Day 16: Round Midnight: A Tribute to Great-Grandpa

On the afternoon of March 14th, my great-grandfather died.  He was 95 years old.  He'd been sick for the last several months.  He was semi-comatose during the last several weeks of his life.  But up until that time - he was still hanging, still going strong.  He lived a long happy life.  Not many people live that long.  And it's truly a remarkable thing.  He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather.  He was a supporter, inspiration, mentor, and role model.  He was a military veteran who took pride in serving his country and worked in the federal government for 33 years.  He was also a self-taught jazz musician who didn't read music.  He had several instrumental and vocal bands that toured the East coast.  Music was his passion.  Though he didn't get to completely follow his passion due to his love and commitment to his family, his passion for music and his talent never ceased.  He is one of the reasons why my love for music (jazz in particular) and singing is so strong.  He gave me a deeper appreciation for jazz and musicianship.  So this one's for Jazzman Gus, one of many names he was affectionately called.  Here's a classic jazz tune, "Round Midnight" written by the phenomenal pianist/composer Thelonious Monk and performed by Sassy/The Divine One, Sarah Vaughan.