a jazz collective over a period of time.  It's hard to achieve financial and critical success without being able to adjust to circumstances and adapt to a variety of influences.  This past week, I had an opportunity to see two of my favorite jazz trumpetists, Nicolas Peyton and Wynton Marsalis.  They both happen to be from New Orleans, my favorite jazz city.  At this time, they're both expressing their jazz voices in different capacities.  I saw Nicolas actually twice this past month, once at the Hollywood Bowl in a salute to Miles Davis with Roy Hargrove conducting an orchestra, and more recently, in a quartet at Catalina Bar and Grill, also in Los Angeles.  It was wonderful to see him adapt to these two forms of musical expression.  As a lead soloist in an orchestra, you have a different responsibility and format to express yourself as a member of a larger collective.  With a quartet, you're more a front person, responsible for setting the tone for the rest of the group.  Nicolas is a quiet person and expresses himself publicly primarily through his instrument, although he's more comfortable allowing others to express themselves verbally in the process of a performance.

Wynton Marsalis, on the other hand, my all time favorite musician, operates differently.  As the leader of the prestigious Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, he travels the world as a virtual ambassador for music.  I saw him at UCLA two weeks ago.  It was wonderful, as usual.  It's amazing to hear him and to watch him lead the orchestra of many.  They look and sound like a quartet or quintet, although they have a number of musicians.  He's happy and obviously proud to introduce the various members of the orchestra throughout the performance, giving each of them the praise and opportunity to make their solo imprints on the quilt of music that embraces a warmth and swing that captures the audience.  Listening to and watching the contributions of Walter Blanding, Sherman Irby, Marcus Printup, Chris Crenshaw, Carlos Enriques, and Ted Nash is a treat and gives you an affinity for the stylings of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and all the great orchestras of the past.  Wynton has a way of expressing himself verbally and musically that takes a formal and structured process and turning it into a casual and freestyle form that's hard to imagine.  I'm speaking about his music and his process because it's something that has embraced me for 30 years.  It has helped me to see things and meet and share with people on a variety of levels, and I love it.  When I get a chance to hear it in its highest levels of expression, it comforts me and energizes me in ways that a good book, an interesting film, and an exciting painting can do. 

Cultural expressions are instruments that help us deal with our lives and face the challenges that we are confronted with.  I have an important pending challenge that my music has helped and will continue helping me to endure.  I'm looking for another roommate to support the nursing staff that has been keeping me thriving this past year and a half.  It seems like I wrote about this same challenge not too long ago, but it's been at least 6 months.  I appreciate the prayers and the positive words that you all sent me to help me make my choice for someone to stay with me.  I'm hoping that you'll do the same this time.  Alan was a good roommate and the right choice of applicants.  But he's decided not to extend his services past the 6 month minimum requirement that we asked.  During his time with me, he has supported my nursing staff and my friends and enabled me to live an active and social life.  I need this person to help the nurses to get me up and out and to keep my apartment healthy and my diet balanced.  Alan did all of that, and I'll always be grateful for his support.  I'll begin interviewing for a new person this month.  Pray that I'll be able to find someone similarly capable.  I'm blessed to have a core group of nurses and friends that make the roommate position one that is supplemental and supportive.  So I'm praying that I can find someone to be that and hopefully for longer than 6 months. 

You learn about people when you get to live with them.  You have to support each other and have to adapt to each other's traits and qualities.  The position requires someone who is able and willing to operate responsibly in a small group.  In order for my life to be as fruitful as it has been, I need a group of people (nurses, friends, and a roommate) to cooperate with one another.  So far, I've been more than blessed to have this take place with my mother, brother, and friend Baron's assistance.  We've been able to keep a group of people around me to help me live a happy life.  All of us need friends, family, and associates to help us live functioning and contributory lives.  We have to be thankful when that's taking place.  We need to look to the people that make that possible and express our gratitude and affection to and for them.  I have every reason to believe that it's important for me to stay in my apartment and continue to participate in my life with my friends and family.  So I'm hoping that I'll be able to find a person to fit my present needs that will make that possible.  All of us need to be mindful that it takes others to help us enjoy our lives and fulfill our destiny.  Once again, we need to express our thanks and appreciation to them and give thanks to the God that provides. 

I thank you all so much for reading my notes, sharing your love, and being so supportive of my efforts.  I look forward to continuing to do as much as I can to be worthy of that.  Like I said, jazz has also been a great teacher and supporter for me.  It's shown me the value of individual expression and the benefit of collective participation.  That is what I think life is all about, and I hope all of you get the opportunity to experience those needed elements as you continue your lives.

Once again, I expect that you'll pray for me and wish me the best as I embark upon this next challenge and hope to secure a new roommate going into the holiday season.  I'll keep you posted.

Much love always,

DJ