Stephan Grapelli

Before I went to Spain, I lived with my parents in New York for a brief stint and waited tables during the day to support my jazz habit. The Village Vanguard, The Blue Note and The Gate were just a few of the places I could be found any night of the week. One night I went to hear Dave Grisman and Stephan Grappelli perform at The Bottom Line, and it turned out to be one of the most joyful experiences in music I'd ever had. After the show I made a beeline for backstage, and as I struck up a conversation with Grappelli, I quickly realized that he didn’t understand English. But he took my hands in his and encouraged me to continue talking. And as I did, he looked into my eyes like he played his violin -with sweetness and warmth and a smile on his face. He seemed to understand everything I was trying to convey. There was no language barrier, after all. The language of music needed no translation.

Shown above is a cocktail napkin he signed for me.