RIP Jack Rose
His Kensingston Blues was the record I listened to most in 2005. That year I remember seeing him play in various small venues in Brooklyn and Philadelphia, the temperature in the room always a little bit too high, the longer more hypnotic stuff like "Calais to Dover" and "Cathedral et Chartres" never failing to quiet the room. His sets would put the audience in a kind of trance that would last until the first bit of hesitant applause. He was a big, gentle physical presence and my favorite guitarist after John Fahey. This weekend he died of a heart attack at the age of 38. He leaves behind nine records, all worth listening to; Luck In The Valley, the record that was to be his Thrill Jockey debut, may still come out next year. Let's hope it does. Brainwashed has a vivid Rose remembrance up from Windy Weber; Arthur has a video tribute; Spinner has the remainder of the sad details on his life and death. He'll be missed. "Kensington Blues" is a really wonderful song:
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