R.I.P., Ahmet Ertegun

The man who gave voice to so many of the people I consider my favorite musicians. From John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, the Modern Jazz Quartet, and Ornette Coleman (not to speak of Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie) to Ray Charles, Otis Redding, and Aretha Franklin, to CSNY, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Yes, and Dire Straits.

The fascinating story of the young Turkish boy who teamed up with his brother Nesuhi and the Jewish Jerry Wexler to become a central voice for Blacks in America, gradually helping the most influential nation of its century find the music it would come to call its own.

From the NYT obituary:

“I had to decide whether I would go into a scholastic life or go back to Turkey in the diplomatic service, or do something else,” he said. “What I really loved was music, jazz, blues, and hanging out.” And so, he told the students, he did what he loved.

Would that we all could follow our hearts to become such positive influences on the world we lived in.