Well, I have been around the block a time or dozen, and as I get older, less and less surprises me when I hear that X amount of time has gone by... but I have to say, it completely baffles me that it's been a year since Chris left us. I still reflect on his youtube videos from time to time, and recall our extended, late night phone conversations about life and love and music and all that comes with it.
He was unorthodox in so many ways, it just drew me to him. Much as it did many of you. Today, Kyzer takes this day to remember Musashi, the master of Zen, Buddha, the enlightened prince; our friend Chris Michalek.
I dont know why/how you affected me so, but I know that I will remember you for the rest of my days.
Thats about as great a legacy as anyone could hope to leave.
In my life, I have lost good people to combat, depression, accident, and health. Each is a startling reminder of the value of friends and life.
Chris was a good friend in a category of his own.
Sitting and interacting with him was both intense and relaxing in a wonderfully balanced way.
I know there were many who felt somehow threatened, antagonized, condescended to, or some other negative. I can assure anyone that felt that way that you certainly did not know the man. He was not a malevolent soul.
Seemed like a good guy, though he liked to ride the Dawkins train and call the religious "Delusional". This among Many other things is why I could Never respect him and why -to me- he is just another stranger that died.
Chris was not religious but was very Spiritual. I know this from my many exchanges on Buddhas Garden. That's why he took the name Buddha I reckon. ---------- Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind How you doin'
Mixed bag, that Chris. He chose me to draw his bead on and came at me for many years on line, working out some of his anger issues regarding respect with me as the blunt.
At times it was an entertaining word exchange. Other times it went over the edge as far as I was concerned. Seems he invented Buddhas Garden in part to continue attacking me, as he was not permitted to do so on the "L" any longer.
However, in the midst of this weirdness, some good came of it as well. His web site benefited many harmonica players. His playing speaks for itself.
No one can argue his dedication to this instrument or to exploring music in general.
So, as I said, it was a mixed bag. I'm happy to say that at the end all our bridges were mended and we were in dialogue about interesting time signatures and turning each other on to new artists.
Chris RIP ---------- The Iceman
Last Edited by on Dec 16, 2011 9:07 AM
When I was new here, I didn't get Chris. I thought he was a loudmouth and troublemaker for the first month or two. Over time, as he revealed his credentials, I realized that he's just blunt, which isn't bad. His words had no sugar coating. He's confident in his views, whether they're popular or not. I respected that about him. He simply delivered his personality, and that's a really rare thing these days with people dancing around trying to be PC or anything else. I got where he was coming from, but his delivery wasn't for everyone. His words and topics taught me a lot about new ways to think and look at things. I've missed his involvement here every day for a year now. There was so much left to learn.
I never met Chris in person; I gather from many who did that knowing him in person made a difference. He and I spoke on the phone a half dozen times over the years, and our conversations were always friendly. He was clearly a large talent, but it would also be fair to say that in his on-line pronouncements, his ego sometimes got out of control and he wanted to be acknowledged, bowed to, for the world-historical talent he believed himself to be. He had a habit of periodically making grandiose claims. I mean the word grandiose in a quite specific way: claims designed to build himself up in other's eyes and sometimes designed to denigrate other people.
As an on-line presence on this forum, he also had, much of the time, a surprisingly mellow personality. He knew how to be cool when others were hot and bridling.
The paradox of Chris was that he was both of these things--and, of course, a great player who never quite got the recognition that he felt he deserved. I think he erred in not continuing to issue CDs after the Buddha's Groove stuff. Or at least that's my feeling: when guys like Jason, Carlos, Howard, and other important overblowers were putting stuff out year after year, Chris didn't, except for occasional performance videos, which didn't really fill the void.
It's not hard to dig through the forum search function and find threads that exhibit everything I'm talking about, especially the grandiosity-and-mellowness paradox. Here's a thread in which he claimed affinity with Jesus Christ, insisted that he'd made Jason cry twice on the bandstand with the majesty of his playing, and pissed WalterTore off so badly that WT resigned from the forum. He also got me somewhat more challenging and testosteroned than is my usual attitude; I'm surprised to be reminded of that--and surprised, repeatedly, by how he DIDN'T take the bait, but kept replying to barbed comments with clarity, wit, and intelligence. I ended up locking the thread when things got very bad, but it's a memorable thread and we could do worse, in trying to remember all that Buddha was about, than to read it all the way through:
http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/board/board_topic/5560960/552660.htm?page=1
Last Edited by on Dec 16, 2011 1:22 PM
Talking to Chris and meeting him off forum made a big difference in my opinion of him. He was such a nice guy and willing to discuss stuff he knew and philosophies he had with music for free with me on nearly a weekly basis and never charged a penny. When I went to my first SPAH I felt like a fish out of water but he helped make me feel comfortable. After meeting him I decided I wanted to take a 1 week intensive at his place that he was offering at the time but never had the chance to. Not to mention I felt his music was brilliant and if he found his place he was looking for he would have made it big.
I once asked him about his online presence. He suggested people read things however they wanted and could not tell when he was jesting or sarcastic or tongue and cheek cause they could not see or hear how he emoted the statements he made.
----------
~Ryan
"I play the harmonica. The only way I can play is if I get my car going really fast, and stick it out the window." - Steven Wright
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
I met Chris at Rockers in the Rockies 2007. A couple years later I ordered some harps from him. He had strong opinions and sometimes rubbed people the wrong way. He was also a decent, genuine guy. The last I heard directly, he insisted that I send back the harps I'd gotten for adjustment. He cared, and that counts for a lot.
