Ah into the blue goes "Blue" Gene Tyranny,.. with a twinkle I suspect.
* * *
Dear friends and loved ones,
We lost our beloved Blue this morning. "Blue" Gene Tyranny aka Robert Sheff aka Joe Gantic passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was comfortable and did not suffer. I hope he was having a beautiful and vivid dream.
As you may or may not know, I have been his assistant for the past 12 years and I definitely count him as a friend. We introduced each other to our favorite music and Blue shared many great stories of his fascinating exploits. He was very lucky to have such a supportive community who he always treasured. In his final days we were working on putting the last touches on a box set that spans his whole career. It will be a great portrait of the music he created throughout his life. I’m glad he was able to have a hand in telling his own story.
If you haven’t seen it yet, here is a documentary about Blue by David Bernabo that was just released. It is a great chance to see Blue speak about his life and music. David did a wonderful job summing up such vibrant and varied life.
The memorial is TBD at the moment due to COVID restrictions. I hope we can all gather and celebrate Blue together when it is safe to do so. In the meantime, we can all put on his music and dance. Blue always told me, “I was a great dancer you know”.
Sincerely,
Sime
* * *
LEADING A DOUBLE LIFE
("Blue" Gene Tyranny)
He is in the blue distance
He is getting nearer
She's in the blue distance
She is getting so clear
I don't know where they came from
I don't know how we got here
I just turned my back
And suddenly you were here
Oh boy, sometimes it seems like
Iit takes forever
And then with your friends
It takes no effort at all
Oh, it could be a past turn,
Attachment illusion
That makes distance between me
Leading a double life
On the other hand
You know it takes some language
An agreement for the moment
Making dreams ring true
So that with the resistance
Comes an angel's assistance
Bringing it closer and closer
Leading a double life
She is in the blue distance
She's a visiting wonder
He's in the blue distance
He's a dream come true
Am I sleeping and waking
Or just turning over
A cellular wonder
Leading a double, double life