The Loss Of A Great Man/ Acceptance, Forgiveness, Love

Last night I found out that my first jazz accordion teacher, Ronnie Moon of Cleveland, Ohio had died. Ronnie was one of the greatest and most influential people in my life. A rare talent that could share his knowledge and love for jazz as easily as you and I can breath air.

He opened my ears and my mind to the creative process and in doing so, made me a much better fighter as well as a musician. He triggered my brain to develop its ability to improvise, to create, to restructure. Those principles were not limited to just music. He made me an artistic interpreter of fighting without a doubt. I was able to see the movements of men and the strategies of fighting as intricate harmonies and rich chordal structures. My practicing of scales for music was like the repetitions of drilling moves. The physical exercises I did to develop body strength and fitness were akin the Hanon and Czerny and Phillip exercises needed to develop my musical technique and endurance. Looking for the opponents weaknesses and openings was like arranging a musical composition to better reflect the ideas in my mind. He taught me all of this and more.

He was the father figure when I so desperately needed one. He was my older brother when I had a problem and needed guidance. He was my best friend when I wanted to hang out and have some beers, shoot pool, and listen or jam with other musicians. But the best compliment I can give Ronnie was that he was the real deal. Thank you for being in my life Ronnie. I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU.

Acceptance, Forgiveness, Love…what does that have to do with fighting? Well I try to explain it a bit in the video. It’s a bit difficult for me to do much today, but I hope I can get my point across.