Kirk is still teaching at BTW and for me gave me experience that led me into college teaching. Even though at times some students would begin to act out of control - he always had a way of bringing their attention back without insulting anyone -- at least not directly! Any stories? I remember him conducting Damn Yankees with a mini baseball bat and dressed in full Yankee uniform!!
Mr. Kirk is definitely appreciated! I was surprised to find out he's still at BTW.
This Kirk topic was started over at Classmates.com. It's still there, but worth copying here:
quote:
From: JON GLAZER 1977 May 10 2000 11:18:00PM
To: ALL
(1) Jim Kirk!
Mr. Kirk gave me, and others like me, the opportunity to jump light years ahaed of other musicians our age by offering college-equivalent courses like Theory, Composition, Arranging, and Improvisation. What I wrote above his picture in my yearbook still holds true: Right ON, Jim - get it, ALWAYS!
From: DAN RICHARDS 1979 May 28 2000 2:59:00PM
To: JON GLAZER 1977
(2) Jim Kirk! (in reply to 1)
Jim Kirk was amazing! Every year he'd write customized scores for 100's of jazz standards -based on whatever instrumentation there was in the band.
He drew great musicians to BTW. The band in '77 w/ Glazer, Savage, Boyett and Gheen was a monster. There was no other band even close to those guys.
From: MARK GRAY 1977 Nov 27 2000 11:00:00PM
To: DAN RICHARDS 1979
(3) Jim Kirk! (in reply to 2)
DAN- THIS IS MARK GRAY....YOUR NAME REALLY SOUNDS FAMLR..ILL CHK YOU OUT LATER IN YR BOOK. EXACTLY, GLASER, BOYETT, GHEEN, ETC WERE DAMM GOOD! IVE KNOWN JON G SINCE 7TH GRADE...HAVENT HEARD OR SPOKEN TO HIM SINCE HS...BUT UNDERSTAND HES NOW PLAYING WITH WYNONA JUDD, BUT EVEN THATS DATED NEWS...NOT HEARD ABOUT HIM IN 2-3 YRS...I THINK SAVAGE STILL PLAYS HERE IN TULSA.....LATER
****************
From: CARVIN KNOWLES 1981 Feb 1 2001 1:04:00PM
To: JON GLAZER 1977
(4) Jim Kirk! (in reply to 1)
Agreed! Captain Kirk made sure that I was a theorizing monster. First one to introduce me to the works of Stravinsky, Schoenberg...hell, even Wagner. After that, I'm afraid I held other theory teachers in contempt. He was a giant with a receding hairline!
...and his instruction must've worked, I'm still doing it.
From: SABIN SANDERS 1991 May 12 2001 2:34:00PM
To: JON GLAZER 1977
(5) Jim Kirk! (in reply to 1)
Mr Kirk was the man who took me, a junior who had never touched an instrument before in his life, an taught me how to make music.
Despite having fallen out of playing for ten years, the things he taught me are still with me. I've just recently picked up my instrument again and begun taking lessons and, based on what I learned from him, startled my instructor and am light years ahead of most other bassists in this area who have been playing for years.
Thank you, Mr. Kirk.
Posts: 180 | Location: on the beach in warm, sunny SC | Registered: Sun September 14 2003
Mr. Kirk was a huge musical influence in my life. He help me to appreciate jazz. He also introduced me to the blues which I love now. I have finally gotten over my fear of improvisation. I'm not just a dot reader anymore. Thanks Kirk.
I'm glad to hear that Mr. Kirk is still at Booker T. Washington. He's a very good instructor in teaching the fine art of playing Jazz Music. He would always get on Dale Hawkins, Erik Michael, Antonio DelaCerda, and me (David Atkinson) for always playing around and making up drum beats while he was talking, but I will say, he did have our respect. Hey L.A. if you see this message, this is David. I played the drums in jazz band. I don't know if you remember me. Talk to you later.
Kirk was a great inspiration to me and a very good teacher. I took what I learned in his classes and bands and went on to get my Music Composition degree at North Texas. Because of the great musical foundation that most don't receive in HS, I breezed through my first two years of college and was able to focus on my creativity. I credit him with opening my eyes up to so many different forms of music (though at times to the exclusion of others!) I'll always look back fondly at my years under his direction.
