About 10 years ago I bought a bass at a charity auction benefiting homeless young people in Los Angeles. It was donated by Jimmy Haslip and it came with a lesson from Jimmy, which was (obviously) the best part of the deal. Jimmy came to my house. We talked about tone and technique for a little bit and then we went to lunch and Jimmy regaled me with stories, some inspiring, some heartwarming, some outrageously funny. We had a great time, Jimmy went home, and that was the end of it.
Earlier this year, 10 years after that lunch, our home was destroyed in the fires in Los Angeles. My wife and I got out with a couple of suitcases and the clothes on our backs. Shortly after that, Jimmy was speaking with our mutual friend, John St. Thomas, who had been the one who asked Jimmy to donate his bass and his time to help homeless youths. I learned later from John that their conversation went something like this:
Jimmy: "John, you know that friend of yours who bought the bass I donated, who I had lunch with?"
John: "Sure, Jimmy we're still good friends."
Jimmy: "Did he lose his house in the fire?"
John: "He did, Jimmy. It was a total loss."
Jimmy: "And that bass I donated, did that burn too?"
John: "Yeah, that went too. It's a real shame."
Jimmy: "I think we'd better do something about that."
A week or two later we were having lunch with John and his wife. John said, "I have a present for you," and handed me a guitar stand. I was very excited. I had saved one guitar (it was at my son's house) but didn't have a stand for it, so this was a big deal for me. A few minutes later John got a phone call and said, "Hey can you come outside for a sec, I want to show you something."
We went outside and Jimmy was standing there. I was (obviously) excited to see him again, and went up and greeted him and said "what brings you here?"
Jimmy smiled and handed me a gig bag with something inside. He said, "I heard that your house burned in the fires, and that bass I donated burned as well. I thought you might need a replacement." I was speechless, and honestly nearly in tears. It had an unbelievable impact on me that Jimmy would go to such trouble, all from just having spent a couple of hours with me so many years ago.
Here is a picture of Jimmy and me on the sidewalk:
Here's what was inside the gig bag:
It's a Keith Roscoe bass! It's easily the nicest sounding, best playing bass that I've ever owned. It's truly an amazing instrument, but the best part of it is that every time I play it, or even just walk by it, I think of what an incredible act of kindness that was by Jimmy. It's so much more than a bass, and it has really helped me keep my "attitude of gratitude" together in a very difficult time.
Thanks again, Jimmy. I hope you don't mind me posting this, but I just had to share.
Earlier this year, 10 years after that lunch, our home was destroyed in the fires in Los Angeles. My wife and I got out with a couple of suitcases and the clothes on our backs. Shortly after that, Jimmy was speaking with our mutual friend, John St. Thomas, who had been the one who asked Jimmy to donate his bass and his time to help homeless youths. I learned later from John that their conversation went something like this:
Jimmy: "John, you know that friend of yours who bought the bass I donated, who I had lunch with?"
John: "Sure, Jimmy we're still good friends."
Jimmy: "Did he lose his house in the fire?"
John: "He did, Jimmy. It was a total loss."
Jimmy: "And that bass I donated, did that burn too?"
John: "Yeah, that went too. It's a real shame."
Jimmy: "I think we'd better do something about that."
A week or two later we were having lunch with John and his wife. John said, "I have a present for you," and handed me a guitar stand. I was very excited. I had saved one guitar (it was at my son's house) but didn't have a stand for it, so this was a big deal for me. A few minutes later John got a phone call and said, "Hey can you come outside for a sec, I want to show you something."
We went outside and Jimmy was standing there. I was (obviously) excited to see him again, and went up and greeted him and said "what brings you here?"
Jimmy smiled and handed me a gig bag with something inside. He said, "I heard that your house burned in the fires, and that bass I donated burned as well. I thought you might need a replacement." I was speechless, and honestly nearly in tears. It had an unbelievable impact on me that Jimmy would go to such trouble, all from just having spent a couple of hours with me so many years ago.
Here is a picture of Jimmy and me on the sidewalk:
Here's what was inside the gig bag:
It's a Keith Roscoe bass! It's easily the nicest sounding, best playing bass that I've ever owned. It's truly an amazing instrument, but the best part of it is that every time I play it, or even just walk by it, I think of what an incredible act of kindness that was by Jimmy. It's so much more than a bass, and it has really helped me keep my "attitude of gratitude" together in a very difficult time.
Thanks again, Jimmy. I hope you don't mind me posting this, but I just had to share.
