These two were the heart of our band, Off the Wall.

Aside from the kind of intuitive communication that takes place in music, John and I also shared a fascination with James Joyce. I have a distinct memory of a conversation I had with him when he walked in and found me poring over Ulysses on the dining room table. I told him I had tried to read it once before and was determined to get through it whether I could follow it all or not. He was interested in my determination and I like to think that it gave him the courage to read that very challenging book. 

Just for fun, here is a poem I wrote after John invited me to see Roland Kirk at the UofM Armory: 

Rahsaan Roland Kirk

Brown bear lumbers on stage: flutes, reeds,

horns hung round, slung round

swung round his neck.

Cool jazzmen jam with piano-jump, drum roll, bass-

fiddle bomp, tambour shakin, jukin the night.

Tonal vibrations blown through soprano and tenor,

both through one puffed mouth

jounce the hall—

Sweet horns blast a sound from brass into finger-

stopped cool um-uh-ummusic.

Tightnin rhythms work with plunkt high rills

over flute laid riffs

(Baby please let me climb up in your tree, Harmonia)

hummed in gentle melody, resonance

rolls on. Blues progress: one-man band troubadour

leavin town and tee-na-na on a blue laid bass of a

mojo history written in blue-blackness, blue indigo

blue of a midnight train

blowin full-tilt aborigine cheeks on a drone

swelled and blown long note bashin high hat

and gong crash din screams takes you up to the crescendo

of a razor flash— shakes through high-up

sweat-it-out, getting clean as a bell

ringing sound blown till flush flow just

tells through the clear story of a horn

like you never been born

of a whole life blown in the bag of a mind

into one blew note —

No sunshine,

no stars up in the sky,

no moon, no universe

just blacknuss.

CB 1971

Celeste, I’m so moved by your obituary for Johnny.  Thank you for helping us know him better and appreciate him more.  Please accept my condolences on your loss.  He quietly went about his life doing good, making a difference to causes that touched his heart.  And we were not aware.  Personally, I’ll cherish the memory of the note he printed asking me to marry him at our Arkansas family reunion when he was six and I was 19,  and of his kindness spending the day hosting me on my visit to Annapolis.  I’m so pleased we had that time together.  Please accept my condolences on your loss. 

Dear Celeste -.I was so sorry to hear about your Brother , John . He accomplished so much . Please accept my deepest sympathy. 

Cindy Richbourg Xander