As I listened to the PBS NewsHour December 5th, 2012 programme this evening, Jeffrey Brown was interviewing George Wein, founder of the Newport Jazz Festival, about Dave Brubeck who has just died. One of the final descriptions of this wonderful Jazz musician impressed me greatly. Mr. Wein said that Dave Brubeck was "the ultimate in elegance and excellence." He apparently respected everyone, musicians, his family, the promoters and producers that worked with him, and he respected his public. By communicating respect to everyone, he in turn was respected and loved.
Dave Brubeck, 1920-2012
I began to think about this mutual magic of respect that helped make Brubeck such an icon on the 20th century music world. It seems to me that we can all learn about respect in the art world, as artists and as participants in every other way.Only this morning, I had a remark made to me at the beginning of a life drawing session about respecting other artists and the model by being on time. Respect, consideration, courtesy - all aspects of being a professional, civilised human being, an artist.
In other words, Dave Brubeck's example served to remind me about the old adage, "do as you would be done by", part of the Golden Rule. A good rule for us artists.