Edgar Meyer, certified genius

c-ba55 · #1 09-26-2002, 01:26 AM

He won a MacArthur grant today. $500,000 to do whatever he wants with. They give out 20 or 30 a year to artists and scientists and whoever. Just so geniuses can be at peace for 5 years and concentrate on doing some of that genius stuff.

olivier · #2 09-26-2002, 09:16 AM

It's funny to see how honors and grants are almost always given to persons that don't really need them anymore, because they have already a high degree of recognition. Anyway, with 500k Edgar could secure about 50 fine basses for needy students...

anonymous0726 · #3 09-26-2002, 09:23 AM

Let's hope the free money doesn't destroy the poor guy. He's at an age -- early 40's, I believe -- and has been down a long enough road that he may have the self-control to do great things. Free money tends to ruin people. The struggle to stay alive is a necessary ingredient to the human soul.

anonymous0726 · #4 09-26-2002, 09:30 AM

Here are a couple of news stories...

http://teamtulsa.com/news/local/o01351.shtml
http://www.msnbc.com/news/812371.asp?0bl=-0&cp1=1#BODY

Blux · #5 09-26-2002, 03:51 PM

Mr. Meyers is on the top of my list of favorite bassist and having seen him play on two occassions and see the joy he gets out of playing music (and hearing the joy), I cannot believe the money will change anything about his love of playing the bass. Financial security will help him to become even more creative and expressive.

LM Bass · #6 09-26-2002, 03:54 PM

Wow!
Couldn't happen to a better player, except maybe Gary Karr or Joel Quarrington. . . (But I digress) I saw Edgar a few years back and he is sooo lyrical and technically adept. . .
Laurence

anonymous0726 · #7 09-26-2002, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blux

Financial security will help him to become even more creative and expressive.

How so?

Blux · #8 09-26-2002, 08:46 PM

I would guess the security of not having to take all gigs offered would give him the freedom to do exactly what he wants to do on his term. Like actors who make more money have the power to select the best scripts. Not that Edgar has done anything he did not want to do in the first place, just financial freedom can only be healthy to someone so dedicated. I simply believe in Meyers and just cannot picture money as a threat to his art. I am looking at this from a painter's point of view because I am not a musician. I hope I am right, but I cannot argue the point.

edited type-o

anonymous0726 · #9 09-26-2002, 11:05 PM

It was my teaching (from the 'rents) and my experience in life that you can only truly appreciate that which you have that you have earned. Something like money given to you can be very poisonous.

The nature of the award does reduce the poisonous potential of the sum, though. It's not anything he applied for. Also, in the blurbs they news folks printed from his interview it sounds like he has his head on good and straight.

Pete OLeary · #10 09-27-2002, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ray Parker
Also, in the blurbs they news folks printed from his interview it sounds like he has his head on good and straight.

So do I. It would take me over a month of booze and hookers to plow through that kind of money.

nicklloyd · #11 09-27-2002, 05:56 PM

Is that a bet?

Marcus Johnson · #12 10-02-2002, 03:19 PM

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the OTHER MacArthur Grant winner in the world of music was none other than the legendary George Lewis, trombonist extraordinaire and co-founder of AACM. That's money well spent, and it made my day.

olivier · #13 10-02-2002, 11:54 PM

I'm with Marcus, George Lewis, and the AACM.

Marcus Johnson · #14 10-03-2002, 04:44 PM

He's writing a book on the AACM as we speak. That's at the top of my Christmas list....