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Remembering Dr. Dave --- Dr.
Dave Eulogy --- Dr. Dave Pics
"Dr.
Dave... a Koot-Eulogy";
(Reprinted from the Kootz Newsletter of February 17, 2003)
There is a most certain 'metaphoric silence' outside of my window here, today...
as the weekly 'Kootz-newsletter' self-composes under my fingertips... much as
it does, weekly... before it is e-mailed out to all of you...
However, this very Monday, February 17th... is particulary, and subtractively
different... in it's utter stillness and quietude...A peaceful and serene accumulating
snow-scape, that parallels the emptiness in our hearts... but mirrors our hopes...
for the everlasting memory in that 'eternal place' to which we hope that a spirit
near
and
dear
to
us
has
taken
flight.
Dr. David Frisch... a founding father of 'The OMJ (Old-Man-Jam) Band'... which
ultimately metamorphosed into The Kootz... was lost to us this past Thursday,
February 13th, 2003... tragically all too soon at the 'not-so-old-man' age of
51.
I grew up with this man... know his wife and sons... shared religion... played
sports... broke bread... and ALWAYS... had wonderful and memorable musical experiences
with him... and not always in the most glamorous venues... It didn't matter...
Sometimes a simple summer backyard barbecue could turn into a mini-Woodstock...
or a community street-fair could make us feel like we were playing the Hollywood
Bowl... or even just sitting in the den with a couple of acoustic guitars and
his soulful wailing harmonica...
By day, David was a respected and trusted Doctor of Chiropractic... with a home
office (so he could always be near his family)... The office as well as his home
always had an air of 'informality'... and Dr. Dave projected a 'warmth', that
made even new acquaintances, patients... or musicians who hadn't gotten to know
him... feel like 'old friends'...
I have looked up to this man since the time of one of my early endeavors into
rock
'n roll, with a 'long-ago-and-far-away' band called "The Hi-Tydes",
out of Passaic New Jersey... circa 1967; We ALL were inspired by David's well
established
and 'top-of-the-circuit' band 'Powdered Milk'; *note, see a 'bio' and history,
as well as many wonderful photos of Dave... with The Kootz on our website;
http://www.thekootz.com/
Later on in the timeline, during his undergraduate studies at The University of
Maryland in the early '70's, David's desire to broaden his musical 'scope' led
to a greater involvement with country and bluegrass... as he immersed himself
in becoming a virtuoso on the dobro and blues harp as well as maintaining his
constant vocal presence... as a 'scraggly, soulful, bluesey singer'... See www.jugband.com
for more info on Dr. Dave's forays into that area of music.
In spite of so many wonderful memories, I (along with everyone else who was touched
by his life) am damning the fact that he was taken from us much too early... We
will never forget Dr. Dave... and what he meant to us all... more than in professional
life... more than as a musician... but as one of the finest human beings we've
ever had the pleasure of knowing... There is no encore... but just the sweet,
lingering reverberation of one of life's finest performances.
Thanks Dr. Dave...