Posted At 12:06:17 07/14/2001
We’ve all had a Colorblind James Experience.
People the world over have had a Colorblind James Experience.
Some people have known it and experienced it
Others have just experienced it, by living their lives.
the acorn girls of this world
the Bob’s, all the Bobs
Whether they have known it or not.

Maybe they were the other Bob the whole time . . .

Chuck’s tragic passing is just another part of the Experience.
“Just?” you say . . .
Chuck wasn’t just a man, but he sure was one hell of a Just man.
Part of what made Chuck Just was his ability, his proclivity
to bring all god’s creatures up on stage
with reverence
with humility
with humor and bite
and for a lucky few, with the nod.

The people who peopled his songs,
The people who were persons in his life,
he reminded us that we were all Just people,
even Jesus,
was a Just person.
he reminded us that we were all just people
But that was OK,
it was ok to be just you, but try in little ways to be the Just you.

Chuck spoke and sang with the compassion and vision of a saint
Like a prophet he spoke to each of us
some heard
some heard not

But he was no saint, he was no prophet
Chuck was Chuck
Chuck was Colorblind
Was Chuck colorblind?

Maybe, Maybe not.

We knew, however, his view of the world was different.
He helped us see the world differently,
He would stop

the music

we’d look around the dance floor,
around the club
around the festival
we’d look at each other
we’d look at the band
we’d look at Chuck

and then it started again

Like a Buddhist moment of awareness,
he offered it to us, to look at the world for what it was for what it is
We look at the world differently because of Chuck.

I remember the first time a had an engaged conversation with Chuck,
It was one of those monthly Saturday nights at the old Jazzberry’s in the old Co-op
I was a proud CBJ Junky,
Wouldn’t miss a show for nuthin

Many of Chucks songs struck chords in me
I realized his lyrics were poetry, what ever that meant
I suppose he helped me see that every word spoken or written could have deeper power
could have deeper meaning
It was part of a learning process for me that
every word
every action
every reaction
could have deeper meaning

We just have to stop

and let life start again.

The first conversation we had was about the song “(He must’ve been) Quite a Guy”
Hearing it you could see your all american hero,
you’re average joe,
you’re average chuck “born on a surfboard
inventing the backyard
and Marching with the Wooblies
Marching in Selma
He died of bee sting
he died . . . from cover to cover, he must’ve been quite a Guy”
It struck me right between the eyes that it was like a page out of
Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass”
“Song of Myself”
I shared my observation, Chuck chuckled, Chuck pondered, Chuck took as the highest of compliments and said, “well thanks.”
Just as Whitman, Chuck got us to look deeper in ourselves
ourselves as individuals
ourselves as people
ourselves as people living together as individuals, yet together
taking pride in ourselves
what we’ve done as a people

Yet not blind pride
Colorblind pride
Humble pride

Chuck, I look at you in the paper, the D&C, and I remember the times we spent together
you on stage, telling us to “Dance Critters”
Me on the dance floor, a happy critter dancing
Chuck, I remember the times we played softball
You were always the pitcher, you just couldn’t help it, you were just destined for the mound
Chuck, I remember your playing at my wedding
You and the band cooked up one of the most kick ass versions of Ha-va-na-geela the world has ever known, thank you.
Chuck, I remember our talks, sometimes in passing, sometimes stopping, sharing more than a moment
Chuck, I am so glad that I caught the last Dylan’s Birthday party at the Rongo. Wish I saw the Rochester Birthday, I’ve heard John shared the stage with you,
wish I was there to see you look into each others eyes
as a father to look with love and pride into your creation’s eyes and see what you’ve done,
to see what John does
Chuck we have been blessed to have known you
We have been blessed to have shared in your experience
Chuck we will miss you.

The music has stopped,
But I know it will start again

Jan, If you read this, I want you to know you are in my prayers, in my thoughts.
I look forward to talking with you, the next time we do, seeing how you’re doing, seeing if there is anything I can do to help, even if it’s just a hug.

John, Mark, & Paul, while you probably don’t remember me, though we’ve met through the years. As a father myself, I can imagine the many times your father shared his love with you; I can imagine how many times he has been proud of you. He’ll continue to be proud of you, just keep being you, just you, a Just you.

and, yes, the world will have to adjust to you and it’ll be a better place

John, Mark, & Paul . . .Your dad was quite a guy

Posted At 09:38:52 07/15/2001

Rochester lost a giant when Chuck died. I met him only a few years ago when I moved back to Rochester. After hearing CbJE a few times, I realized what a treasure that we had. After meeting him, I knew that he was a special one.

I was and am inspired deeply by his poetry, the images he painted, the riffs, "when you stop and think about it" nature, the compasion he wove through his music, but most of all by his gentle ways.

There was nothing for Chuck to gain by reaching out to me. He was an established figure in town, with plenty of friends and fans; I was a newcomer with few friends. But he did reached out!

You were a gem in land of stones;
A treasure without bounds;
A seeker, a reacher, a thinker; a friend.

We will have to struggle mightily to live the kind of life you've inspired in us. The friends and family you left behind will forever serve as a reminder of your gentle ways.

Goodbye, friend.

Posted At 08:50:54 07/16/2001
Chuck & the Band at Grassroots every year, whipping it up like no one else.
With the Experience or the Death Valley Boys at too many gigs to remember.
Chuck's tapes from the tape club we were in together for a few years.
Dylan's birthday gigs...this year, in a PANIC as I forgot the opening lines of one of the songs we were doing, twice, I turned to Chuck and said, "Hey, we were going to do the other song first!"
Chuck smiled that unique, tolerant, Mona Lisa smile and said, simply, as he kept vamping the opening bars, "Were we?"

In so many places for so many people.

There was Chuck like a big magnetic Buddha, open to it all, perceiving more than most, forgiving, accepting, loving, with compassion and humor. People are drawn to souls like that and it takes great capacity to be able to handle the throughput.

To have harnessed all that and given huge gifts to us all!