Dear Friends:

Strange times!  These violent domestic and world events, so fearful and anxiety producing, are leaving us divided and wondering about our future.  But we cannot let ourselves be overwhelmed!  We cannot let this barrage of hateful actions, perpetrated by a small few, break us from our conviction that there's still a greater good - that Humanity can still evolve to a place where there's spiritual unity and harmonious discourse.

I marvel night after night that in the hallowed confines of the Smalls or Mezzrow basements, like minded people of all cultures and backgrounds come together peacefully to commune in jazz music.  I've been called naive before - to say that I believe world-peace is possible through music - that it's foolish idealism and not practical.  But I still say we can achieve peace one gig at a time.  Set by set, tune by tune, we as Jazz Musicians can preach to the world the very best of Humanity.  We can unify our audience of like-minded souls in feelings of joy, romance, humor, anger.  We as Human Beings can all relate to the same ranges of emotion and be brought together by it, wordlessly.  One perfectly balanced musical phrase can enlighten a room.  In the words of the Buddha:
 

In this world 
Hate never yet dispelled hate. 
Only love dispels hate. 
This is the law, 
Ancient and inexhaustible. 
 

Music is Love, Jazz is Love and the majority of people of this Earth still seek peaceful, loving, compassionate interaction with each other.  We must view the events of our current age with a wary eye, a suspicious one that we are somehow being manipulated.  We must view these events with sadness and then have a greater resolve to combat this hate with love.  In our case that is music, jazz music.  Our mission is critical and we will not yield.

A special mention to my friend Sebastien Vidal, the director of the Nice Jazz Festival, and his team. Due to the terrible events there the great Nice Jazz Festival has been cancelled.  Bon courage mon ami. Cette musique ne sera pas arrêté par la haine.

I sincerely look forward to seeing you at the clubs.

Regards,

Spike