Michael Emerson

I found out today about the passing of our wonderful brother musician and friend Mike Emerson. I'm gutted.

I've known Mike for so long I can't even remember when we met. I'm guessing it was probably while playing with James Armstrong or Daniel Castro. But we played and did sessions together with many other artists over the years. He was Bay Area "A Team". And I always felt honored to be able to work with him.

A few thoughts:

I remember the day Michael handed me his first CD, "Wabi-Sabi". He was so excited to finally have something of his own out. I had my mind blown when I heard it. It was like I only knew one side of him up to that point, only to realize he had an entire palette of musical colors at his command. He seemingly channeled the likes of Jack McDuff, Lyle Mays, Keith Jarrett and Horace Silver with ease. His cover of David Crosby's "Deja vu" is beautiful, as is all the other original material. Mike was deep, with a capital "D". I listen to it now, trying to fathom what a major talent we've lost.

I always found it very easy to talk to Mike about music. Any kind of music, no matter what genre. I knew Mike to be a devoted Dead Head. Knowing I was one of the uninitiated, Mike would every so often hand me a CD that he'd burned of what he thought I needed to hear by The Grateful Dead. "You gotta check this out!" he'd say. I still have all of them. He was a messenger, and he could preach the gospel of the Dead (or anybody for that matter matter) endlessly. And without condescending. He just had to share. And it served me well.

One day, Mike called me and asked if I'd be interested in working with Carlene Carter. Mike had recommended me for the gig, and we went straight into rehearsals without so much as an audition. I will always be grateful to him for that and for handing me the chance to work with a country music icon. Carlene loved him and the two of them often played as a duo.

Occasionally Mike would be called in to be a "Broad Side", the revolving collective of backing musicians for The Blues Broads. We all of us went to the Lucerne Blues Festival in 2013 and I remember making the trek with him on a day off to see the famous composer Richard Wagner's summer house on the shores of Lake Lucerne. It had been turned into a museum and we spent the afternoon looking at Wagner's instruments, manuscripts, letters, furniture and listening to his iconic masterpieces.

Mike was such an adept, versatile and innovative keyboard player. He could turn on the gospel, the blues, the rock & roll, the jazz, the country & western...all of it. On a dime. His solos were electric, his comping supremely in the pocket. And as much as I didn't know him to be a "gearhead", his sounds were always the perfect fit.

We didn't see much of one another during the several years he spent playing with Tommy Castro. I got that he loved the steady work and being on the road, but I certainly missed him on the scene here. He was perfect for that band, just like every other gig he took on. I will always regret not getting the chance to reconnect with him after he left that organization recently. I was so looking forward to seeing him again and doing some gigs around town now that he'd be home a little more. And I know in my heart he had so much more to say to all of us. He truly is home now.

My heart goes out to his daughter, Seqouia and anyone who came to know and love him. R.I.P. old friend.

Love, P.